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Prose writer, troubadour, story teller, Ralf Hartmann continues to surprise everyone. Inflinching, he continues to draw the lines of his artistic path, staying true to himself and to his public which follows him whenever he performs at an event. Far from wanting to drag the attention on him through media, he keeps on riding on the discovery road, looking for “other him” and “other us”.

From Goethe, this singer-song writer-composer did not originally laid his eyes on the music world, he was planning on making it as a professional skier. At the age of 6 he was a beginner on the ski trails and later on had the opportunity to compete with the national team and against Alberto Tomba in particular, the famous Italian champion. After an accident when he was 20 years old, he decided to abandon sports and to dedicate his time to music only. He started to perform in Europe covering classics from artists he loves like the Beatles, Crowded House, David Bowie or Tom Petty. He then decided to move in France for he fell in love with the country. Ralf Hartmann put together his band, RH Plus, and together they released three albums.

After several years touring, he released his first solo album during summer 2010, Turn On The Lights, a pop/rock album which reminds us of Jack Johnson.
This first solo opus is there as a proof of his generosity and allows him to come out of the darkness. Untypical, he takes his time in the creating and writing process, and focus with pleasure on one of his major passion : singing on stage. Thus, he toured everywhere in Europe, from small clubs to stadiums of 10,000 people capacity and more, opening for Toure Kounda, Michael Jones, Johnny Clegg or Charlie Winston. It is while opening for PATXI that he met Olivier Duha.
Olivier Duha is a man of challenge and he helped Ralf going beyond what he ever did by giving him the tools to express himself without strains nor barriers.

Produced earlier this year with the best European musicians, his new album is called STEP INTO THE LIGHT. Without being moralizing, themes within this second opus include tolerance, being opened to others and the joy of exchanging and giving. Drawing from earthy roots of Rock music, Folk and Blues, STEP INTO THE LIGHT depicts out daily life without any voyeurism. Finely cut texts, a warm and uplifting voice, 14 songs which emphasize the importance of living life to its fullest and becoming again an actor of a future that is building itself before our eyes.
To quote Goethe: “Action is at the center of everything.” Here’s a good way to not forget it STEP INTO THE LIGHT will be out early 2012.