The “Swiger for President” signs around campus are not making a political statement; instead, they are advertising mass communication alumni Joseph Swinger’s new music project.
Swiger is a music producer, audio engineer and former KLSU employee. Despite the coronavirus pandemic keeping many off campus, Swiger still felt that his debut project, entitled ”‘Swiger for President,” could benefit from the signs all over campus.
“[I put up the signs] just to pique people’s interest and find a new way to advertise to people who may not know me yet,” Swiger said.
The project includes 14 tracks featuring various Baton Rouge and New Orleans artists and is recorded, mixed and arranged by Swiger.
Swiger is hoping the posters will pique students’ interest, since the signs were placed around campus before the pandemic, or that his music will provide people with a distraction from social isolation. Some students still say they didn’t notice the advertisements, including sociology senior Chloe Garner.
“I’ve seen them down Highland but I didn’t really think twice about them,” Garner said. “Maybe without the pandemic, more people would be on campus and pay attention.”
Other University students may already be familiar with Swiger’s work, as he has appeared at the Revelry of Baton Rouge and the Varsity Theatre multiple times. During his undergraduate years, he hosted a KLSU morning show called “Cup of Jo.”
“I have a handful of music out personally and have done over 100 tracks for artists in Louisiana,” Swiger said.
Swiger said he has also worked with artists such as thesmoothcat, OBN Jay, Adam Dollar$, Mista Cain, Whop Breezy, Lil B and 70thStreetCarlos. He is also involved with Swiger Studio, a company featuring himself as an audio engineer and producer, Michael Swiger as an artist designer and John-David Swiger as a video editor and animator.
“Support the studio from home and stream [Swiger for President],” @swigerstudio wrote in an Instagram caption advertising the project’s release on SoundCloud.
The Swiger for President project began streaming everywhere March 25 and the music video for debut single “Hit My Line” ft. Jazz Bandito and Jose Xavier is also out on YouTube. Fans can subscribe to the Swiger Studio YouTube page for full videos, future premieres and more.
