Kai Hammond

Pronouns Used: He/him

Hometown: Baltimore County 

Principal Instrument: Voice

Majors: Music Production and Engineering, Electronic Production and Design

Describe your favorite Berklee experience so far.

Through Berklee, I was able to travel to Atlanta for a week alongside several other students. This experience was pivotal in helping me secure an internship, while also exposing me to different facets of the music industry. It opened my eyes to the many opportunities available within the industry and helped me better understand the different paths I can take. Most importantly, being surrounded by such amazing people and a strong community showed me just how many opportunities can come from the connections and relationships built within the music industry.

When you think about your favorite class so far, what is one example of why you enjoyed it?

My favorite classes have always been the ones that provided me with the most value. By far, the most intensive and instructional class I’ve taken for music production was EP-320, led by Jason Petrin. What made the course so enjoyable was how much it unlocked a whole new level of understanding of production that I never knew was possible. The techniques and knowledge I gained from this class are things I still use in professional gigs today.

What is your favorite part about studying and living in Boston?

My favorite part about Boston is the college community. I’ve been able to attend events at other colleges and experience unique things that I may not have had the opportunity to otherwise.

What is one piece of advice you would give to someone applying to Berklee College of Music or Boston Conservatory at Berklee?

Anybody applying to Berklee should be proactive about diving into the unknown. That means saying yes to opportunities! Saying yes has allowed me to sing with UMI in front of hundreds of people, open a show for Project Pat as a hype man, and even travel to Japan with Morgan State as their videographer. I encourage everybody to pursue their own side quests, whether that means joining engineers for late-night 2–6 a.m. studio sessions or attending a new club. More often than not, the opportunities you know the least about end up teaching you the most.

Where is your favorite place on campus?

My favorite places on campus are the studios, especially the Dub Stage. One semester, I spent downtime there blasting some of my favorite tracks. After discovering that it was a studio capable of running Dolby Atmos mixes, I took advantage of it and booked studio time just to listen to more mixes! It also became a great place to watch some of my favorite anime, like Spy x Family.

Why did you choose Berklee?

I chose Berklee because of the many resources it offers to musicians and those pursuing careers within the music industry. Pursuing music all my life was something that was often communicated to me as more of a pipe dream than a tangible reality. Berklee challenged that narrative and showed me that a career in music could actually be something I could build a future around.

What are your plans for after graduation?

After graduation, I plan to spend my days composing for films and my nights mixing sessions at studios. After interning at SinceThe80’s, I found Atlanta to be a convenient place to settle into this lifestyle. I want to build a future where my kids can see my name in the credits at the end of a movie, and I feel that pursuing both composition and engineering can help me create that future.

What have you enjoyed most about the live shows you’ve been involved in at Berklee?

Berklee never fails to produce some great shows, but nothing brings me more joy than the events I organize for the Berklee 100 Club. As the club’s vice president, I had the opportunity to coordinate masterclasses with Yung Gravy, Spill Tab, Brake, and many others. Now, as the club’s president, I hope to continue bringing in a wider range of the music industry’s most influential voices to elevate our members’ Berklee experience and help shape their future music careers.

Where do you hope to perform this coming year?

My ambitions are more closely tied to production and engineering, but this year, I hope to engineer sessions for a wide range of talented musicians. It’s always fulfilling to craft songs with amazing artists, and even more magical to hear those songs performed on stage. I’d love for songs I produce to be performed at Career Jam. It may also be fun to make a cameo at Soul Jam as well!

Your social media channel/web URL

Instagram: @hm._kai