Splendid Swiss-German Pop Music

Switzerland is seen by many as an Eldorado—at least when it comes to natural scenery and quality of life (…and to “hide” money or save on taxes). But in terms of pop music, it’s more like a backwater. On the one hand, this has to do with language: Swiss-German is spoken only in Switzerland and Liechtenstein—by roughly 6.5 million people—and isn’t even well understood in Germany. On the other hand, it’s tied to the dominant conservative culture that doesn’t see “being a musician” as a real profession and that tends to reward mediocrity or “not standing out.”

Thanks to the internet, public grants, and new study programs, there has been somewhat of a push against this lack of structure over the past twenty years. Some Swiss musicians have achieved international success—for example, Hermanos Gutierrez and Priya Ragu—while others create music for the domestic market that can compete aesthetically on an international level, offering sharp and insightful commentary on Swiss contemporary life. Even though no specific statistics are available, the picture suggests that many of these new Swiss artists have a background of migration. In a country where around 40% of the population has roots somewhere else, this isn’t particularly surprising. Whether structural and institutional barriers are pushing these young people into alternative careers and niche markets, however, still needs to be investigated.

We’ll probably have to wait a while for research on this topic, since awareness of structural racism remains rather low in Switzerland. Strongly left-leaning cities can give the illusion that the country isn’t really conservative and self-righteous. Criticism of domestic social politics often stays trapped in echo chambers. Splendid live in that same echo chamber, but their direct nods to Swiss legacy artists—who are appreciated across the political spectrum—and the fact that they are perceived as white and Swiss could act like a Trojan horse, giving those on the right new ideas and perspectives.

Yes, I know, I’m probably naive. Or, as a popular Swiss meme from a few years ago featuring a right-wing politician and chemistry entrepreneur goes: “You dreamer, du!”

Listen

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Adding to Your Listening Pleasure This Week:

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• switzerland
• pop
• indie
• 2020s