Singer-songwriter Shayna Steele discusses her storied music career (singing backup with Rihanna and Taylor Swift as well as starring in Hairspray and Rent) and studying at Berklee Online with friends Jordan Ballard and Kamilah Marshall.

Owen Gurry went from rural Wales to working on Blade Runner 2049 and Netflix series, all while completing his Berklee Online degree. In this conversation, the guitarist and composer talks about returning to finish what he started and how online study fit into an already full creative life.

With a global student population, all seeking flexibility in their music studies and a desire to learn from anywhere, Berklee Online offers unique networking and collaboration you can’t find anywhere else. Learn about the kinds of students you’ll meet at Berklee Online.

Frank Louis was ready to leave music behind—until Katie Day’s Berklee Online class helped him discover a new path in advertising music. One year later, his work is featured in a national MLB campaign. Now he’s finishing his bachelor’s degree, running his own company, and inspiring others to say “yes” to unexpected opportunities.

Mahmoud Abuwarda reflects on his unwavering pursuit of music, from living amid war with limited access to music education, to becoming an accomplished classical guitarist, music teacher, and now a composer whose pieces are premiering around the world.

For the fifth consecutive year, Enrique Gonzalez Müller has partnered with iZotope, Slate Digital, and Sweetwater Sound to award six outstanding alumni from Berklee Online’s master’s in music production program: Merrily James, Jerold Jerry, Canita Rogers, Todd Urban, Andrew Veres, and Dean Vitale. 

Thomas Ferreira, a 17-year-old drummer whose artist name is Thomas Thunder, talks about his accelerated musical journey, from graduating high school early and studying at Berklee Online, to collaborating with rock legends from the supergroup Sons of Apollo—and he’s just getting started.

On May 10, more than 200 members of Berklee Online’s class of 2025 will come together in Boston to take part in this year’s Commencement ceremony. This moment celebrates not only the completion of their bachelor’s programs, but also the connections they’ve built, the obstacles they’ve overcome, and the music and meaning they’ve created along the way. We’re shining a spotlight on five standout graduates whose stories exemplify where determination can take you.

Broadway performer, Taylor Swift touring vocalist, and Berklee Online alum Kamilah Marshall will give the 2025 Berklee Onsite keynote address on May 30, 2025.