Introducing new CALM ambassador SK Shlomo

We caught up with musician and our latest CALM ambassador, SK Shlomo, to hear about a new and exciting project. You might know them as a record-breaking beatboxer who makes incredible music with their mouth, but they just released the brilliant BREATHE, a ‘play that becomes a rave’.

SK Shlomo told us how the play was inspired by their own struggles with suicidal thoughts and the ravers who helped them to see a way forward.

Shlomo was hooked on drum music since the day they set their hands on their first drumkit - Shlo’s eighth birthday. But as any drummer will know - midnight drumming sessions don't go down well with sleeping parents or neighbours. Shlomo didn't let that stop them - turning to their voice to perfect the drum beats when the sticks were off limits.

Honing their skill for vocal percussion and unreal sound effects over the years, they went on to break a Guinness World Record and became the first World Looping Champion.

We caught up with Shlomo as they headed back from rehearsals for their new show. They tell us how excited they are to finally be opening the show they’ve waited 2 years to make due to the pandemic and how much their identity transformed in the process.

The play, which recently won the Spirit of the Frige Award at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival, recreates the true story of dropping from main-stage superstardom to suicidal isolation, and how a bunch of strangers became lifesavers by throwing a rave in Shlomo’s village living room.

“I wanted the announcement of the new solo show and album to be my opportunity to come out as non-binary. I was super nervous, but I’m glad I did. It’s empowering to feel unashamed of ourselves, and I believe it’s important if we’re going to break the stigma around seeking support when we’re feeling shit.”

Previously struggling with imposter syndrome, depression and suicidal thoughts, Shlomo tried to reach out for help, but struggled to put what they were feeling into words:

“For me, and for a lot of people I know have struggled with mental health, it’s a big moment, because you’ve got to admit you’re not okay."

"It’s a hard admission because it’s stigmatised and you feel like if you talk about it everything will crumble away. In reality, it’s the strongest step you can take because it means you can start getting a support network together.”

Shlomo’s story is a hopeful one and one they told for a TED Talk in a bid to help other people find the courage to talk about how they’re feeling. Receiving countless messages telling them they’d inspired people to ask for support, Shlomo felt moved to say more. They wrote BREATHE, after the impromptu virtual rave in their sleepy village living room, which was key to their recovery.

“I think it’s an artist’s job to make sense of the world and tell those stories. Every time I get overwhelmed I start making work about it - I’ll make a music video, tell a story or write a song. Then you get feedback once the work is out there to say it’s helped people and it’s so powerful. I feel musicians and artists should share that with the world as much as they can.”

That’s exactly what SK Shlomo did over lockdown - bringing people together through virtual raves and raising money for charity at the same time. Naturally gravitating towards CALM for their BST Rave, 4,000 at-home-ravers and 35 DJs raised an amazing £5.8K and it’s safe to say they had a pretty good time doing it:

“We’ve held these massive online rave events during lockdown to try and keep people connected. They were so fun and it had to be for CALM because of the amazing work you do. Rave to Save Lives was such a simple message for people to get behind.”

During lockdown, Shlomo was diagnosed with ADHD, perhaps explaining their endless energy and drive to make positive change. Since being told what they’d already suspected, they’re getting more comfortable with their own identity, wanting to celebrate and educate people about neurodiversity:

“I think your identity is a key part of your wellbeing and the more we look away from the truth of our identity, the harder it is to be okay."

"I really had a lot of hate for myself when I was younger, but my brain just worked differently. A huge goal for me now is to talk about my identity and the ways I feel I’ve been an outsider, being disabled or queer or an immigrant, to try and raise a flag and help other people who might feel the same.”

Shlomo’s performing BREATHE in support of CALM, hoping to show the power of music to bring people together:

“It’s a story about how music and raving can unite people from all walks of life. The goal for me is to stand up on stage and simply be myself. No hiding behind clever tricks, no fancy techniques, no persona. This is the real me, broken but proud. It’s the scariest, most exciting thing I’ve ever tried.”

SK Shlomo's BREATHE album and live tour will be coming in 2023 - find out more and join the BREATHE community at skshlomo.com or instagram.com/skshlomo

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