October 25th 2023.
Nearly 3,000 college students gathered at The HBCU PopOut to swag and surf on Oct. 23 in collaboration with SiriusXM, Pandora, and Morehouse College. The event was hosted by SiriusXM The Heat’s Swaggy Sie and featured DJ Jazzy T from Pandora Now.
The evening was full of music, giveaways, and an exclusive performance by Grammy-award winning Roc Nation artist Ambré. Nicole Hughey, senior vice president, head of diversity, equity, and inclusion and social impact at SiriusXM/Pandora, told BLACK ENTERPRISE, “There’s homecoming at a lot of schools and then there’s homecoming at HBCUs, and we are so happy to be able to play a small part.”
Hughey was recently interviewed on BE’s HBCU-focused podcast “Class Is in Session” to discuss how SiriusXM and Pandora are turning up the volume to uplift HBCU culture and Black voices, artists, and creators. The company has three audio businesses: the flagship subscription business, ad-supported premium music streaming, and an extensive podcast network. There are also channels devoted specifically to HBCUs.
Hughey said, “We understand the nuances of our audiences, and so when we think about young and diverse talent, HBCUs hands down become a prime entertainment opportunity for us.” She also noted that there are career pathways available for Black college students interested in entertainment technology, as well as support for community events.
In August, SiriusXM and Pandora hosted “For the Love,” an interactive event through SiriusXM Cares, where hundreds of kids from the Boys & Girls Club of Metro Queens learned about the history of hip-hop. As musical headliners, legendary hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan was present, and the company donated $20,000 to the Boys & Girls Club.
HBCU Homecoming Events continue with the Target Beyond Brilliance Fashion Mixer Powered by SiriusXM and Pandora on Oct. 26, as well as Ambré’s interview and performance airing on Pandora’s HBCU Dream to Be station on Nov. 3 and SiriusXM’s The Heat on Nov. 6.
Hughey concluded, “We’re really intentional about making sure we’re connecting the experience wholistically because we know we are not a monolith. Our experiences vary and we are so multifaceted, so anytime we can connect the dots on all of those pieces, we are doing good.”
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