Ruben Wan - Bio
Ruben Wan is a Panama-born, Los Angeles-based artist, guitarist, songwriter, and producer whose music blends R&B, neo-soul, gospel, jazz, latin pop, and influences from asian pop. Known for his expressive guitar playing and melodic approach to songwriting, Ruben has built a sound that reflects both his multicultural background and years of work as a performer, session musician, and producer.
A graduate of Musicians Institute’s (GIT), Ruben later earned his master’s degree from the University of Southern California (USC). His career has taken him from recording studios and international workshops to stages alongside artists including Keshi, Ryan Tedder, Faouzia, Jamie Ave, Kimié Miner, SAYGRACE, Elijah Blake, RIAH, Gabe Bondoc among others.
Ruben’s original music, compositions and collaborations have reached well over 100 million plays across streaming and video platforms. His catalog includes songs such as Rose, Rain, Fleeting and Relapse, along with his widely shared arrangement of Pure Imagination. His original composition Rose was sampled in the Brazilian hit Poesia Acústica: Paris, which has amassed approximately 80 million streams on Spotify and 140 million views on YouTube.
His work has earned recognition throughout the guitar community. MusicRadar named Ruben among its Best New Guitarists of 2020, while Guitar World, Guitar.com, Guitar Player, Total Guitar Magazine and KTLA 5 News have featured his music and playing. Guitar World has described him as an “LA-based virtuoso,” while Guitar.com profiled him as part of a new generation of digital guitar artists.
Ruben has also built long-running relationships with some of the biggest names in music gear, including Fender, Yamaha, Ibanez, PRS Guitars, Martin Guitars, Sterling by Music Man, Line 6, Focusrite, Ultimate Ears, Splice and BandLab. His collaborations have led to multiple artist products, including the Magnolia signature acoustic guitar with Orangewood Guitars and the Celestia and Umbria signature pedals with Donner, both developed closely around his playing and sound.
Beyond music gear, Ruben has collaborated on projects with Instagram and Netflix and has built an international presence as an educator through Pickup Music, Jam Track Central and masterclasses and workshops throughout the United States, China, Singapore and Panama. He has also presented a masterclass for Guitar.com Live focused on composition, performance and creating music for a digital audience.
With a global audience numbering in the hundreds of thousands across Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and BiliBili, Ruben is now bringing the different sides of his career together under his own artist project combining songwriting, guitar, production and performance into music that reflects where he comes from and where he is headed next.
Press
“LA-based virtuoso... you’d quite rightly expect his playing to be a literal masterclass in noteworthy licks, and his solo material certainly delivers. A potent cocktail of influences spanning Guthrie Govan, George Benson and Isaiah Sharkey lends Wan a lyrical style that favors memorable melodies over unending modal runs.”
“The note choice is incredible, in the pocket… I would’t be surprised that a lot of people actually steal this arrangement, provided they can play like Ruben.”
“If you were to mix George Benson’s love for chromaticism with John Mayer’s most soul-driven licks, you would end up sounding something like Ruben Wan.”
“Ruben Wan’s guitar has the lyrical expression of early-70s George Benson. His chops are influenced by the acoustic fingerstyle of Tommy Emmanuel and Andy McKee, smashed against the virtuosic fusion of players like Guthrie Govan.”
“La música de Wan ha trascendido las fronteras y está de regreso a Panamá como invitado de la Embajada de Corea en Panamá.”
“El marcado estilo de composición y agilidad con la guitarra sumado a la comunidad activa de seguidores lo lleva a estar en la lista de los guitarristas influencers reconocidos en los Estados Unidos. ”
Press photos
