Ginger Root

Behind Ginger Root is Cameron Lew, a musician, director and graphic designer from Huntington Beach, California, who since 2017 has been developing a project positioned between indie soul, indie pop, city pop and retro-flavored pop with funk textures. Originally conceived as a solo studio venture, Ginger Root emerged with Spotlight People and Toaster Music in 2017, before Lew refined his songwriting on Mahjong Room (2018) and Rikki (2020). In concert and on some recordings, Ginger Root takes the form of a trio with Dylan Hovis on bass and Matt Carney on drums. The music pairs supple bass lines, muted keyboards, precise guitars and direct melodies, drawing from both American indie soul and Japanese pop of the 1970s and 1980s. With City Slicker (2021), Nisemono (2022) and SHINBANGUMI (2024), Ginger Root has also developed a carefully constructed visual universe, with Cameron Lew directing much of the videos and narratives that accompany the releases. Ginger Root’s trajectory also includes collaborations with YeYe, Rei, Amaiwana and CHAI, as well as several visits to Japan, including a first tour in 2023 and an appearance at the Fuji Rock Festival the same year.