Everyone knows that cool rocker chick in high school – the one who is mega-talented and certainly not shy in the least. At WISS, that girl is Asha Luevano.
Following her father’s footsteps, Luevano has always been a singer. She describes her musical home: “I wake up every Saturday and Sunday morning to rock and roll music playing down-stairs while my dad makes pancakes. We blast music in the car on the way to school, and my little brother and I go to watch tons of my dad’s shows…we’re definitely an artistic household.”
She started singing with her dad at his performances when she was only 8 and hasn’t stopped performing since. The young vocal powerhouse has won an exhaustive list of awards around Shanghai, both in solo and band competitions. In her spare time, she rocks out with three other friends in their band, From Somewhere Else. This is no amateur after school garage band as they’re armed with a legitimate website, manager and bookings – they’re the real deal.
‘I am completely and utterly hooked on performing. I don’t perform for people; I perform for myself. I do this because I love it.’
Luevano is, however, also starting to venture out on her own by starting a YouTube channel titled “Something Careless” with a friend, where they experiment with harmonies and instruments in videos (she plays the piano, drums and guitar). Through performing covers and original songs, the duo hopes to showcase their talent to the rest of the world and to “get out of the bubble that is Shanghai” one day.
Despite this, Luevano has deep roots in Shanghai and has lived here for nearly her entire life. She is fascinated with the music scene in this city and modestly credits her talent to the people she has met along the way here. Being an artist in Shanghai is something that makes her unique to the rest of the world because it’s a completely different experience than anywhere else.
Deeply in love with performing, Leuvano won’t be stopping anytime soon and hopes make this her career. “I am completely and utterly hooked on performing. I love the adrenaline I get during the last few rehearsals before the show, or the few minutes backstage before I am about to sing. When I sing I forget that the world around me exists. I don’t perform for people; I perform for myself. I do this because I love it.”
Leuvano is not a person who holds back and enjoys being pushed to her limit. Her distinguishable voice is one to look out for down the road – you’ll most certainly be hearing it on the radio someday.
Asha Luevano is in Grade 10 at the Western International School of Shanghai.
