Shawn Wasabi

California producer Shawn Wasabi spun viral success into an electronic pop career with his bright, upbeat confections composed with, among other things, the Midi Fighter 64, which he co-invented in the late 2010s. His debut album, Mangotale, arrived in 2020.
Born Shawn Serrano to Filipino parents in Salinas, the Pinoy producer learned piano at a young age. The skills developed from practicing that instrument would later aid his dexterity with the Midi Fighter controller, which he used to craft his first songs in 2013. Loading these mash-ups and sampled mixes online, he gained a modest following with live mixes — performed with the Midi Fighter and video game console controllers — such as “Mac n’ Cheese” and viral hit “Marble Soda.” The latter track was a playful, chiptune-leaning burst of video game samples that employed his modified 64-button Midi Fighter. Fan demand for the prototype unit eventually led to expanded production by its manufacturer, which resulted in co-inventor Serrano growing his fan base even further. He followed “Marble Soda” with other tracks such as “Hotto Dogu,” “Spicy Boyfriend,” and “Burnt Rice,” with YDG and Yung Gemmy. Recruiting additional guest vocalists, he released “Otter Pop” with Hollis, “Squeez” with Raychel Jay,” and “Mango Love” with Satica into 2018. Wasabi issued several singles over the next two years — including “Snack” and “Home Run” again featuring Jay, “Marble Tea,” “Animal Crossing” with Sophia Black, and “Lemons” with Kennedi — which all appeared on his debut full-length album, Mangotale, released in May 2020. ~ Neil Z. Yeung