The names of top national musicians who will serve as mentors this fall for Milwaukee-area high school students in Grace Weber’s Music Lab, a project of non-comm Triple A 88Nine Radio Milwaukee, were announced Thursday. The guest artists who will serve as mentors this fall are:
• Sept. 27: Everett and Julian Reid of The JuJu Exchange, a musical partnership of Genre bending style of music drawing from Hip-Hop, Jazz, Classical and Pop.
• Oct. 25: Jean Deaux, a Chicago rapper and singer.
• Nov.22: Spanish-American singer-songwriter Victoria Canal and Andrew Leib of Red Light Management and a former Nicolet High School student.
Sessions will be held in 88Nine Radio Milwaukee’s performance space, 220 E. Pittsburgh Ave., Milwaukee, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The programs include an on-air component featuring performances by the artist and Q&A from students, and an off-air Lab session featuring open mics with feedback and a student mini-concert. Students can register for the Labs and learn more at https://www.gwmusiclab.com/.
Grace Weber’s Music Lab is a free after-school program offered to all Milwaukee-area high school students. The Lab brings high school-aged youths from Milwaukee together through music, allowing them to create community and bridge divides, while also preparing them and giving them a platform for potential careers in music and entertainment.
A Grammy Award-winning singer, the Los Angeles-based Weber has recorded and toured with Chance the Rapper. Weber, a Wauwatosa High School graduate who grew up singing in the Central City Youth Gospel Choir of Milwaukee, started the program in 2017. Radio Milwaukee operates and funds the Lab, with Weber managing the booking of guest artists, programming and overall concept of the Music Lab.
“The Lab works directly with Milwaukee’s youth, putting a spotlight on otherwise unnoticed talent and inspiring young people to pursue their dreams,” Weber said. “At the Music Lab, we create a space where young people can be themselves and get celebrated for it.”
