OHIO alumnus creates magical musical projects viewed by millions

Four years after earning his bachelor of fine arts in theater performance from Ohio University in 2010, Michael Korte moved to Los Angeles. He wanted to reinvigorate his career, take a stab at dreams he put on the back burner, escape the frigid Chicago winter and soak up some California sun. 

It’s now 2021. Korte has almost 60,000 subscribers on YouTube and 10 million total views since his first project in 2015. 

“It's been a wild, emotional ride,” said Korte. “I somehow, miraculously hit lightning on the first go round. I was hellbent on creating this mashup of ‘Hamilton’ and Beyoncé — known now as ‘HAM4BEY.’ I will never forget the day I released the video. I was getting a good response from friends and family and then that same night I got a call from my friend Emily saying that HAM4BEY was the number one trending story on Entertainment Weekly. The next day, the video went completely viral, including a massive endorsement from Lin-Manuel Miranda (the creator of Hamilton).”

That video was a prelude to much bigger things. It was his opening scene. 

“The climb has since been steady,” Korte added. “I’m grateful for every single view.”

A Dayton, Ohio, native, Korte is a content creator, producer and director. His work combines musical theatre, gospel and R&B music, and digital media. Though most of his work is on YouTube, he’s looking to create work on stage and screen. 

“What I do blends a few genres and social media platforms,” he explained. “Within my creations I get to take on other roles like stylist, editor, casting agent and more. It's about infusing new joy and energy into existing work and developing new work through fearless casting, earthshaking voices and intriguing visuals.”

With recent accolades from Billboard and CNN, Korte’s work has swiftly become known as the foremost singing content online. He said it’s an honor to amplify Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) and Queer voices in all of his work. 

“I get to work on my own terms, with my own team, on our own time, propelled by collective points of view,” he noted. “I love that I've stopped waiting for permission, and in taking incredible risks, I've gotten to collaborate with some of the most talented and celebrated artists in the world.”

The OHIO alumnus launched his YouTube channel with his talk show, “City of Michael,” in which he was on camera interviewing celebrities. Korte interviewed MYA, Mykal Kilgore, Tahj Mowry, Ashley Everett, Tess Holliday and “Hamilton” star Jasmine Cephas Jones, just to name a few. 

People very quickly assumed Korte’s dream was to be the next Ryan Seacrest. In reality, his dream lives at the intersection of Lin-Manuel Miranda and Whoopi Goldberg. We’ll just say he aspires to be Michael Korte, because no celebrity mash-up, no matter how iconic, can compare to what the OHIO alumnus has created. 

The idea of being his own boss wasn’t a new concept. As a student at OHIO, Korte’s professors often told him: “If the work and auditions aren’t rolling in, make your own work.” 

“I can still hear my professor’s voices in my head,” Korte said. “It became my truth. It remains my mantra.” 

Korte embodies what all Ohio University theater professors hope for their students, according to Shelley Delaney, emeriti professor of theater. He followed his passion and created something utterly unique and utterly himself. 

“Michael’s current work is so inspiring—his fabulous mash-up music videos celebrate the artists responsible for the source material as well as every artist engaged in his vivid re-imaginings,” said Delaney. “Michael was a curious and questioning student and a truly supportive collaborator, so it’s no surprise that his work embodies the essence of collaboration. At the School of Theater, the last thing we want is for a student to try to fit themselves into a mold or predetermined idea of where a theater education might lead them. I couldn’t be prouder of him or excited to see his next creation.”

 

Korte said Delaney was one of those professors who never failed to encourage him to give more, feel more and be more. In addition to finding that support in OHIO’s faculty, Korte met some phenomenal friends at the University.

“They also remain some of the most talented humans I've met in the world. I would not be where I am artistically or personally without their friendship,” he added. “I would not have met them without having attended OHIO.”

One classmate in particular helped shape Korte’s time at the University and him as an artist. He met Sheldon Andrus on his first day, and they bonded over their both attending OHIO on scholarship for the Speech and Debate team. 

“Korte is a once-in-a-generation creative,” Andrus noted. “His over-the-top personality and creative confidence stem from a different dimension; it’s honestly something to behold. His work speaks perfectly to this. Our time at OHIO was spent discovering our creative voices. OHIO provided both of us a place to try, fail, succeed and everything between, in a place that we felt comfortable being honest and authentic.”