Kaleb Steele: From Belmont to Parkwood Entertainment Tour Operations

As a commercial music and music business student at Belmont, alumnus Kaleb Steele ('14) had his sights set on a career in the music industry. Little did he know that a decade after graduating, he'd be leading tour operations for Beyoncé's history-making RENAISSANCE WORLD TOUR and find his name among Billboard’s prestigious list of Music Industry 40 Under 40: Execs and Power Players 2024.   

Steele's journey with Parkwood Entertainment, Beyoncé's renowned entertainment company, began in 2013 with an internship during his time in Belmont's New York-based study abroad program, Belmont East. "Belmont East was the most transformative experience during my time at Belmont," he shared. "It gave me the perfect stepping stone to transition into my career and a new city."  

After graduating in 2014, Steele joined Parkwood full-time as marketing coordinator, supporting the rollout of Beyoncé's surprise-drop, self-titled album and her On The Run tour with JAY-Z. From there, his role quickly evolved, and he was promoted to executive assistant to Beyoncé herself—a trusted confidant and strategic advisor, instrumental to iconic projects like LEMONADE, the FORMATION WORLD TOUR and her critically acclaimed 2018 Coachella performance.  

"I went to Belmont to study music to become an artist, and the great thing about Belmont is you get to study an array of genres and experience a wide breadth of music. However, once I got there, I was also exposed to the music business," Steele reflected. "The music business courses showed me sides of the industry I didn't know existed. I decided a career on the business side was better suited for me and started interning." 

Steele's Belmont experience was shaped by mentors like voice teacher Bruce Bennett, who "coached me through music and life" and who he is still close with to this day. He also cites Belmont's unique access and experiential learning opportunities as key assets on his journey, advising current students, "Diversify your learning. The classroom is your foundation but get out into the world and learn through experience. Take advantage of internships." 

With over a decade at Parkwood, Steele's career has been defined by integrity—a value he gained at Belmont and carried with him from college into his work. As he shares, "Your integrity is incredibly important in life and business." 

From studying commercial music in Nashville to leading tours for one of the biggest entertainers on the planet, Steele's journey exemplifies how Belmont experiences and access are unmatched in their ability to fully equip students for remarkable careers.