RECEIVING an email from Prince would make anyone think it was a scam.
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But for singer songwriter Darren Hart, the man behind one man band Harts, it was in fact the real American singer wanting to get in touch.
"I thought it was a joke at first ... he got in touch with me after seeing my Youtube video," he said.
"He flew me over to his Paisley Park Studios where I got to play with him. He also listened to my previous album Daydreamer, not yet released at the time, and gave me some advice."
Hart said it was this advice that influenced a new sound for his new EP Breakthrough due to be released on June 5.
"The EP has more of a blues rock direction compared to soul punk on my previous album," he said.
"I wanted to work on creating a unique sound that is Harts. What was instrumental in that was blending hybrid sounds of 70's funk that I love, with 60's blues and heavy guitar of the likes of Jimmy Hendrix.
"It was Prince who helped me discover that."
While there are plenty of positives in performing as a one man musician, Hart said the one downside evidentially could have held him back from ever moving into discovering his new sound.
"Playing I realised people were resonating with that I do, everyone wanted to see me play guitar," he said.
"So I wanted to focus on that and give more guitar.
"As an artist you don't often see things like that, it's difficult being a one man show to notice things like this, you need someone else that's not family to say something."
In his biggest Australian tour to date, Harts will be performing from his new EP at 16 venues around the nation including Ballarat's Karova Lounge on June 6.
He said he is looking forward to sharing his music again with Ballarat after being surprised by the support at his first performance earlier this year.
"I played there in January and had a great crowd. I'm looking forward to this show," he said.
"I hope people like it as much as my previous stuff."
THE INFO
WHAT: Harts with Breakthrough EP Tour
WHEN: Saturday June 6. Doors 8.30pm
WHERE: Karova Lounge, corner Camp and Field Streets
TICKETS: $12+bf