If there’s one constant in Robin’s life, it’s his guitar and his music project Nature in the City. Originally from Hamburg, Germany, he relocated to Naarm/Melbourne three years ago from Berlin, where he’d been based during his ten-year career as a touring musician.
Robin’s songwriting journey began in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he wrote his first song on a borrowed guitar — using chords he’d learned from one of his best friends — to impress a girl he wanted to take to prom. After returning to Germany, he started his first band in Hamburg, then — after catching the bug — pursued a music education at Berklee College of Music in Boston. He spent two years roaming the icy streets of Boston, and it was there, watching the concrete jungle from the roof of his apartment one early morning, that Nature in the City was born. What started as a solo project quickly grew, with Robin playing in different formations — one of which led him to meet Johannes Heger, his musical partner for the next decade.
Visa issues cut Robin’s Boston stay short, but the duo reunited in Berlin, where Robin quit his job and university studies to dedicate himself fully to music. They hit the road, performing over 80 shows per year across Germany — from intimate venues to festivals like Rocken am Brocken — and sharing stages with artists like dodie, Magic Giant, Charlie Worsham, and Jonah. Their sophomore album Time has organically garnered over 200,000 Spotify streams.
Robin relocated to Australia to explore his wife’s side of the world — they met on tour in Konstanz, when he played a living room concert at her house to fill a date between shows. Since arriving in Naarm/Melbourne, he’s been diving into the local music scene, playing in different formations with Australian musicians while continuing to release new music. One of his recent tracks was featured on ABC Evenings, and he’s shared the stage with acts like Pierce Brothers, Pete Murray, and Gretta Ray.
Now it’s time to strip it right back — to what has always been by his side: writing songs on guitar and singing gently.
