Some musicians play music because they want to – and others play because they have to. Todd Steinhilber is clearly in the latter category. For him, music has always been an all-encompassing experience, where the only way to play and record is by putting every piece of himself in the songs themselves. You can hear that in his debut EP, Arise a thrilling and passionate collection of songs that herald the arrival of a performer sure to impact all those that hear him.
Based in New York, Steinhilber began playing guitar at the age of 12. From the moment he touched the guitar, Todd says, “I knew that was the direction my life was going to go in.†His parents, both huge music fans, exposed him to the Beatles (his first musical love) and then he discovered Bruce Springsteen, an artist whose dedication and passion for music Todd has completely identified with. Todd explains, “What I always loved about Bruce, and then Bono later, is that even with all of their success, you just know that it’s not about the money, fame or anything else. They do it because there’s nothing else for them. I’ve always wanted my music to have that same type of commitment.â€
Arise delivers on Todd’s commitment. The four songs, written and produced by Todd – and featuring him on every instrument are the culmination of what he’s learned as a musician. He adds, “Everything I’ve done has led me to today. This is where I am right now, and this is what I want to say.â€
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