German guitarist/singer/songwriter Tim Bendzko was born in the city of Berlin in 1985. He spent his formative years playing sports and studying Protestant theology and non-Christian religions before taking up the guitar in his late teens. After winning a talent competition at the 2009 Berlin Waldbühne, Bendzko made the decision to focus solely on a career in music, resulting in a recording contract with Sony, which led to the release of his debut album, Wenn Worte Meine Sprache Wären, in June 2011. Following the success of his debut, in 2012 Bendzko released the singles "Ich Laufe" and "Sag Einfach Ja" -- and, in 2013, his sophomore LP, Am Seidenen Faden, which rose to number one on the German charts. By the end of the year, he had released a new non-album single, "Unter die Haut," with a feature for Cassandra Steen. ~ James Christopher Monger, Rovi