“Tuned In” to Shwa Losben
When I was little, my bubby used to call me a character. This was partly because I would do just about anything to make her, or anyone around me, laugh – even when most of the time it was at my own expense. Since then, I’ve surrounded myself with individuals who share a similar zest for life.
When I first met 25-year-old singer/songwriter Shwa (short for Joshua) Losben earlier this year, this “character” was being compared to everyone from Elliott Smith to Coldplay. Bit by the music bug rather early, the former Holland, Pennsylvania resident picked up a trumpet at age ten and then moved to the guitar in the seventh grade. Besides his interest in music, Shwa was very involved in the Jewish community at a young age, such as being a bar mitzvah and attending summer weekends with The North American Federation of Temple Youth (NFTY).
Shwa admits that his first stab at music, with a junior high band, did not go as well as he would have liked. “We were awful,” he recalls. Still, Shwa could not let those early, failed attempts at music halt his dream. Throughout high school he honed his skills, bouncing around with bands that had slightly more potential. However, it was not until Shwa attended college at American University in Washington, DC that he found a healthy home in the powerful DC music scene. As he landed regular gigs at the popular DC venue, Grog and Tankard, people started to really react and take notice of Shwa and his music. Not bad for the boy who once attempted Pearl Jam and Beatles cover songs with his eighth grade garage band.
When I caught-up with Shwa last week, he was still as positive as ever – cracking jokes and, well, being a character. Since leaving DC, he has found a home in New York City. And, with everything that New York has to offer, what does Shwa love best? “It’s great to know you can get dinner anywhere at 3AM.” Living in the city also gives Shwa the opportunity to stay in touch with his extended family. His older sister, who is a rabbi on Long Island, hopes that he will swing by for the high holidays. The job of a traveling musician does not exactly offer the best chance to attend synagogue. However, if his sister has anything to do with it, maybe that will change, for it’s family that Shwa leans on for support. “They’ve all been immensely supportive, especially my parents. I think they wanted me to go to grad school at first, but after they saw my CD in shrink-wrap, they became my biggest fans. I think they’ve sold more CDs than anyone else!”
Shwa is currently promoting his album, “Chop Chop”, which was released in February, 2008. When I asked Shwa what to expect from “Chop Chop”, a true songwriter’s album, he says, “At one point we were playing mouth trumpet and running it through distortion. We banged spoons on a toaster. We used kid keyboards from the 80s… just a lot of cool sounds. At the same time I feel like there’s a lot of open space in the songs, which is a cool thing too.” USA Today recently featured “Chop Chop” fan favorite, “Myriah”, on their Pop Candy podcast and XM Radio came calling as well, playing Never Too Soon to Compromise. Additionally, the Comcast Network featured Shwa on the program Backstage in May.
With the crowds growing at every show, Shwa is getting more comfortable with the intense New York music scene. So, what can fans expect from a live show? “Fire dancers. Lots of animals running on the stage…and gift bags,” Shwa says. Even though he is currently on tour and performing on a regular basis, Shwa – who in one word describes himself as a “Diva” - still manages to keep a steady head on his shoulders. “I’m still living off of grilled cheese and PB and J. I’m not really living the dream just yet.” After all, if everyone who dreamed of being famous got their wish, we’d all be celebrities, which takes away the appeal. That’s the crazy thing about dreams - you have to be willing to face the struggle that comes along with them. Something tells me that Shwa is pretty good at handling any struggle that may come his way.
For more information about Shwa Losben, check out www.ShwaMusic.com. To learn more about my interviews with various artists in the entertainment industry, from around the globe visit PensEyeView.com - it all starts with a pen, paper and a vision.
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