‘Someday, I can make it.' Award-winning musicians inspire high-school artists at music camp in Randolph.
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as she waited for the program to start Tuesday morning. Julien, 18, of Holbrook, 'dabble[s] in everything,' including guitar, piano, bass, and drums.
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'Being here, being able to actually work with actual producers and just doing the stuff I love, that's fire,' Julien said.
Jordyn Julien, 18, center, sings with Maliyah Silveira, 16, left, as they write song lyrics during the Covered by Music program.
Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff
The camp was founded by Kirjuan Freeman, Keithen Foster, and New England
'The R.E.A.L. program has to be real, and it can't be more real than being in the community,' said Freeman, 39. 'We understand the impact of providing transformational results in our community.'
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the challenges of starting a music career in Boston.
They lived together in Randolph in their early 20s around 2009, making music for their band, Elevation Theory, and playing some of their first gigs at
'We have worked with some of the biggest and the brightest stars, but it all stemmed in our brotherhood coming out of Boston,' Freeman said. 'We were just kids living together, 19 Upham Street, running up $3,000 power bills.'
Elevation Theory
later toured with Jordan Knight from New Kids on the Block and Nick Carter from Backstreet Boys.
Freeman now works on the management side of the industry. Foster,
35, who attended Berklee on a full scholarship, finished a tour as the bassist with Usher just before returning to Randolph. He participated on H.E.R.'s Grammy-winning album, producing two songs.
The pair are hoping to inspire
future generations of Boston musicians and shine a light on the 'creativity economy' in the city, which is not seen as a musical hub on the level of Atlanta, Los Angeles, or New York.
'We're number one for sports, we're number one for education, we're number one for medicine, why not be number one for everything music?,' Foster asked.
Kirjuan Freeman, center, talks to a student during the Covered by Music program on July 8.
Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff
The pair are backing Malachi J. Lewis to start putting their vision into practice.
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Lewis, whose stage name is MJL, is the program's first success story from last year. Lewis, 24, attended Berklee on a scholarship and met Foster and Freeman his junior year. He went to last year's camp as both a student and mentor.
'What these guys … have been able to do has been so inspiring,' Lewis said. 'Because of Free and Keithen, I was able to be part of events that I dreamed of being in.'
With the help of Freeman and Foster, Lewis played the drums on "
This year, the camp is focusing on live performance with the catchphrase 'from the studio to the stage,' Freeman said. Students from 14 to 21
Ten students affiliated with organizations, churches, and community centers in the Boston area, including Randolph, Holbrook, and Weymouth, are attending the camp. All have some level of musical experience, whether instruments or singing, Freeman said.
Last year, 15 students, some of whom were part of the
In the studio at the church, heads
bobbed in unison, bodies swayed, and fingers tapped. The small space pulsed
with the smooth sound of bass and string instruments, coupled with a steady
drumbeat in the background.
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Joshua Jackson, a.k.a. Leo the Kind, creates a beat on his computer as he teaches during the Covered by Music program.
Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff
Joshua Jackson, a local producer from Dorchester known as
'Just know that this industry doesn't owe you anything,' Jones told the young musicians as they watched. 'You got to work for everything.'
Freeman said the camp also seeks to give the teenagers real-world advice about the music industry, such as pointing out jobs that are less widely known, like making songs for TV shows or commercials.
Patriots player Marcus Jones (second from right) chats with a student during the Covered by Music program.
Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff
Happy with his initial set, Jackson, who also teaches at Boston Arts Academy, said 'that's dope.'
'Wooooweeee,' Lewis said, shaking his head in delight.
'Blow them away,' Maliyah Silveira, 16, of Boston added, putting her hands up.
'I already have the song written,' said Bello, the local musician, nodding along and moving her hand in time with the music.
Joshua Jackson plays the keyboard with one hand while creating a beat with the other on his computer.
Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff
The nerves the teenagers started the day with faded away with the music. Silveira, a songwriter, and Julien, the Holbrook teenager, asked Jackson to try the beat with less drums.
How about with more string, Julien asked, joined quickly by Aryana Seeramsingh, 17, a guitar and saxophone player from Randolph.
'I was just going to say that!,' she said.
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Julian Sernandes, 16, from Randolph, enjoyed the vibe and listened attentively.
'It gives me courage that someday I can make it,' said Sernandes, who plays percussion instruments and the guitar.
Ava Berger can be reached at
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