Explore the incredible journey of singer-songwriter Evan Bartels in this in-depth feature. From his small-town roots in Tobias, Nebraska, to his critically acclaimed debut album The Devil, God & Me, Bartels shares his powerful approach to songwriting, shaped by influences like Leonard Cohen, Mark Twain, and My Chemical Romance. The article delves into his struggle to balance life as a husband and father with a demanding touring career, his poignant reflections on mental health, and his meaningful connection to his German heritage. Plus, discover why UK audiences hold a special place in his heart, as Bartels prepares for his much-anticipated return to the UK in May 2025.
From Tobias, Nebraska to Global Stages
Growing up surrounded by gravel roads, a single bar, and a tight-knit community, Bartels found inspiration in the grit and simplicity of his hometown. “That’s the funny thing about saying ‘small town,’ it means different things to different people, but for my hometown there’s a little sign on the highway that has the population and the last I checked it was 106” Bartels reflects. For him, Tobias—a place with no paved roads except for the asphalt main street—shaped his connection to storytelling and authenticity in his music.
Bartels’ love affair with music began early. He fell in love with the piano as a child, followed by a pivotal moment when he discovered his father’s old guitar tucked away in a hall closet. But what truly ignited his passion were two cultural touchstones that captured his imagination: Elvis Presley’s charisma and a poignant scene from Disney’s 1955 Davy Crockett. Bartels vividly recalls, “These grizzled, gruff men full of grit, facing insurmountable odds and certain death, spent their last night at the Alamo singing a song about home.” Watching that scene, he grabbed his father’s guitar and started learning to play—a moment that would forever tether him to the emotional depth of music.
Musically, Bartels combines raw Americana with influences as varied as classical compositions and hardcore bands. “I’ve always been intrigued by movements,” Bartels explains, “within songs individually, but also within a show, where you’re really taking an audience on a ride. It’s less than a set and more of a performance.” His aim? To create a shared experience that’s part orchestra, part opera, and wholly unforgettable.
His lyrics, inspired by Leonard Cohen, reflect a profound reverence for poetry and vernacular storytelling. “When I was introduced to Cohen’s work as a young man by my mother, it changed my life—it was poetry. It sounds just as good in a song as it does in a recitation. And I had never encountered lyrics like that.” Bartels shares, adding that he strives for an intimacy in his music akin to Chopin’s Nocturnes. Influences like My Chemical Romance’s Welcome to the Black Parade and Sleep Token’s genre-defying sound further shape his artistry, while literary icons like Mark Twain and Louis L’Amour inspire his vivid, authentic narratives. “I love how Twain’s words feel the way people talk,” Bartels explains. “It reminds me that you don’t need flowery language to be poetic.”
Bartels’ approach to music is deeply theatrical. “There’s a little theater to it, a little orchestra,” he says. “I love that in music.” Each performance is an emotional journey, taking audiences through highs and lows, grit and grace—a connection that stays with them long after the last note fades.
I don’t want to play music just to sell beer at a honky-tonk
Evan Bartels’ debut album, The Devil, God & Me, introduced audiences to his striking ability to capture life’s complexities through song. A record filled with themes of addiction, redemption, and raw emotion, Bartels sees this level of vulnerability as essential to his craft. “For me, that’s all I know how to do. That’s the only thing that makes chasing a dream like this worthwhile,” Bartels explains. He acknowledges that this approach isn’t for everyone but emphasizes, “Personally, I don’t want to play music just to sell beer at a honky-tonk. I want to see things. I want to see life. The way that I’m a man and a friend and a husband and a father. I want to look at every moment that I can and grab onto it. And that’s the good and the bad. Living this way naturally translates into songs. Those stories, I feel, are the ones worth telling.”
Bartels’ music explores both the light and dark corners of the human experience, creating songs that resonate on a deeply emotional level. While some may perceive The Devil, God & Me as sad, Bartels offers a different perspective: “As Townes Van Zandt said, ‘It’s just the way things are.’ A life without pain is a life without perspective.” He sees his art as a reflection of the perseverance and grace that emerge from life’s hardships. “Whenever there’s a song about sadness or pain, there’s also grace, perseverance, and tenacity woven in. Those are the things that drive me as a human, and they are the same things that drive me as an artist.”
Looking to the future, Bartels remains committed to evolving his sound while maintaining the humanity at its core. “I never want to make the same album twice. Humanity remains at the core of everything I create,” he says. His forthcoming EP, To Make You Cry, is a collection of six songs inspired by his experiences on the road. “This EP tells stories from my experiences touring—the choices we make to follow our paths and the cost of those decisions,” he reveals. The title track holds particular significance, as it reflects the inspiration he’s drawn from the people and places he’s encountered. “They’ve impacted and inspired me to keep going, even when I felt like giving up.”
Balancing Family and Dreams
Bartels’ commitment to his music has required sacrifices, particularly in balancing his role as a husband and father with the demands of a touring career. He recalls a pivotal moment early in his journey, when he questioned whether pursuing his dream was worth the cost to his family. “At that time, I had five months of tours lined up—being on the road for 30 days at a time, coming home for a week, and heading back out again. I wondered: by chasing my dream, am I robbing my children or my wife of the security they need to chase their own dreams?”
Ultimately, Bartels chose to follow his passion, guided by the principle of leading by example. “I realized there would come a day when I’d need to tell my son, ‘You can do anything, you can be anything, and I believe in you.’ If I told him that I had been a man who was too scared to pursue his own dreams, I couldn’t live with that,” he shares. “I believe you can either tell people something or show them through your actions.” That’s why, even when touring is difficult, he say that moments like meeting someone who says, ‘I lost my mother, and this song brought me peace,’ make it all worthwhile. “It doesn’t make the challenges any less real, but I hope my children look back someday and see that I did my best in every aspect of life. I hope it inspires them to do the same.”
This philosophy extends to Bartels’ performances, where he prioritizes authenticity and connection. “I’ve found that there seem to be two schools of thought: one believes that to achieve mass appeal, you should cast a wide net but stay in shallow waters. I disagree. If you truly want to connect with people, you need to zoom in—down to a cellular level—because at that depth, we’re all the same,” he says. Bartels describes his time on stage as an opportunity to revisit the emotions that inspired his songs and invite the audience to share in that experience. “I don’t believe in spelling out exactly what a song means to me for every listener. Instead, I want to give them the space to feel something unique to their own experience.”
Retracing Ancestry: Touring in Germany
Bartels’ experiences touring have also allowed him to connect with his German heritage in meaningful ways. During a visit to Germany, where his family emigrated from in the 1870s, Bartels reflected on the courage of his ancestors. “They left knowing they’d almost certainly never see their loved ones again, If I’m away for two weeks or a month, I can call home every day, write letters, bring gifts, and send love. When I think about that, it puts things into perspective.“ he says. Holding his great-great-grandfather’s ‘Immigrant Box,’ a wooden chest that carried everything his family owned to America, Bartels felt the weight of their journey. “Walking under the same sky my kin once lived beneath was incredibly meaningful.”
Destigmatizing Mental Health Through Art
Bartels is also passionate about addressing mental health, a topic he’s encountered personally and through the experiences of friends. “With my music and any platform I have, I want to help destigmatize mental health. I write about people I’ve known, about friends I’ll never see again because they lost their battle. ,” he says. Writing about these struggles allows him to honour those friends while fostering empathy and grace for those who are still battling. “I think it’s important for us as people that we grow in empathy, recognizing those struggles in others and offering them, and ourselves, a little grace.”
What’s Next: Evan Bartels Returns to the UK in May
With his upcoming return to the UK in May, Bartels continues to share his music and his message, connecting with audiences through stories that celebrate humanity in all its beauty and complexity.
As Bartels reflects on his experiences at London’s C2C Festival, his admiration for UK audiences is evident. “The hospitality here is truly unmatched,” he says. “Every time you arrive, there’s someone offering a bite to eat, something warm to drink, a handshake, or even a hug.” The warmth and attentiveness of British fans have left a lasting impression. “It’s truly one of the best places I’ve ever had the chance to perform.”
Evan Bartels
Evan Bartels, a soulful singer-songwriter from Tobias, Nebraska, has captivated audiences with his deep, resonant voice and evocative storytelling. Bartels’ music blends Americana, rock, and pop influences, creating a sound that resonates deeply with listeners. Follow his journey on social media and on countrymusic.co.uk:
