Ginger Root Productions is live, on air, and captivating audiences across the United States. The California-based project is sharing their unique genre-blending sound and “aggressive elevator soul” in their opening role on Japanese Breakfast’s “Melancholy” tour. Fronted by songwriter and instrumentalist, Cameron Lew, and backed by touring members Matt Carney (drums) and Dylan Hovis (bass), Ginger Root mixes Japanese city pop, Philly soul, and a slew of contemporary influences, to create a fresh take on the newly acclaimed bedroom pop genre. 

Three truths and a lie: Lew has Aubrey Plaza’s number, John Stamos put a camera down his pants, he knows Feist’s phone passcode, and is in the 2007 action comedy, Rush Hour 3. After seeing Ginger Root take the stage, any of these could be truths or lies. Their goofy nature, energetic spirit, and talent in instruments that I can’t even name are the reason why their fanbase is growing exponentially. Japanese Breakfast may have put Ginger Root in front of audiences, but they are truly pulling their weight in ways that many opening acts might shy away from doing.

If you are hearing about Ginger Root for the first time, you may be living under a rock. Lew has been creating music under the Ginger Root moniker for close to a decade with four albums and seven EPs in their discography, many of which are self-released. Their latest, SHINBANGUMI, means ‘new program’ and brings in the live TV and the fictitious Ginger Root Productions company we see encompass the current Ginger Root live show. Even with a mix of instrumentals between lyrical masterpieces, Lew tells a full story from the tracklist’s beginning to end that draws the listener in. 

Even in their short opening set, Ginger Root brings in a mirage of characters that provoke an academic nerdy environment with nostalgic and modest emotions flowing through their true passion for music. There are static glitches and a lo-fi twist to their performance but instead of low-budget you get a sense of analog daydreams and a route to simpler, less-technological focused, times. Honestly, even with all that has been said, it is hard to put Ginger Root’s live performance into fixed words. So, we encourage you to check out a live show ASAP. Ginger Root isn’t just a musical act, they are a character, a performance, and an experience that you’ll want to revisit time and time again.