Sound splashes across songs much like paint on a canvas. Melodies manifest in different shades with their own textures and nuances. BUNT. employs a vibrant sonic spectrum in his music. The German artist, producer, DJ, and multi-instrumentalist utilizes various elements to enrich each and every track with a pop of color befitting of his moniker — which translates to "Colorful" in English. After making a global impact with north of 250 million + streams and counting, he channels this spirit on a series of 2023 singles and his forthcoming project.
"My music is a variety of different genres and instruments blending together like colors do," he exclaims. "I have an LED sign in my studio that says, 'Melodies First.' I'm super melody-driven, and it's the most important part for me. If your lyrics are in English, German, or Spanish, somebody might not understand them. Melodies don't speak a specific language; they're universal."
Growing up in Stuttgart, he instantly gravitated to music as a kid. As if predestining BUNT.'s path, his father actually met his mother at a club where he worked as a DJ on the weekends after emigrating to Germany from Turkey. At 15-years-old, BUNT.'s older brother introduced him to Swedish House Mafia via the video for their smash "One." Inspired further by Avicii, Of Monsters & Men, Mumford & Sons, M83, MGMT, and The Naked and Famous, he broke out his laptop, downloaded a production program, and spent "25/7 nonstop" on writing and recording. Early uploads caught the attention of tastemaker German label Kontor, and he inked his first deal at 18-years-old. He gained traction with tracks such as "Journey" and "Harmonica" which have now racked up 25 million streams.
However, "Old Guitar" exploded in 2016. It catapulted to #8 on the Spotify Global Viral Chart. Around the same time, he teamed up with Nathaniel Rateliff and the Nightsweats to create the soundtrack for a Kia car commercial. He also served up official remixes for AVICII, OneRepublic, Gryffin, and National Parks, to name a few. Moreover, his catalog expanded to include fan favorites such as "Unbreakable" [feat. Clarence Coffee Jr] and "Crocodile Tears" [feat. Jens Hult], boosting his stream tally beyond the 250 million-mark.
During 2022, he regularly embarked on a seven-hour train ride to visit his brother and infant nephew. Becoming something of a ritual, he put on his headphones, cooked up songs, and shared them on TikTok as the train stopped at its final destination. One such track, "Paperplanes," caught fire in December. "What I like about trains is there are no distractions," he smiles. "You don't have internet access. You don't have much equipment. You can just focus on music. I felt like I found my new studio!"
At the top of 2023, another train upload, "Clouds" [with Nate Traveller], blossomed into an international phenomenon. His initial post of the sound generated over 1.4 million-plus views and 181K "likes" with 20K "creates." Meanwhile, the song quickly gathered over 10 million total streams as he simultaneously signed a global deal to Arista Records US, Columbia Records UK, and Epic Records Germany. Reimagining Traveller's track around the original vocals, "Clouds" hints at the breadth of BUNT.'s signature style. Its propulsive energy underscores a head-nodding bounce, lifting the hook beyond the stratosphere.
"I started with piano and chose the synthesizers and basslines afterwards," he recalls. "I always loved Nate's vocals and lyrics. The song is about people who are really meaningful to you and giving them credit for making your life possible. My parents play such an important role in my life. They did so much and always supported me. It's a 'Thank You.' Ultimately, 'Clouds' changed everything. I was able to quit my job, and now I can just be an artist."
In the end, BUNT.'s melodies exude the power to energize, enthrall, and engage. "When you listen to me, I hope you feel super powerful," he leaves off. "Every song has a meaning and will tell you a story. I try to impact your life and motivate you. I'm twisting up all of these different colors into a cool mix to be 'BUNT. 2023.'"
