Though Westerly resident Kevin Lowther trained as a violinist from a young age, he developed his signature hip-hop fusion style completely on his own. A West Philadelphia native, Lowther — known professionally as Big Lux — later studied at West Point, where he observed that “no one was playing any music.” Driven to perform despite the lack of a music scene and musical peers, he began developing a dynamic solo act. His musical trajectory gained further momentum during a military assignment in Korea, where a fast-paced, unforgiving street music culture taught him to captivate audiences on the move.
Lowther returned to Rhode Island in 2019 and serendipitously built his following through a punishing run of gigs, an unexpected viral moment with a music-loving beluga whale at the Mystic Aquarium, and a subsequent appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show. He now performs both as a solo violinist and DJ, and with his full band, Big Lux and the Hype.
Lux’s ambitions extend well beyond the stage. Through Next Up Music Incorporated, a nonprofit he established, he empowers emerging local talent by providing platforms like the Watch Hill concert series, the Next Stop Music Festival in Wilcox Park, and a newly formed collaboration with New London’s Garde Arts Center. Beyond his creative work, he co-founded the Westerly Anti-Racism Coalition and is awaiting his Rhode Island Bar exam results, with the goal of providing legal representation to fellow artists, local small businesses, and nonprofit organizations.
Q: What’s your favorite song to play?
A: “Probably ‘Killing Me Softly,’ the Fugees’ version. And there are a couple things about it. One, I love playing music that different audiences can identify for different reasons. Lots of older people know the Roberta Flack version. And I think one of my favorite examples of this is the song ‘Beggin’’ because there’s the Frankie Valli version that the old, old kids know. There’s a Madcon version that millennials might know. And then there’s this Måneskin version that Gen Z knows because it came out maybe five years ago. Amazing song, but every generation has a different take on it. And so I love playing songs like that, which mean different things to different people. I’d say ‘Killing Me Softly’ is the best example of it.”
Q: Who are your biggest musical influences?
A: “I was really fortunate I came of age during a time when we had ‘America’s Got Talent’ just starting up. And I got to watch some string players — Nuttin’ But Stringz, I think, was on season two. It was two black guys who were classically trained. Both of them had gone to Juilliard, but they were playing hip-hop as a duo. And then we had Lindsey Stirling, I think, in season four. And you really got to see what a solo violinist could be capable of with all this production behind her. So I got to see that it was possible, number one. And then I brought my violin with me all over the world. YouTube came along. I started to see more and more violinists posting things on YouTube. I got inspired by guys like Lee England Jr. and the Mad Violinist, both of whom I got to play with later in life.”
Q: Where do you love performing the most?
A: “So, right now, my favorite place to perform is on Block Island. Spring House Hotel. They have an immaculate lawn with amazing views of the ocean. And it’s a family show where parents bring their kids. It’s the most beautiful cross-section of life in the most beautiful setting.”
Q: What’s a great memory from your early days of performing?
A: “Shows were really fun, especially in Westerly at the time with all my friends, family, extended friends, and classmates. I had an album release party at the Knickerbocker that was insane. At the end of it, they were like, ‘Yeah, we didn’t hire enough staff for this. We didn’t realize who you were...’”
Q: Do you sing in addition to playing the violin?
A: “I sing and rap. And you see more of that with the band.”
Q: What’s your go-to post-show snack?
A: “I hate to say Taco Bell, but if I’m out late, and I’m coming back home, and it’s the only thing open, it ends up being Taco Bell. When they brought the Mexican pizza back, I was like, ‘There we go!’”
Q: What’s next for Big Lux?
A: “I am planning to do some touring in the spring of 2027. I’m very excited about it. I don’t have all of the dates yet, but our anchor show is going to be at the Garde Arts Center in New London.”