April's Two Track Series Explores the Theme of Renewal

Berklee’s music video series Two Track features the college’s student artists and musicians performing in an intimate setting with only one microphone and shot in single continuous camera takes. Designed for Berklee’s YouTube channel, the virtual concert series launched in September 2021 and premieres every Wednesday throughout the spring semester at 8:00 p.m. ET.

Each recording session revolves around a central theme that is expressed by the artist either through their track selection or a short storytelling segment recorded as part of the performance. April focuses on the theme of renewal and featured Chloe Southern, Reeshabh and Shiva, Aiida, and Julian Wilson, with each session displaying the artists' raw talent and creating a community around the theme, shared experiences, and emotion.

Chloe Southern

Singer-songwriter Chloe Southern performed her original song “Naked” along with a cover of “Edelweiss” by Rodgers and Hammerstein on April 6. Growing up in Boulder, Colorado, Southern found inspiration in the Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, and Amy Winehouse. Her music ranges from folk and pop to acoustic rock, and earlier this year, the songwriting major released a new single, “Ghost in the Apartment,” which is currently streaming on all platforms.

Watch Chloe Southern’s performance: 

Reeshabh and Shiva

On April 13, the duo Reeshabh and Shiva performed "Ja Ja Re" by In Raag Bhimpalasi and "Balama" by Sachin and Reeshabh Purohit. Shivaraj Natraj, who goes by Shiva, is known for fusing the South Indian percussive language of Konnakol with beatboxing. A contemporary writing and production major, Natraj is also the leader of the progressive seven-piece Carnatic fusion band Project Mishram. In 2017, he represented India at the world vocal conference La Voce Artistica in Ravenna, Italy. Natraj's musical partner Reeshabh Purohit is a classical vocalist and composer from Pune, India. Under the direction of various gurus in his native country, Purohit uses his training in traditional Indian music and fuses it with contemporary styles. In 2020, he was presented with an award from The Economic Times, and last year he released a new song, “Safar,” about “embarking upon a life’s journey, with all its hues and colors, amid the mundane routines of our everyday being.”

Watch Reeshabh and Shiva’s performance: 

Aiida

On April 20, pop/R&B artist Aiida sang her original song “Puzzles” and a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s iconic “Landslide” with Grace Pehrman and Tyler Christian on background vocals, and Liam Garcia on guitar. Inspired by Aretha Franklin, Robyn, and Dua Lipa, Aiida’s songs include catchy hooks and clever lyrics as showcased in her 2021 track “Talk (About What?).” Known for her powerhouse vocals and performances filled with energetic arrangements, Aiida has been selected to perform at Lollapalooza this summer as part of the Berklee Popular Music Institute.

Watch Aiida’s performance: 

Julian Wilson

The month ended with Julian Wilson's rousing performance of Kim Jordan’s “Mixed Blessings” and Ledisi’s 2007 hit single “Alright” on April 27. Accompanied by Yves-Gerald Delice on bass and Bryant Thomas on drums, Wilson, a Maryland native, demonstrated his love for R&B, jazz, contemporary gospel, and funk music through his skillful keyboard performance. Wilson has been working alongside the Foundation for the Advancement of Music & Education (FAME) for the past three years while pursuing a degree in contemporary writing and production.

Watch Julian Wilson’s performance: