Robert Bartko Releases Fun And Funky New Single "The Breakdown"

If you're an avid reader of my blog, the name Bartko is probably familiar. That's because Sammie Bartko, who I covered both on the reality competition show Skin Wars and in her own music career, is married to Robert Bartko. Go figure. But Sammie isn't the only vocalist in that family, as Robert has had a long career in both writing and performing music, and "The Breakdown" is only a taste of what he has to offer.

Robert, in case you are still skeptical, has been writing and producing music for a long time. Most famously he has produced for the rock band Korn ("All In The Family", "A.D.I.D.A.S.", "Wicked"), but he has also put in a lot of writing work with other groups over the years. He occasionally and sporadically releases new music on his own, and quite frankly I cannot believe I am just now picking up on his positive vibes.

Positivity isn't the only vibes that are coming out from "The Breakdown", and by that I mean it's totally funky. Robert has a really smooth voice, and the bass-slapping beat that is accompanying him only make the song all that much more awesome. He has a very strong control over his falsetto, creating some memorable hooks. It really sounds like a classic 70s funk track, but with a fresh update to it. It's basically like a time warp for music.

Over the years he has released a lot of music, from pop to religious, and he really has shown us that he is multifaceted. I really wish I had picked this up earlier (again to repeat what I've already said), as he would have made an amazing addition to the site in it's formative years. Now that I've see what he can do, I will be on the lookout for more Bartko music (from either source, to be honest), and I doubt I'll be disappointed.

For now, grab the track on iTunes and spread the love!

Skin Wars Contestant Sammie Bartko Releases Feel Good Pop Jam "Beautiful"

Sammie Bartko is a lot of things. She's a mother, she's a body painter, she's about to be a reality TV star, and most importantly of all (for the purposes of this blog, anyway), she is a vocalist with a lot of drive and passion. She is definitely making use of the spotlight on her currently by putting out her first ever single. "Beautiful" is a wonderful song by a wonderful lady, and I think it deserves a listen or two from you.

Sammie Bartko is a really nice lady. She is a very talented body painter, and I really feel like Skin Wars starting next month will only help boost her career on all fronts. One of those fronts is music. She apparently has been working on music for a long time, providing back ground vocals for various dance music tracks over the years. "Beautiful" is her first attempt at making music on her own (with a little help from her man, of course), and it's a fun song.

The track is a poppy upbeat song, a bit of a step away from her dance music roots. The track has a lot of fun guitars, and has a distinct singer songwriter feel. The message behind the track is a very positive one, mirroring her very sweet nature. I actually reached out to her for a comment, and she responded -- quickly -- with these musings on the song.

"The song is aimed at creating a better self image in people. We are all beautifully & wonderfully made divine canvases. Media tries to convince us that if we don't look a certain way or have a certain figure we are flawed."

 It was so fun and interesting to see the many facets that the artists of Skin Wars have from Nicole's burlesque to Gear's graffiti, it's obvious that they all have different things going on past body painting, but seeing a different side of the new crop of artists before the show even started was crazy. I look forward to getting to know Sammie better, both trying to get an interview as well as seeing her work and personality on GSN.

For now you can grab her single on iTunes. Also be sure and catch her on the season premier of Skin Wars on GSN June 10.