Shlomo & the GOB Orchestra: The Open Fund
Short Project Title: GOB: Shlomo and the ‘Goddexes of Beatbox’ Orchestra
Project Description: GOB: Shlomo and the ‘Goddexes of Beatbox’ Orchestra is the world’s first trans+ and queer beatbox supergroup, led by award-winning beatboxer SK Shlomo. GOB is a band and a gig-theatre show that reclaims space in the traditionally cis-male-dominated world of hip-hop and beatboxing, tracing Shlomo’s journey from the isolation of conforming and masking, to the explosive liberation of neuro-trans joy. <br /><br />At the heart of the show are seven dazzling, neurodivergent vocal artists, each standing fully and fiercely in their power. Beings whose artistry transcends gender and the binary entirely. They’re not gods or goddesses. They’re Goddexes: deities of sound who exist beyond expectation and category. <br /><br />From silence to community. From conformity to radical, unapologetic selfhood. GOB is like nothing else on the planet: it’s a soul-stirring, all-vocal journey blending jaw-dropping beatbox gymnastics, lush harmonies and booty-shaking bass.
Bio: SK Shlomo is an award-winning non-binary beatboxer, festival favourite and live-looping pioneer, renowned for blending raw mainstage energy with emotionally powerful storytelling. Over a genre-defying career, they have collaborated with icons such as Lily Allen, Imogen Heap and Rudimental, making history as the first World Looping Champion and the first non-classical Artist in Residence at London’s Southbank Centre. Their work sits at the intersection of music, identity and transformation. From bringing Ed Sheeran onstage at Glastonbury, to opening up about mental health, disability, and queerness in their multi-award-winning solo show BREATHE, Shlomo’s performances are bold, intimate and joyfully rebellious.