Singer and YouTube sensation Alex Boye’ will perform and make his next viral music video alongside DSU students.
Boye’s family is from Nigeria, he was raised in London, and then moved to Salt Lake City where he performed in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. He was also featured on shows like The X Factor UK, America’s Got Talent, and gained nearly one billion views on YouTube and was recently named Hard Rock’s Rising 2017’s Artist of the year. In March he will be coming back to attend the Fire & Ice Gala fundraiser for DSU, perform a large concert plus collaborate with DSU students and faculty for his next viral music video.
Jordan Sharp, chief marketing and communications officer, said they first reached out to Boye’ because they needed an MC for the Fire & Ice Gala, which is a needs based scholarship fundraiser for students at DSU. Boye’s agreed and is auctioning off a private concert during the event. Boye’ has also worked with other universities like BYU and Southern Virginia, and Sharp thought it would be a good idea to do a music video with him and tell the story of DSU while benefiting Boye’.
“I don’t want to give away too much, but it will involve hundreds of people from Dixie State and the community, ” Sharp said. “It will be visually just one of the most spectacular videos you have ever seen. And it will highlight the unique environment and institution that we are in. I feel like it will just hopefully do its job and will go viral and just reach people that may have never heard about Dixie State University.”
Phillip Tuckett, emmy award winner and assistant professor of digital film, said it was a good opportunity to show off the university location and tap into Boye’s skills by being able to take an existing piece of song and “Africanize it” as Boye’ says. He puts African rhythms into his cover songs with a whole new musical arrangement. Boye’ was having creative meetings during Dixie’s Got Talent on Jan 18 with Tuckett, Sharp and other faculty.
“Dixie State University will be prominently featured in this music video,” Tuckett said. “But it’s still malleable state because he hasn’t finished doing his arrangement, and we haven’t finished doing the pre-production. We have to make sure we have everything we need to execute these ideas at the highest level because we spend most of that day, working on the ideas that would be expressed in the music video. So we have to be on our A game for this one.”
Boye’ showed excitement for the project and collaboration.
“I can definitely say that we are doing a cover of a very popular song from the Greatest Showman,” Boye’ said. “We are using many of the incredible talented students and faculty who like sing dance and perform, and they are all going to be in the video. We’re going to use a lot of extras and are going to be using a lot of the campus, places that people are familiar with. So it’s going to be a lot of fun and we’re really excited.”
Boye’ said he is looking forward to being able to work with Tuckett because of his NFL music video and emmy award directing experience.
“I don’t think people understand who you have working there,” Boye’ said. “Phil Tuckett has done many cool music videos for some big huge artists and he chose to settle down at Dixie, so we have a wealth of experience here and it gives me so much confidence that this video is going to be amazing because of all the talent.”
Boye’ said another thing he hasn’t done before is having 22 talented film students and faculty from DSU’s film department shooting his whole music video.
“There are 22 students working on this video, coming together with the ideas.” Boye’ said. “This is not just, ‘Hey Alex has got an idea; let’s go and execute it’. No, this is more like, ‘This is a community event, and we’re all putting our heads together and coming out with the best possible video ever.”
Tucker said he is looking forward to seeing the film program grow and showing their capabilities.
“Clients could go anywhere, but they chose to come to DSU to have it produced by our students and our faculty, ” Tuckett said. “If we get a 100 million hits that’s not a bad thing; it’s the recognition that comes with that. It’s all about getting Dixie State University into the public consciousness.”
The music video will have a similar story line about Boye’s life in Nigeria, his parents, moving to England and finding a better life and discovering his talents.
“He is an immensely talented individual and is very entertaining. He has a very wide audience base.” Sharp said. “It is going to be a great show. He’s a great entertainer for older generations, for young kids, for families, and for students.
Boye’ said St. George is one of his favorite places to visit because he has made one of his favorite music videos in Sand Hollow. He has memories of summer events for the youth at Dixie College, and keynote speaking.
“I love the college, It’s not a college anymore.” Boye’ said. “I know so many people there. I have so many friends there anyways so it just makes sense to do the video. I’ve been waiting for the opportunity to come and perform at Dixie, so I’m glad it’s finally here. Plus it’s going to be warm, at least warmer than it is up here, I’m shoveling in snow right now. So please, please get me to Dixie right now.”
The Dixie Foundation will hold its 14annual Fire & Ice Gala funding need based scholarships for Dixie State University students on March 2. The concert will be on March 3 at the Burns Arena at 7:30 p.m. and the music video will be shot throughout those three days.
