SK Shlomo

Biography

“You did such a great job – really motivating and fun – just what we needed and wanted.”
Microsoft

A Guinness World Record holder, Shlomo gave up astrophysics to perform their amazing vocal pyrotechnics. It was a good move. Since then, they have won global acclaim and worked with some of the biggest names in music including Bjork, Damon Albarn, Jarvis Cocker, Martha Wainwright, Imogen Heap, The Specials, DJ Yoda and even comedians the Mighty Boosh. In the process, they have consistently pushed the boundaries of beatboxing, bringing the art form to new and unexpected audiences through such diverse collaborations.

Raised on a strict childhood diet of orchestral percussion and jazz drums, Shlomo instinctively began making vocal music as a small child. They first found critical acclaim as a beatboxer aged 18 when they began touring with the award-winning multinational hip hop group Foreign Beggars, and were named the “Harry Potter of beatboxing” by BBC Radio 1’s Tim Westwood. It wasn’t long before Shlomo was collaborating with Icelandic pop queen Bjork on her all-vocal album Medúlla in 2004.

Shlomo’s performance on BBC2’s Later with Jools Holland was seen by Emily Eavis, who invited them to host a two-hour collaborative extravaganza at Glastonbury Festival. Shlomo was joined by a host of star names, including Martha Wainwright, Ed Harcourt, Portico Quartet, Reverend and the Makers, Get Cape Wear Cape Fly and Martina Topley-Bird in a memorable and moving performance.

Further large-scale festival shows at the Big Chill, WOMAD, Latitude, Montreux Jazz Festival and Bestival gained Shlomo a reputation as a festival favourite, and they were offered a residency at London’s most prestigious arts venue, the Southbank Centre. As artist-in-residence, they curated the concert series Music Through Unconventional Means and in 2010 performed the world’s first Concerto for Beatboxer and Orchestra.

In 2011, Shlomo represented the UK at the World Loopstation Championships in Los Angeles, where they defeated finalists from 12 other countries. Shlomo’s fascinating live performance technique utilises a loop pedal to sample their voice on the fly, enabling them to create and rework a huge range of original songs and well-loved classics.

Their looping performances, including a live performance from Glastonbury on BBC2 and an appearance on BBC1 with Jonathan Ross, gained praise from Bill Bailey, Phil Jupitus and Lauren Laverne, and their videos on YouTube have received millions of views.

After their triumph in Los Angeles, Shlomo returned to tour the UK with their one-person theatre show Mouthtronica, which featured an improvised collaboration with a different guest each night, including artists as diverse as legendary percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie and Cinematic Orchestra singer Heidi Vogel.

Shlomo and the Lip Factory is Shlomo’s latest project – a tight group of talented young vocalists, both beatboxers and jazz singers, who come together to create something bigger than the sum of their parts. Performing an inspiring mixture of soulful improvisations, intricately orchestrated compositions, and all-vocal renditions of classic tunes by everyone from Stevie Wonder to Paul Simon and The Prodigy, Shlomo and the Lip Factory are a force to be reckoned with. Don’t miss them.

“Forget one-man band – they’re a one-person music festival.”
The Times

SK Shlomo is perfect for: Corporate events, festivals, product launches, conferences, music events, awards ceremonies, galas, sports events, charity events, private functions