Hot Property: Glen Hartmann
Cape Town singing sensation Glen Hartmann has released the highly anticipated debut single ‘On Our Way’ off his latest self-titled EP. With his mesmerizing vocals and unique overall sound he has no difficulty in rendering captivating performances. Having toured South Africa with performances at renowned festivals such as Splashy Fen and Park Acoustics Glen has also performed during live television broadcasts on shows such as Expresso. I had the opportunity to catch up with the talented muso and chat about everything from his latest single to his unique sound. It is always said that men can't multi-task yet you are known for simultaneously singing, strumming the acoustic guitar and beating the kick drum on stage. How long have you been at work perfecting this rare ability? It was something I thought about 5 years ago. I knew that I could do each of these things individually, but in creating my sound, I wanted to push myself and try to create something unique. Getting to the point I am today involved (still involves!) hours with head phones in, working on each element individually, trying to get the best out of the guitar, vocals and drum etc. How have you evolved as a musician since the release of ‘For the Hurricane Chaser’ back in 2013? I have found myself creating music that is more upbeat with driving rhythms as opposed to slower songs. And trying to create more massive sounds. I think that the evolution that has happened has also really been one of trying to learn more about what I do, about what sounds work best together and finding new ways of mixing synth sounds with acoustic sounds. You have a very unique and distinctive voice. How would you yourself label your sound? Thank you! I feel that a good way to describe my sound is "folk mixed with synth”. It is a fusion of acoustic sounds with electronic music. It is supposed to feel familiar but different. You have performed alongside some of SA's biggest acts. Which local artist/band would you most like to share a stage with? Yes, I have had the honour to share the stage with some incredible local musicians. I think a band that I would like to share the stage with is Gangs of Ballet. I have had the privilege of playing with them before and I love their sound and what they are doing for the music industry. Can you still remember what you were doing when you first heard one of your songs on the radio? Yes, I was actually sleeping! I usually wake up to a radio alarm. One time, I woke up to hearing my song playing from somewhere. I thought maybe my computer had started playing something, but then I realised that it was my song being played on radio. I got such a shock, I jumped out of bed to go and tell someone in the house and there was no one there to celebrate with me! Apart from being a musician you also have a degree in law and media. Do you think it is essential for an artist to 'have something to fall back on’? For me, my degree is not a fallback option, it is something I did while I was grappling with my desire to play music. Once I made the decision I made, there was no going or falling back on the degree. So from my personal perspective, I don’t think that it is necessary to have a “fall back”. I do think that for everyone it is different though and that is something you have to decide upon. You have to decide to what extent you are willing to chase your dream. In my mind, I think that if you have a dream or a passion, you can pursue that dream wholeheartedly and never feel guilty about having no fall back option. The key is committing and throwing your whole self into what you are passionate about. 'On Our Way' is the highly anticipated single off your latest EP. Is there a story behind the song? The song is one that reflects a bunch of stuff I was thinking about and going through at the time it was written. On the one hand, there is this idea of pursuing your dreams and not letting other people define what you should do with your life. On the other hand, I was thinking about love (it was just before I got married) and the idea of having this moment where my wife and I could just go on an adventure and pursue life and dreams together. You wake up on a deserted island with an envelope clutched in your hand. What is in the envelope? There would be coffee, at least that would get me through the shock of being on a deserted island. And a photo of my wife (in a ziploc bag so it didn’t get ruined). And a cellphone. I’m imagining one of those massive envelopes.
