Life & Work with Arwen Lewis of Hollywood

Today we’d like to introduce you to Arwen Lewis.

Hi Arwen, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I was born into a family of entertainment. My grandmother was actress, Loretta Young, and my father, Peter Lewis, a founding member of San Francisco Psychedelic Rock band, Moby Grape, though he was first, a part of the Rock and Roll scene on The Sunset Strip in the early 60’s… that being said, both my Grandmother and Father were influential icons in Los Angeles entertainment, and I have had a sense of familiarity with and adornment for this culture for as long as I can remember.

I had always wanted to write songs and sing and play guitar, and piano… though I hardly pursued it growing up, it was when I graduated from UCSB with a degree in English Literature that I decided it was either then or never, so I asked my Father to teach me his art of songwriting and music.

He began mentoring me as a guitarist and songwriter, and I took time to study music and singing technique on my own, through private instruction, and I joined a choir. I still sing in a choir today, and it is a beautiful part of my life.

Around the beginning of my musical journey, my dad had connected me to John DeNicola of Omad Records in New York City. John DeNicola is an Academy Award-Winning and Grammy Nominated songwriter, for his co-writes Hungry Eyes, and I’ve Had The Time of My Life for Dirty Dancing. He is also a remarkable musician and producer. John Produced my first album, “Arwen” for me, a collection of classic Moby Grape songs, featuring me as lead vocalist and primary artist. It was recorded in New York, and New Jersey with the demos scratched out in California by my dad and I. One of my favorite memories is of the time I spent in the vocal booth of John’s studio in Manhattan recording my vocals for this project with John, it was the beginning of my musical dreams coming true.

When the album was complete and released on Omad Records, I began performing regularly in Los Angeles with my dad. Mostly in clubs where the best of the best Rock and Roll musicians would gather for weekly jam nights.

There, my dad and I met our current collaborator and bandmate, and Los Angeles Music Scene Staple, George Adrian. My dad, George and I began meeting regularly to write songs together, and in the last decade, have performed many shows as a trio as well as a rock and roll band with bass and drums, featuring Moby Grape classic songs as well as our originals. We have recently finished a live recording under the name, Peter, George, and Arwen and are working on an official release of this project… you can currently check these recordings out on YouTube.

These experiences in songwriting, performing, and recording, with some of the Rock Industries finest musicians, producers and songwriters taught me the art of it all as I found my own voice as a producer, songwriter and musical artist. In 2023, I released a Co-Produced EP called Under The Stars, featuring two originals songs and three covers. I was granted a record deal by Omad Records for this project, and it is available for streaming or downloading on all major platforms.

My most two most recent singles, are Prelude For The Stars, a co-write between myself and Robbie Kaye – co-produced by Myself and Robbie Kaye, and also Colors and Sunshine, a co-write between myself, Zach Madden and Teddy Jack, and the track was produced by one of LA’s current and hippest Rock Bands, The Maybirds. These tracks are available for stream or download on all major platforms.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s been a journey of exploration and acceptance. I feel that my perspective of my experiences has allowed for it to be smooth, in a sense, by taking things as they are, rather than having more expectations, than simply making art for the sake of making art.

The highs of my musical career are the creation of my songs and music… from the beginning stages of the idea, to bringing it to life in recordings or on stage on my own, or on many different occasions, with many different musicians who I admire and am inspired by. I adore the experience of bringing a song to life, in a variety of ways, depending on who I am collaborating with at the time.

The lows, for me, aren’t necessarily set in stone, because I have hopes for better placement of my recordings and songs in the future.. but, currently, a low would be that my songs hav not yet found homes in sync, or with other artists to cover and bring to life in a new way. I have always thought, for instance, Lana Del Rey would be a fantastic interpreter for my songs like, Winter, Prelude For The Stars, or Colors and Sunshine 🙂

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a songwriter, singer, and guitarist. As a songwriter, I would say my unique strength, as a lyricist, is my ability to paint dreamy and vivid pictures with words that tell a complete story. As a musician and arranger, I think in the etherial realm, with the intent for the music and lyrics of my songs to create short musical vignettes that may take listeners into another world for a few minutes.

Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
If there is anything in the realm of the arts that you are passionate about and want to explore, don’t wait, just dive right in! Fall in love with the greats who inspire you, and find a trustworthy mentor who you admire to guide you on your path of artistic exploration and development. Art has no limits.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://arwenlewismusic.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arwenlewis/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arwen.lewis.7/
• Other: https://music.apple.com/us/album/colors-and-sunshine/1835644641?i=1835644642