Born and raised in Kensal Rise, north west London, Singer-songwriter SOLOMON is the vibe crafter behind one of this year’s most picked-up upon TikTok formats. Him, his bedroom and his guitar, all self-shot atop an unmistakable and very warm blue and red tone. To date, his carefully curated collection of original tracks and covers has picked up close to 12 million likes. Despite only just kicking off, this incredibly delicate guitar music has already been featured by Brockhampton, Ice Spice and Kojey Redical + more.
Set uniquely aside from his generation of electronic super producers, hyper-pop wizards and UK drillers, SOLOMON is throwing it back to the age of authentically bare boned songwriting. It’s one man and his guitar, conveying immediate emotion and telling stories. A true 21st century, of the moment songwriter, undertaking an artistic procedure that comes incredibly natural to him.
In its earliest stages, SOLOMON’s musical journey began with the keys, aged seven. “Then two years later I got swept off my feet by guitar,” he says. He was then influenced by: “Paolo Nutini. Jack Johnson. James Morrison. John Mayer. All guys with guitars. That was the foundation of everything. I got more into hip-hop and R&B as I got older through secondary school. That played a massive part in my songwriting and lyricism and flows in that sense.”
Today these two influences combine to create the candle-lit, R&B toned sound heard on breakthrough single “listen up”. Since dropping in October 2022, the track has racked up 5 million plays across DSP’s, amassed him over 200,o00 new followers & has helped kick off a new “Somewhere with Solomon” series – a live session which see’s Solomon invite fans to secret locations in various parts of the world for exclusive performances.
“Phases” – the track responsible for sending SOLOMON’S music into far flung corners of the globe. New global sensation “Ice Spice” sampled the track in a freestyle for On The Radar, which ended up having a play on Drake’e OVO Sounds radio show. UK rap luminary Kojey Radical also heard a version of phases, immediately recording a verse which now completes the final version of the track.
Looking towards the future ambitions, SOLOMON has an innate desire to return to the concept that started in his bedroom.
“I want to give people an escape. The whole point of immersion is you can step into a world, and leave this one. I like to use music as a means of getting away from all the real life stuff,” he says. There’s one thread through it all. “Every song, no matter what style it is – and I have many style to come – I want the thread to be my voice and guitar.”
SOLOMON sets to release a series of A/B side’s throughout the year, culminating to his debut EP.
