Homecoming Artist Spotlight: Dreion
Dreion
Image by Griffin Nagel/NBC
Berklee's first-ever Homecoming Block Party brings alumni back to Boston on Saturday, September 19, for a daylong celebration of the music that started here. Our Homecoming Artist Spotlight series introduces the alumni taking the stage, including their favorite Berklee memories, the lessons they carried out into their careers, and what "coming home" means to them now.
In this installment, meet Dreion, a singer, songwriter, producer, and performer from Omaha, Nebraska, who graduated from Berklee with a degree in songwriting and a minor in Africana studies. A four-chair-turn contestant on season 26 of The Voice, he has shared stages with Earth, Wind & Fire, Snoop Dogg, Musiq Soulchild, Lalah Hathaway ’90 ’22H , and Bootsy Collins, and has performed everywhere from the Grand Ole Opry to Gillette Stadium. He is also an advocate for foster care reform and an ambassador for First Star Academy, the Mixed Roots Foundation, and the Music Is Unity Foundation. At Homecoming, he'll be joined onstage by Morris Hayes, Zalissa Stewart, and Tia Fuller.
Berklee's Homecoming Block Party takes place Saturday, September 19, from 1 to 6 p.m. Learn more and get your tickets here.
Berklee is celebrating its first-ever Homecoming this year. What was your reaction when you were invited to be part of it?
I felt honored to be invited to be a part of Berklee’s first Homecoming celebration. I’ve been blessed to perform and travel all over the world, but there’s nothing like coming back home to the place where my professional journey began.
Looking back, what's one Berklee memory that still makes you smile or has stayed with you throughout your career?
One of my favorite Berklee memories that has stayed with me throughout my career is my original music showcase Dreion: Made for This, which was a full-production concert held in the Berklee Performance Center (BPC) with a 20-piece Berklee band, dancers, and production team. The show was accompanied by a songwriting directed study with the incredible Tia Fuller, who will also be joining me for my Homecoming performance. Many of the songs, arrangements, production creations, and team members from that show are still a part of my touring performances today.
Watch Dreion perform his original song "For a Change Is Coming” at the BPC:
How did your time at Berklee shape the artist, or person, you are today?
It taught me one of the most important skills of my career: how to foster great relationships and networking. Berklee gave me what I call pre-industry training, which has prepared me to navigate almost every industry opportunity I’ve been afforded. Artistry is way more than just performing, and thanks to Berklee, I learned this very early in my professional career.
Homecoming is all about reconnecting. What does "coming home" to Berklee mean to you at this stage of your career?
It means I get to celebrate my own growth and that of my Berklee family, who I’ve been blessed to walk into this unpredictable industry with. We will celebrate our triumphs, our challenges, and our futures!
What advice would you share with current Berklee students who are just beginning their own journey?
Find your village and help each other to the top. Use every possible resource at your fingertips to further your skill sets and career. Lastly, prepare for every aspect of life in your career studies—taxes, contracts, time/priority management, problem solving, and more.
