Photo by Kelly Ann Shuler, www.KellyAnnShuler.com
When Shawan Rice floats cool, soulful notes from her vocal chords, she catches all sorts of feels. The aching cleanse that comes from releasing painful emotions through song. Brave words relaying tales of love, loss, grief and acceptance. The euphoric connection when concertgoers click with her energy and thank her for her music. Rice feels it all.
With vintage soul and mature intonation, Rice’s bluesy voice sounds like it has been molded by a lifetime of pain, more than her mere 20 years. A self-described old soul, Rice looks forward to her 21st birthday, but not with the usual coming-of-age motivation. Only an occasional drinker, she is more excited about being able to get into bars to play music. Music has always come first for her.
“I’ve always loved singing. When I was 7 years old, I took piano and singing lessons and was absolutely infatuated with Shirley Temple,” reflects Rice, who believes that she inherited her musical gifts from her parents. Her mother loved to sing, and, though her father passed away when Rice was young, people have told her that he was really into music, too.
For her 13th birthday, her mother bought her a guitar that came with a small lunchbox amp, paving the way for Rice’s first written song.
“I was completely in love with it,” she remembers. “I wrote a lot of poetry and lyrics for songs, but I was never able to put the words to music until I got my guitar.”
This beloved gift paved the way for her budding career.
Love Deeply
Just last month, Rice stepped away from her part-time job at a gelato shop to pursue music full time, a choice already showing great potential. With a similar style to Amy Winehouse, she draws inspiration from the late soul singer.
“I feel like we are these kindred spirits, and we were sisters in past lifetimes,” she says.
In Rice, you also hear flecks of Adele’s throwback style and the modern R&B and neo soul grooves of Erykah Badu and Macy Gray.
Growing up, she was heavily influenced by classic soul and R&B artists like Etta James, Marvin Gaye and Fats Domino, as well as psychedelic blues rock bands like The Doors, Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix and Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians. Also tapping into modern influences, Rice’s poetry and style have been shaped by indie rock-folk musician Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes.
Rounding out a diverse sound, the band includes a local group of alternating musicians, including Jamar Tyler, Romano Gelsomino, Mike Dempsey, David Turby and Daniel Delaney. While Rice’s voice is full of soul and R&B style, Shawan and the Wonton as a whole touches on piano pop, indie folk rock, smooth jazz and classic rock.
“It kind of just sprouted into a beautiful collective. There are so many wontons: vegetable, meat, noodles. You don’t know exactly what it’s going to be, but it’s going to be really yummy. You’ll always know Shawan will be there, but the Wonton changes with each show,” says Rice, who, in conversation, is lighthearted and down to earth.
“Catchin Feels,” Shawan and the Wonton’s recently released EP—a raw collection of Rice’s original songs that was recorded in just one night—showcases her sensitive nature, which is highly affected by other people’s vibrations and energies.
“[The EP] revolves around the idea that all throughout our life, our emotions, experiences, everything, we are just catching these different [feelings],” she explains. “All of the songs recorded on there are songs I wrote about intense emotions I felt at some point.”
For Rice, love, loss, grief and acceptance are recurring themes throughout her music.
“My mother is an extremely sensitive being, and, me being half of her, I tend to be very sensitive myself,” she relays. “Everything I love, I love very deeply. I am a very passionate person.”
Best I Can
A listen to this album is much like entering Rice’s soul, navigating fragile self-consciousness, stinging heartache and the apprehension of falling in love.
On the opening track, “Recessive Traits,” a smooth jazz and blues sound carries Rice’s gliding vocals, admitting, “I don’t always understand, but I’m doing the best I can.”
Bluesy guitar and keyboard pair eerily well with lyrics like, “So many skeletons I forgot to mention. I should have never said this, but I always meant it,” from the track “Relativity.” Rice sings her mournful lyrics on the track “Bone Chili” when she croons, “Sometimes, I scrutinize the deterioration of my being that you caused. The steady monotonous flow of ill fortune that you brought.”
While Rice’s words are sometimes distressed and smarting, her gentle, yet commanding voice elevates her above despair and grief. This is a young woman who has battled with depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and self-esteem issues. Yet, the power in her voice tells a different story. Rice is a survivor who engages in brave acts every timeshe puts her words to music, and, as a result, becomes an inspiration to others who may be suffering.
“I don’t mind sharing my experiences,” says Rice, who is hoping for a full album release by Halloween. “I’m very thankful and lucky to be able to use this gift to be able to help other people. After a show, when people come up to me and thank me, it’s the most amazing, euphoric feeling. It shoots me to a whole other level of bliss.”
Baring Her Soul
Shawan and the Wonton has been making the rounds throughout the Harrisburg area, establishing themselves as the latest not-to-be-missed live act.
Most recently, the collective has played at The Millworks, River City Blues Club and Yoga Nature’s Organic Farmers Market. Rice loves playing and living in the Harrisburg area because the city is community-oriented, with a vibrant arts and culture scene.
“What I’ve noticed is there are a lot of people with really beautiful, big dreams and aspirations, and they are going after them,” she says. “It is very inspirational.”
Rice is a dynamic, talented component to the lively Harrisburg art community. Witnessing Rice perform live is a moving experience, because of just how deeply she dives into her craft.
“When I play music, I tend to see myself as a bit of a masochist, because I like to bare my soul and rip my own heart out,” she explains.
Rice performs with her eyes closed, and people often ask her if it’s because she is nervous.
“Not at all. When I’m creating music, it’s like creating life. I’m making sweet love to my guitar, and I’m using my vocal chords to express how deeply I feel. If I’m singing a song, I’m the saddest person in the room. When I open my eyes, I’m back to reality.”
For Rice, singing transports her to a meditative state of visceral expression that becomes therapeutic.
“It’s raw, expressive and emotional,” she says. “But then again, that’s how I would describe any part of my life.”
Learn more about Shawan and the Wonton by visiting www.shawanandthewonton.com or the group’s Facebook page.
