Bandier Student Earns Chance to Share Stage With The Chainsmokers
Steele, a student in the Bandier music business bachelor’s program at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, will open for the Grammy-winning duo Friday at a benefit concert at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, after winning a fundraising contest among student DJs. Chainsmokers co-founder Drew Taggart ’12 is also a Bandier alumnus.
Steele, who performs as DJ Amplitude, raised more than $19,000 in a week for the Mary Parrish Center, a nonprofit that provides support and services for survivors of domestic and relationship abuse. He accounted for almost 30% of the more than $65,000 raised among all contestants.
“Seeing the impact of this effort has honestly been incredible,” Steele said Wednesday, “and seeing so many people come together for such an important cause means so much to me.”
Now he gets to open for The Chainsmokers at Lights on the Lawn, Vanderbilt’s annual student-led benefit for the Mary Parrish Center.
“Opening for The Chainsmokers is an amazing opportunity, and I’m most excited to bring my energy to that stage and inspire people through my music,” Steele said. “I’ve always wanted my sets to be about pure positive energy and bringing people together, so getting to do that at Lights On The Lawn is something I’ll never forget.”
Learn more about Steele and his experience in the Bandier program below.
I originally saw the contest as an incredible opportunity to use DJing to make a real impact beyond just performing. The cause became especially personal to me after learning that someone very close to me had been affected by relationship abuse. That completely changed the way I looked at the fundraiser and made me want to use my platform to raise as much money and awareness as possible.
Absolutely. Being a Bandier student and knowing Drew Taggart went to Syracuse makes the opportunity feel even more full-circle. Seeing someone who came through Syracuse go on to perform on some of the biggest stages in the world is incredibly inspiring, especially because that’s the path I’m working toward myself. Having the chance to open for The Chainsmokers while representing Syracuse and Bandier makes the experience even more meaningful.
My time in Bandier has been amazing so far. I came to Syracuse because I wanted to be surrounded by people who are just as passionate about music and the industry as I am. One of the most valuable parts has been learning directly from people who have real experience in the business while also building relationships with classmates, professors and alumni who constantly push me to grow.
My ultimate goal is to build a career as a touring DJ and producer, performing my own music at major festivals around the world. At the same time, I want to keep developing the business and marketing side of my career. Bandier has helped me understand that being an artist today is about more than making music, it’s also about understanding the industry, building relationships, marketing yourself and creating a brand that can last.
