Mertz is an independent music producer, lyricist & performer from Burlington, Vermont currently navigating & contributing to the music scene in Boston, Massachusetts. Having also lived in Providence, RI - Mertz is well connected & focused on furthering the teamwork between the smaller scenes that make up the Northeast. As an artist who doesn’t fit in with Hip-Hop’s common stereotypes, Mertz differentiates himself from his contemporaries in many ways. Keeping his subject matter centered around positivity & grounded in personal experience, his lyricism diverts from the typical competitive braggadocio & utilizes storytelling to provoke the listener’s thoughts. As a producer, he rejects the industry standard of relying on melodic samples & embraces his natural affinity for creating emotionally charged compositions. Rebuffing the label of ‘rapper’, Mertz illustrates why the title doesn’t encompass his artistry through his live performances. Often referred to as a '1-man band’, he showcases aspects of both his production & lyricism on stage. Frequently starting his sets without saying a word, Mertz constructs instrumentals with his MPC & keyboard - layering drums, baselines, chords & melodies - before displaying his lyrical capabilities. Pouring a magnitude of kinetic energy into his performances, Mertz is able to excite crowds without any need for a ‘hype man’. After releasing a full length album in 2014, a shift in focus from the studio to the stage occurred. At the time, Mertz had been performing with just his MPC - figuring out ways to translate songs he had written into a live performance scenario. In 2015, his focus shifted to expanding & improving his live performance, sparking a revolution in the way that the young musician creates his music. He began to perform his songs in order to ‘write’ them - much like a singer songwriter would do, with their instrument in hand. This new approach has changed everything, unleashing aspects of Mertz’s musicality that prove he has much more to offer than just raps. Music Producer | Audio Engineer @ The Bridge Sound & Stage Cambridge, MA