SHōTA LōDI

There’s much to be said about an artist that knows his craft. There’s even more to be said about an artist that lives, breathes, and innately knows his craft so well that you can almost see a lightened aura around those that have it in their blood, a renewed energy as you walk away from seeing them perform. That - if no other other-worldly, almost karmic experience - is the feeling you get after witnessing the talent of an artist like SHōTA LōDI (pronounced “Show-Ta Low-Dee).

SHōTA’s sound blurs genres of “acoustic, neo-soul and pop,” finding hints of hip-hop layered over what is now known as his quintessential acoustic foundation.

An accomplished clarinetist and pianist, SHōTA is a self-taught singer, songwriter, and guitarist, with a voice that boasts a raspy, edgy quality with a smooth, melodic touch. Influenced by 60’s era rootsy rock - musical interests like The Beatles, Stevie Wonder, and Bob Dylan that he explains were brought on by his father’s music collection - and citing artists like J. Cole, John Mayer, and Ed Sheeran as people he’d love to collaborate with.

None of his DIY talent is any surprise.. He has made music all his life, a process that was his escape and his joy, especially when he was a kid. Before he could even remember, his father was teaching him riffs on their family piano, his mother witnessing him both announcing and playing his own shows to a large crowd of one - himself - in the family room. The day he realized that he really loved to sing - and could perhaps pursue it - was the first day he had his license and took the 40-minute commute to school alone. “That was the first time I could unleash in the car and just sing, sing, sing,” he admits. “I loved it so much.”

The 23-year-old lifelong vegan is not only unique but sophisticated and defiant. After being heartily discouraged from playing tuba as a child because of its sheer size, SHōTA found his way to the clarinet and devoted himself to that for years with the intent to study at Juilliard. Tragically, the week of auditions landed him with no instrument, as his six thousand dollar instrument was stolen, destroying his chances at a coveted spot. "I didn't want to audition on some crap rental instrument." The fact that he had only been going to school to further his band and orchestra efforts, led to SHōTA dropping out of school at 16 to move from his home in Arizona to Japan and pursue his passion. To this day, he credits that misfortune for allowing him to realize he had been re-making other peoples’ art while having the capacity and yearning to create something new.

With his first overseas paycheck, he bought a guitar and a mic and recorded himself. He had the wherewithal to listen back to his recordings and quickly teach himself how to develop a better sound, a diligent practice he continues today. While his initial focus was hip-hop, his sound evolved into something multifaceted...

Recently, SHōTA has collaborated with electronic DJs and his featured song “Party Girl” with *Groovy workshop. made #1 on the iTunes Japan EP chart. “Time Was On Our Side” ft. The Golden Pony came in at 3rd on Spotify Norway Viral Chart TOP50 and found itself at 9th Place on the Spotify Taiwan Viral Chart TOP50. The song was also recently picked up and shared by The Chainsmokers on their official SoundCloud page.

A humble and grateful musician, making music is - and has always been - about “flying towards the future” for SHōTA, which is exactly what his name means in Japanese. With all of his recent success - including a highly-anticipated and memorable performance at The Peppermint Club in LA - and the promise of a new EP later this year, it’s full speed ahead in 2018.