Black History Month is in full swing as PJ Morton has announced that he will be partnering with HBCU Dillard University as their new artist in residence.
The program will feature master classes taught by Morton, including songwriting, music publishing, studio production and talent management. The 2021-2022 residency will also offer students internship opportunities, as well as a talent showcase where the winner will have a single produced by Morton Records.
“I’m so excited to be partnering with Dillard University,” Morton shared in a press release. “As both an HBCU graduate and a New Orleanian, it’s very important for me to pass on any and everything I can to educate and inspire. I believe this is the beginning of something special.”
Dillard’s School of Humanities Chair Cortheal Clark added, “This residency brings the best and one of the most influential artists in the music industry to Dillard University. The conceptual and musical sophistication of PJ Morton’s work, as well as his commitment to social responsibility, will have a profound impact on our students.”
Morton, nominated for two 2021 NAACP Image Awards, capped 2020 with an NPR Tiny Desk concert to support his latest project Gospel According to PJ. The album has scored Morton a Best Gospel Album nod at the 2021 Grammy Awards.
This is Morton’s fourth consecutive year with nominations in album categories, preceded by Best R&B Album considerations for Gumbo (2018), Gumbo Unplugged (Live) (2019), and Paul (2020).