Meet Shwesmo | Taking Electronic Music to the Next Level

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shwesmo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shwesmo, what do you want your legacy to be?
Throughout my life as a musician, artists who broke borders fascinated me. As a teenager, I remember finding new music that completely blew my mind. I was ecstatic about it and would play these songs on repeat, until I knew them start to finish. Then moving to the next exciting piece, consuming every bit of it. I was always drawn to the borderline genres of music, and fascinated by musicians who stretched those limits, bridging musical styles in a new way, or offering a new perspective on rhythm or harmony. As my musical career developed, I really made it a mission for myself to contribute to the evolution of music, creating something that hasn’t been done before. So this is not only the way I’d want to be seen, but I also hope to inspire others to do the same.

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
One of my biggest challenges in my musical career was the big change I did 5 years ago, starting Shwesmo. Up until then I was known as a Prog-Metal guitarist and composer. I had a pretty good thing going on with my band HAGO that combined Prog Metal with Middle Eastern and Jazz-Fusion elements. 2 big things happened to me that time. The first was realizing that you can’t expect people around you to put as much effort into your music as much as yourself, and the second was my exposure to electronic music that completely blew my mind and changed my perspective about music.

I decided to listen to my gut, and go on a completely new journey into the unknown. I started working on my electronic production and sound design skills day and night, and it took me almost 3 years until I was satisfied with my work and I was ready to release it and make the switch. It was scary. I couldn’t stop thinking about what my current listeners would think, would people stick around? Would they like that new direction? The new “brand”?
I took a risk, and nowadays I’m really proud of myself for doing that. I couldn’t be happier with where I am musically. Some listeners stayed with me along the ride, a lot of new ones came along, and most importantly I stayed true to myself, and found my own sound through this whole journey. Shwesmo combines elements of all music I love – Prog Metal, Middle Eastern and Fusion into a new electronic context.

If there’s any lesson to be learnt from this, is that if you have a new idea that you really believe in, just GO FOR IT. But also, stick with it for long enough for it to bare fruit, because it will take time.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I live in Boston nowadays, but if I could I would take anyone back to my home town – Eilat, Israel. If I were to take you there, I would first advise to not forget sunscreen. It gets hot! First stop would be the coral reef – you can’t miss snorkling around there. I grew up to beautiful red sea and I love it. After a good swim, you’d probably be starving, so I would have to take you to get some hummus. It’s a must when in the middle east. Completely different experience than what most people know from their supermarket refrigerators. Hummus is actually a whole dish, with toppings and variations, not just a simple dip. I know, I take it very seriously. We would probably hang out with my parents who are the best people I know, I bet they would take us to make a little campfire in the desert and have some tea. For the rest of the week I’d tell you to go and explore the rest of the country, it’s so tiny but full of history, beautiful nature and amazing food.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
That’s a tough one! So many people along the way deserve so much credit for supporting me in my journey. I’d want to acknowledge my brother in arms Yogev Gabay, which is the drummer of basically any musical endeavor I do. including Shwesmo of course. This guy is just always there and willing to give it his 120% into the music we do together. I find it very rare to find people like these nowadays, and I’m super excited to start playing live Shwesmo concerts with him soon.

Website: https://beacons.ai/shwesmo

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shwesmo/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9zrynFMNhPLrJLfQ-rEWDg

Image Credits
Tzahi Kerem, Merry Ann Genin, Eitan Gamlieli, Raanan Gabay, Nachman Bremo, Nave Noefeld