Grammy-nominated singer Carl Brister teams up with NJ school district

WEST ORANGE, N.J. (PIX11) -- For almost a decade, a Grammy-nominated R&B artist has joined forces with a New Jersey school district to help promote community through the arts.

On Liberty Middle School’s campus in West Orange, hundreds of families will gather for the Love and Unity Fest, a week-long celebration of community. 

Carl Brister said walking school hallways come very naturally to him. As a former teacher in Newark for a decade, it has always been his dream to break into the music industry. In 2021, Brister made it happen big time.

Brister was nominated for a Grammy in 2023 for his cover of Janet Jackson's "Let's Wait a While.” He just released his debut country music single, "Will Be Spring Again," with his 15-year-old son Jordan. 

Bristers’ love of music only matches his love of his community. Even before his rise in the music industry, he gave back. In 2016, he started a Music festival called the Love+Unity Fest, a free, week-long, family-oriented event. This year, it’s on May 13-18.  

Brister’s nonprofit, Music Village, hosts the event. Since 2019, Brister has been giving scholarships to young aspiring artists to help them reach their college goals.

This year, he’s giving five scholarships. Brister hopes his legacy will be his music but also his impact, helping uplift and inspire the next generation of artists here in West Orange to reach for their goals and dream big.