Behind “Hallelujah at Howard University”
To support the release of his solo album Dawn of a Misfit, Sony Masterworks artist Kevin Olusola partnered with Howard University on a culturally rooted collaboration designed to connect his story with students who shared his background and experiences.
I led the digital storytelling strategy for the partnership, defining how the collaboration would be documented and shared across Sony Music’s owned platforms. I developed the editorial-led approach, shaping the narrative around cultural connection and representation rather than treating the moment as a standard promotional activation.
I conducted interviews with Kevin Olusola and Denise Saunders Thompson, Assistant Dean of Howard University’s Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts, and authored an editorial feature for the Sony Music website that contextualized the collaboration within broader themes of access, community, and creative opportunity.
To translate the story to social, I produced a short-form reel using behind-the-scenes footage from the music video shoot and led distribution across Sony Music News’ Instagram, X, and LinkedIn, including an Instagram collaboration post with the artist’s label to broaden reach across audiences.
The project elevated the collaboration beyond a single performance into a culturally grounded brand story, helping position Sony Music as a connector between artists and academic communities and establishing a narrative framework for future university partnerships.