A bag of chips is the unlikely key to stardom for someone with an extraordinary talent. Ask SK Shlomo how they realised they were actually pretty good at beatboxing and they will probably tell you … with a little salt and vinegar on the side.
The musician is coming to Reading’s South Street arts centre in May with not one but two performances of their interactive family-friendly show that aims to celebrate the art form and help inspire people to make their own sounds.
They (SK Shlomo is non-binary) make amazing music with their mouth and a microphone. Such is their talent they have performed across the globe, appearing with stars such as Bjork, Ed Sheeran and Rudimental, performing at Glastonbury and, perhaps more importantly, they have even earnt a Blue Peter badge by showcasing their art on the programme.
Their new show, Shlomo’s Beatbox Adventure for Kids, is the latest from the musician who has been touring for more than 20 years.
“When I became a parent suddenly I was sick of being away at bathtime,” they said of the genesis behind the show. “I was like, what kind of show can I do in the daytime and then go home? That was kind of how it started.
“What I didn’t realise is how evergreen it would be. We tour the show and every couple of years we come back, and people return with new members of their family coming coming to their first show. It’s incredible watching that journey.
“I’m 41 now, and last year I celebrated my 20th anniversary. I never thought I’d still be going at this age. Several people have come up to me and said they met at my show, and now they have a little one of their own, and they have named them after me. That has happened many times and it’s amazing – it’s really beautiful.”
SK Shlomo’s own musical adventure goes back even further than their 20s.
When they were eight, they were bought a drum kit and, like any eight-year-old, made a bit of a racket on it.
“Almost immediately there were complaints from the neighbours,” they smile. “I got banned from practising at certain hours of the day.”
A rethink was needed: “I had undiagnosed ADHD and I was very full of energy, and full of beans. You could take me away from my drum kit but I would still be obsessed with rhythm. So, I used my voice. I didn’t know other people did too.”
A career as a beatboxer started to form. Such was their reputation that they managed to blag a treat, courtesy of their local chippy.
“A friend started hearing me beatbox and said it was cool, and you can get us free food at the chip shop. They said to the owner if our friend can make your jaw drop can we all have these chips for free?”
Well, those chips were won, and that success forms part of the challenge SK Shlomo makes to their audience.
“It’s a joke in the show,” they say. “At the end, I’m like, OK, you are now entitled to free chips.”
It’s more than just a throwaway gag. SK Shlomo uses it to help inspire the youngsters who come along to be superstars and win their own chips. At one festival he was performing at someone came up to him and revealed that they had indeed done just that.
Winning free chips is one thing, but winning over crowds is another. How did they go from chip star to professional musician? Hard work and determination. SK Shlomo moved to Leeds where they took part in open mic contests. At one such evening, a talent scout happened to be in the audience and one thing led to another … an appearance on national television, and another, and another … 20 years on, it’s quite an impressive career.
They say: “The whole thing has been a dream from start to finish. I won’t pretend it’s not difficult. It takes a huge amount of work to be able to go on a tour like this. Planning started a year ago, and we’re juggling that with all the other stuff I’m doing.
“But it’s still a dream come true to be able to get up on stage and do my thing and inspire generations of people.”
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One of the aims of the show is to help others identify their superpower … neurodiversity. SK Shlomo recently had an ADHD diagnosis and is hopeful that the show can offer inspiration and support to those families.
“We talk about it, and families watching the show have told me it’s been a big help in getting them diagnosed,” they say.
“The focus is on music making, and discovering who you really are, through challenges and being a superstar beatboxer. It’s about being real and discovering the authenticity to be who you really are.
“The whole show builds up to a big hip-hop style beat box battle, but sometimes there will be battles between the children and the grown-ups, sometimes in teams and audience can vote for their favourites.
“It’s all about encouraging people to be a superstar in your own way.”
SK Shlomo can’t wait to return to South Street.
“I love it. I grew up not far away, near Maidenhead. If we were having a big night out, we’d try and get to Reading,” they say.
“And South Street is such a gorgeous place. These art centres, these independent spaces are really under threat so it’s important to get out and support them as much as you can.
“I love coming back there.”
The last time SK Shlomo was in Reading, it was with their previous show, Breathe. It won an Edinburgh Fringe Festival Award. This time, the focus is on families and music making.
“It’s about standing up for being who you really are,” they add. “I’m setting audiences a challenge to become a superstar beatboxer, but at the end of the show it doesn’t really matter if you’re a beatboxer or not. It’s more about being true to yourself.
“This show is about authenticity more than anything else.”
It includes battles, audience participation and a lot of fun.
They continue: “Sometimes people have preconceptions about what beatboxing is about. People could be surprised to see a skinny, non-binary person with glasses up on stage but by the end of it they get it and know this is for everyone.
“It doesn’t matter who you are, you can just be a superstar in your own way.”
For those who have never tried it, SK Shlomo says the basics are easy to pick up, and no instruments are needed: “It’s all built into your face”.
“You don’t need a piano that costs thousands of pounds. You’ve got it all built into your face, you’ve got it anywhere you go,” they continue.
“A lot of people get the bug and keep practising and start inventing their own sounds and techniques and come and show me when they come back to their city. It feels so great.”
Winning over families is one thing, but what of those neighbours who once complained about their drumming?
They laugh: “I think they forgave me when I started doing stuff on the radio and TV, my parents understood it wasn’t just an annoying thing but an art form. It’s given my Mum lots of street cred. Lots of her friends follow me on social media and they are my top fans.”
Well, if you can’t beat them, join them. In beatboxing.
How to get tickets for SK Shlomo’s Beatbox Adventure For Kids at South Street Arts Centre
Shlomo’s Beatbox Adventure for Kids is at South Street Arts Centre in Reading on Saturday, May 3. There are shows at 2pm and 4pm.
Tickets cost £15.50 per person.
They can be reserved by calling the box office on 0118 960 6060, or logging on to: https://whatsonreading.com/venues/south-street/whats-on/shlomos-beatbox-adventure-kids-0
For more on SK Shlomo, log on to: https://skshlomo.com/
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