Vitja Pauwels

Vitja Pauwels is a young Brussels-based musician/multi-instrumentalist. He started playing guitar at the age of 5 and developed a great fascination for classical, jazz, rock, roots, and electronic music.

He studied jazz guitar at the Antwerp Conservatory and then completed a two-year research program (on electronics) at the same conservatory. During his last year of studies, he spent time in Trondheim, Norway, with Stian Westerhus as his mentor. The result was his first solo (live) album, "Day at Half Speed," which was released in 2019.

In November 2022, he released a new solo album on the W.E.R.F. label entitled "Drift By / Sink in." He expands his instrumentarium to include pedal steel guitar, drum machines, and vocals. He presented the album at various venues such as Flagey (Brussels), Handelsbeurs (Gent), AB (Brussels), Gent Jazz festival etc.

In addition, he was the central guest at the BRAND! Festival in Mechelen in November 2022, where he put together a project with Marc Ribot among others. In the spring of 2024, he will introduce this new band under the name Early Life Forms, with a new live album.

He is also active as the frontman of Bombataz and guitarist for Naima Joris, Bony King of Nowhere, An Pierlé, Warm Bad, Profound Observer feat. Bert Joris, Woolvs, Lara Rosseel (formerly), Cram Ration (Teun Verbruggen), Mobilhome, and others.