Biography
American musician Matt Hartke works as a singer, songwriter, and producer whose output centers on soothing, pop-savvy rock that evokes the pastoral, acoustic sensibilities of peers such as Jason Mraz, Ryan Tedder, and Trent Dabbs. Beyond his own 2010s recordings, he has written material for an array of cross-genre acts including Adam Lambert, Avicii, Matisyahu, Cash Cash, and the Chainsmokers.
Raised in Verona, New Jersey, just outside New York City, Hartke first took up drums during middle school before adding guitar while attending college, where he pursued athletics in surfing and swimming alongside his musical interests. A pivotal turn toward music occurred in his sophomore year. After relocating to Newport, Rhode Island, he began performing at coffeehouses throughout New England and captured several early projects, among them the full-length debut Great Good Fortune along with the EPs Heart Songs (2009) and Organic Shelter (2010). Shaped by Jack Johnson, Coldplay, Death Cab for Cutie, and John Mayer, his sound blended upbeat and pastoral elements with close attention to melody and pop songcraft. He revisited that approach in 2016 on the modest hit “Gold,” recorded with vocalist Maggie Peake. Subsequent singles arrived in the form of “Goodbye Belongs to You” and “People You Love,” followed in late 2018 by the offbeat holiday track “Not Everybody Calls It Christmas.”
Raised in Verona, New Jersey, just outside New York City, Hartke first took up drums during middle school before adding guitar while attending college, where he pursued athletics in surfing and swimming alongside his musical interests. A pivotal turn toward music occurred in his sophomore year. After relocating to Newport, Rhode Island, he began performing at coffeehouses throughout New England and captured several early projects, among them the full-length debut Great Good Fortune along with the EPs Heart Songs (2009) and Organic Shelter (2010). Shaped by Jack Johnson, Coldplay, Death Cab for Cutie, and John Mayer, his sound blended upbeat and pastoral elements with close attention to melody and pop songcraft. He revisited that approach in 2016 on the modest hit “Gold,” recorded with vocalist Maggie Peake. Subsequent singles arrived in the form of “Goodbye Belongs to You” and “People You Love,” followed in late 2018 by the offbeat holiday track “Not Everybody Calls It Christmas.”
Singles
