The Swiss music scene is collectively committed to media coverage of culture by the SSR!
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In response to changes in the audiovisual language of the music industry, the Solothurn Film Festival is expanding its offering as part of the ‘SO PRO’ professional platform. With the support of the FONDATION SUISA, the Solothurn Film Festival will launch ‘Screen to Sound’ at the end of 2025, a new creative laboratory that will replace the ‘Best Swiss Video Clip’ competition.
‘Screen to Sound’ offers musicians and filmmakers the opportunity to present original interdisciplinary creations that bring music to life. These audiovisual creations can take many different forms, ranging from visual albums to immersive musical experiences and live projections during concerts. All ideas are welcome, especially those that dare to innovate and push the boundaries of the dialogue between sound and image.
2026 project selection
A selection of the projects submitted benefited from a day of mentoring with renowned experts from the music and audiovisual scene. At the end of the day, three projects were awarded development grants totalling CHF 10,000, which was divided between them. The day ended on a high note with a concert where music and video became one.
In January 2026, the following projects were awarded:
A partnership between:
Since 2018, FONDATION SUISA has been awarding «Get Going!» grants to music creators who are at an artistic turning point and need time, freedom and the ability to take risks for their next step. Each year, the programme awards grants of CHF 25,000 each to projects focusing not on a finished product but on the process: research, development, reorientation. In 2025, the jury selected eight projects that stand out for their courage, artistic independence and social relevance.
Congratulations to the eight beneficiaries!
RAPHAEL LOHER & PHILIPP SCHLOTTER ｜ Well Tuned Pianos
The pianists and composers Raphael Loher and Philipp Schlotter have been active on the Swiss music scene for years as versatile musicians, working at the intersection of experimental electronic music, ambient, improvisation and collective projects.
With their project ‘Well Tuned Pianos’, they deconstruct and question something that seems self-evident: the tuning of the piano. Abandoning conventional Western scales, they explore other tonal systems, such as those found in gamelan music, where instruments are deliberately detuned in relation to each other, creating a vibrant and shimmering sound. With two other transportable pianos that have only one string per note, they explore different tunings. In addition to the tunings, the spectrum of harmonics is enriched by the preparation work. Through improvisation and experimentation, they aim to create their own tunings and transform them into a new common musical practice and a new musical language.
The jury praised this experimental approach, which places contemporary music in a new context, as well as the courage to radically deepen an existing duo’s work rather than limiting themselves to planning a new album.
raphaelloher.com
instagram.com/philippbenjaminschlotter
COCO SCHWARZ ｜ Echoes of Extinction
Coco Schwarz is a musician and sound artist with a background in international classical music, who now devotes most of their time to electroacoustic, experimental and atmospheric music.
With their project ‘Echoes of Extinction’, Schwarz highlights animal species threatened with extinction in Switzerland – species that often go unnoticed, but which are acoustically omnipresent. In collaboration with biologists and ecologists, sounds are collected from biospheres and archives and then electroacoustically transformed so that the croaks, rustles and cries of endangered animals merge into dense soundscapes. The aim is not to create faithful naturalistic audio archives, but to create a sensory and political space in which loss and transformation become audible. Schwarz conceives of sound as a means of ecological memory and as an active artistic action.
The jury referred to a total work of art, at the crossroads of several disciplines, and highlighted the coherence with which field recordings, research on the sounds of nature and electronics are articulated around a major socio-political theme, in line with an already well-established line of work.
SIMONE AUBERT ｜ Projets 26/27
Simone Aubert is a guitarist, drummer, singer, composer and multidisciplinary artist. For more than twenty years, she has been evolving in a musical landscape that defies classification, combining pop, punk, electronic, folk, rock, experimental and contemporary music.
With more than 1,100 concerts on five continents under her belt, she now wants to use ‘Projets 26/27’ to reorganise her many activities and develop them in a more targeted way. She plans to release the third album of her ‘Tout Bleu’ project, followed by an international tour, the recording of a solo album and the creation of a new post-punk trio. To this end, she is developing the association ‘Phasma’, which is responsible for the administration, planning and coordination of her activities, in order to free up time for music, composition and rehearsals. She now wants to give more space and importance, for herself and the musicians around her, to the creative process than to the multiplication of concerts, allowing for more research residencies and composition time, in fair working conditions for everyone involved.
The jury highlighted the diversity of her career, her highly personal musical language and the remarkable intensity of her creative work and concerts, which are now set to flourish within a consolidated structure.
CAMILLA SPARKSSS ｜ Explore Sound Frequencies for Healing
Camilla Sparksss is the alias of Swiss-Canadian musician Barbara Lehnhoff, co-founder of the indie band Peter Kernel and the label On The Camper Records. As a live artist, she is known for her energetic performances that combine experimentation, electronica, dark wave and punk.
In the project “Explore sound frequencies for healing”, she turns her previous stage energy on its head: instead of maximum volume and adrenaline, the focus is on frequencies, vibrations and sound spaces that are intended to calm, slow down and create a kind of meditative intensity. She explores how her radical sound can be transformed into a practice that targets physical and psychological effects – a kind of laboratory for healing, but by no means tame electronic music.
The jury spoke of a “punk spin-off” operating at a high artistic level and with a strong track record, and praised her international career, which will now be given an intentional space for input, research and reorientation.
KNOBIL ｜ Knobil Large Ensemble
KNOBIL (Louise Knobil) is a double bass player, singer and composer. She blends jazz, punk, French chanson and a unique narrative approach, tinged with humour, to create her own musical universe.
With the ‘Knobil Large Ensemble’, she expands her current trio into a sextet featuring brass, guitar and rhythm section, in a deliberately FLINTA*-dominated line-up. Her new repertoire tackles themes such as free love, patriarchal violence, ADHD, mental health and ‘pick-me’ culture – subjects more commonly found in essays or discussion threads, but which are treated here in the form of richly orchestrated jazz-punk songs carried by a strong stage energy. ‘Get Going!’ will enable her to develop compositions and arrangements during an intensive solo residency, finance rehearsals and establish the large ensemble as a stage project ready to tour in Switzerland and abroad.
The jury described her as a ‘young musician of exceptional talent’ whose career is taking off, and praised her courage in leading an ambitious project that transforms rhythm and agitation into a true artistic distillation.
LUM ｜ Développement du projet LUM
LUM is a 23-year-old pop, rap and reggaeton artist of Swiss, French and Spanish origin. Dividing her time between Lausanne and Zurich, she writes songs in French and Spanish, effortlessly blending rap and singing.
With ‘Développement du projet LUM’, she wants to transform her current momentum – marked in particular by a viral freestyle in seven languages with nearly three million views, as well as numerous concerts – into a sustainable project. This development involves expanding her home studio, improving her production tools and collaborating with external producers in order to preserve a high degree of artistic freedom. At the same time, LUM wants to refine her visual universe and stage presence, so that music, images, lyrics and energy tell a coherent and unique story. Her political message, in particular her positioning as a counterweight to a rap scene still largely dominated by men, occupies a central place in her artistic approach. Finally, in 2026-2027, LUM plans to create a major project (EP, album, etc.), with the aim of developing her musical universe in parallel with the stage and unifying her entire artistic project into a strong and accomplished vision.
The jury highlighted her strong personality, the clarity of her political content and her role as a multilingual artist, capable of connecting different linguistic regions of Switzerland while providing an essential female counterpoint to the current rap scene.
ANUK SCHMELCHER ｜ Recherchephase für neue Musik
Anuk Schmelcher est musicienne, productrice et artiste sonore suisse. Elle écrit, joue et produit sa musique elle-même, poursuivant de manière cohérente une pratique de production autonome avec un accent clair sur le processus de production en studio.
Avec la sortie de son premier album «Something Else» (auto-produit, 2025), elle se tourne résolument vers l’avenir. La contribution du programme « Get Going! » soutient une phase de développement artistique au cours de laquelle l’attention se concentrera clairement sur la production et l’écriture de nouvelles compositions. Anuk Schmelcher souhaite approfondir son travail avec des instruments classiques tels que batterie, synthétiseur, guitare et basse, et développer de nouvelles approches en enregistrement et design sonore pour affiner davantage son univers sonore. En parallèle, cette contribution lui offre l’espace nécessaire pour expérimenter différents formats et explorer la manière dont son projet pourra à l’avenir atteindre le public – sans pression immédiate d’attente ou de rentabilité.
Le jury a salué une musique émouvante et une production convaincante, soulignant l’importance de rendre plus visible le travail des productrices et d’expérimenter de nouveaux formats de diffusion.
MARC MÉAN ｜ L’orgue comme voyage de découverte
Marc Méan est un pianiste et compositeur de jazz né à Vevey et installé à Zurich. Il se produit avec son trio Fields ainsi que dans des formats solo hybrides, où piano ou orgue dialoguent avec l’électronique, les boucles et le traitement en temps réel.
Dans son projet «L’orgue comme voyage de découverte», il explore l’orgue comme instrument situé entre tradition et expérimentation. Partant des improvisations de son album «Rituals», enregistré dans une église lausannoise, il poursuit désormais ses recherches sur les orgues du cimetière de Sihlfeld à Zurich, dont les sonorités sont intimement liées aux thèmes de la vie, de la mort et du souvenir. Il y développe un live set dans lequel les sons d’orgue s’entremêlent avec la synthèse granulaire, les boucles et le traitement électronique, sans basculer pour autant dans la musique classique ou purement religieuse. «Get Going!» lui offre la possibilité de rassembler ces expériences éparses, de développer une forme performative cohérente et de poser les bases d’un nouvel album solo.
Le jury a qualifié ce projet de passionnant, porté par une musique forte, qui approfondit des travaux existants et révèle un pianiste de jazz empruntant des chemins singuliers et résolument expérimentaux.
The Demotape Clinic is a radar for new Swiss music and one of the most important competitions for emerging artists in the country. It helps them build their community and develop their network. Winners receive cash prizes, valuable visibility and key contacts within the music scene. Once again this year, the m4music pop music festival and FONDATION SUISA are jointly searching for the artists of tomorrow:
DEMOS WANTED
The deadline for submitting tracks for the Demotape Clinic 2026 expired on 21 December 2025.
PRE JURY SESSION
Two genre experts per category listen to all submissions and select the 61 artists who will go through to the next round.
ANNOUNCEMENT OF SELECTED ARTISTS
The 61 selected artists will be announced and invited to the m4music festival to take part in the live jury sessions.
LIVE JURY SESSIONS & AWARD SHOW
A selection of the most promising tracks in the categories pop, rock, lyrics & beats, electro and out of genre will be presented on 20 and 21 March 2026 at the m4music festival in Zurich.
The winners will receive FONDATION SUISA Awards worth a total of CHF 20,000 and benefit from direct feedback from music industry professionals.
Their music will be played on various partner radio stations and, above all, they will be the centre of attention on the Swiss music scene. The winners will also be able to take advantage of the Migros Culture Percentage’s ‘Double’ coaching programme.
New Director of FONDATION SUISA from 1. July 2026
In view of Urs Schnell’s retirement in September 2026, the Foundation Board has appointed
Mr Fabio Baechtold
as the new Director of FONDATION SUISA.
Congratulations!
Fabio Baechtold has been managing director of the Bern-based jazz promoter “BeJazz” since 2007 and has also coordinated the “Suisse Diagonales Jazz” festival on a part-time basis since 2017. He was a member of the City of Bern’s Music Commission for eight years and later also became its chair. He has extensive experience in music promotion and, as a SUISA member, is also very familiar with all important copyright issues.
Fabio Baechtold will take up his post on 1 July 2026 – the entire team and the Foundation Board are looking forward to working with him.
PS.: Further information will follow at a later date.
A successful step into a challenging market
At this year’s Linecheck Music Meeting & Festival, the Swiss delegation, accompanied by Swiss Music Export, ventured a new approach to better understand the Italian music market and build lasting connections. A total of ten Swiss musicians and industry representatives from all language regions took part – including three from Ticino, which once again underlined the pan-Swiss character of the delegation.
A kick-off with market overview & networking
On Wednesday, 19 November, participants were given a compact insight into the Italian music market. Representatives from various areas of the Italian music industry were available for questions and discussions. In the evening, a networking dinner was held with the Swiss delegation, together with ten Italians and five international guests. The networking effect was significantly enhanced by deliberately changing seats after each course.
Conference & matchmaking
On the following days, the delegation was fully integrated into the conference. Thanks to priority consideration in matchmaking, all participants were able to meet numerous professionals relevant to them in a relaxed setting. In addition, three delegates spoke on panels, which gave the Swiss presence additional visibility.
“MEET THE SWISS” – an open space for encounters
On Thursday, SME organised a 1.5-hour aperitif with beer, wine and snacks to facilitate further informal encounters with international participants.
SWISS LIVE ACTS AT LINECHECK 2025
Two strong performances in completely different settings
MORTÒRI played in the intimate Capsula, a small room where the audience sits on the floor – a setting that allows for a concentrated, almost immersive listening experience. The set attracted an interested audience.
CRÈME SOLAIRE presented their set in a much larger room with a capacity of around 300 people, later in the evening and in front of an international audience. The set was well attended and received positive feedback.
Both showcases were gratifyingly well attended, even though the conditions could hardly have been more different – a strong sign of the growing interest in Swiss acts.
A new format that is convincing – and should be repeated
The feedback on the Swiss presence was consistently positive. The combination of targeted market launch, prioritised matchmaking, showcases and informal networking opportunities proved particularly effective – especially in a market like Italy, which can be difficult for Swiss musicians to access. The early consultation on goals and desired contacts proved to be a valuable tool for preparation.
SWISS MUSIC @ LINECHECK 2025 ｜ IMPRESSIONS:
Swiss sounds, Parisian pulse – review of MaMA 2025
From 15 to 17 October 2025, the Parisian districts of Pigalle and Montmartre were transformed into a vibrant festival site where the international music industry came together. At the heart of it all: a convincing Swiss presence.
SWISS LIVE SHOWS AT MAMA 2025
At the Swiss Business Mixer, which took place at the Bar à Bulles on 16 October, music professionals from Europe came together for discussions, drinks receptions and showcase highlights. The focus was on the two Swiss acts:
SAMI GALBI‘s unique blend of electronica, oriental pop and francophone beats created a remarkable resonance with the audience – his set was described as one of the mixer’s most energetic.
In the MaMA showcase, MEIMUNA impressed with poetic pop and intimate songs that captivated the Parisian audience with subtle intensity.
Parallel to the official programme, representatives of the Swiss music scene took the opportunity to take part in panels and spontaneous network formats, thus making important contacts in the French and international scene. FONDATION SUISA provided visibility and targeted support for the Swiss delegation.
Whether at the Swiss Business Mixer aperitif or on stage in the evening, the Swiss scene was prominently and competently represented at MaMA 2025, once again confirming its potential for international exchange.
The Swiss Business Mixer at MaMA Music & Convention 2025 was jointly organised by Swiss Music Export and FONDATION SUISA, with support from Pro Helvetia and the Swiss Embassy in France.
The next MaMA Music & Convention will take place in Paris from 14 to 16 October 2026.
SWISS MUSIC @ MaMA 2025 ⎪ IMPRESSIONS IN PICTURES:
arttv ｜ Musician’s portraits
FONDATION SUISA and arttv present video features on selected musicians who report on their work and current projects. In addition, arttv portrays the recipients of last year’s «Get Going!» awards by FONDATION SUISA in multi-part series video portraits.
A partnership between:
Current arttv portrait:
Nathalie Froehlich – A rapper without limits
PUBLISHED ON 30 SEPTEMBER 2025
Her motto: «I’m not a queen. I’m a godess!»
Swiss French rapper Nathalie Froehlich impresses with her strong stage presence and clear, direct lyrics. In her live show, she combines baile funk, techno, hardcore and hip-hop into an energetic mix reminiscent of an unforgettable after-party. Since 2022, she has been playing over 50 shows a year and working on her debut album, which is due to be released later this year.
Other arttv musician’s portraits:
MaMA Music & Convention invites the professional music world to Paris from 15 to 17 October 2025.
SWISS BUSINESS MIXER
Since 2010, Paris has hosted the annual MaMA – Marché des Musiques Actuelles – an important event for professionals in the pop music industry. MaMA offers various networking opportunities for industry representatives, as well as a variety of concerts for the general public in the lively Pigalle and Montmartre districts.
The Swiss delegation looks forward to seeing you at the Bar à Bulles at the Swiss Business Mixer!
Thirsday 16 October
16:00–18:30
Bar à Bulles
Swiss Music Export and FONDATION SUISA are proposing the traditional networking event Swiss Business Mixer again at MaMA Music & Convention.
The event is taking place in the Bar à Bulles just behind the Moulin Rouge. There will be many exciting people, delicious appetisers with great Swiss wine and the two fabulous showcase acts MEIMUNA and SAMI GALBI:
Register now for the Swiss Business Mixer
Entry to the SWISS BUSINESS MIXER is free for music professionals.
However, registration is required.
Presented by Swiss Music Export and FONDATION SUISA with the kind support of the Swiss Embassy in France.
ALL WISS GIGS AT MAMA 2025
DON’T FORGET TO ORDER YOUR PROMOTIONAL CODE!
Swiss music professionals can buy their 3-day PRO PASS for the MaMA 2025 for EUR 110 instead of EUR 170 thanks to the promotional code of Swiss Music Export and FONDATION SUISA.
Reeperbahn Festival ｜ 17–20 September 2025 ｜ Hamburg (DE)
Once again this year, Hamburg was a showcase and meeting place for the international music world: at the Reeperbahn Festival 2025, Switzerland was on hand with a diverse mix of networking formats and concerts. Whether it was over a coffee in the morning, at the Business Mixer in the afternoon or at the evening showcases at Spielbudenplatz – Swiss music was a visible and audible presence all around the festival.
Swiss Sunrise Social – coffee, sunshine and first encounters
In the early morning, when most festival goers are only slowly gaining momentum, the Swiss Sunrise Social has become a popular ritual. For the third time, the Swiss coffee cart parked amidst the hustle and bustle of the festival, attracting visitors with strong coffee, friendly smiles and a relaxed atmosphere. This year, around 120 coffees were served – 50% more than the first time round.
Swiss Business Mixer – raclette meets the music business
While the morning offered a relaxed start, the Swiss Business Mixer got down to business in the afternoon. Around 450 professionals from the industry came together in Hamburg – including around 20% Swiss guests and a strong 64% contingent of German music professionals.
The Mixer cemented its reputation as a meeting place for decision-makers once again this year: 90 bottles of Swiss white wine were served, 60 kilograms of raclette cheese were consumed and the copious networking was backed by the sound of four Swiss acts – MEL D, NOMUEL, JAMILA and SAMI GALBI.
Swiss Sunset Social – Swiss class in St. Pauli
In the evenings, Spielbudenplatz was filled with even more Swiss sounds. Against the LED backdrop, LINDA ELYS, who has gained an enthusiastic following through her appearance in the finals of “The Voice of Germany”, opened her first full-band concert in Germany and presented her electronic-flavoured folk pop with a palpable sense of self-confidence. LOST IN LONA set a dreamy counterpoint with atmospheric Indie, MARY MIDDLEFIELD impressed with subtle songwriting and emotional depth, and experienced rock singer SERAINA TELLI provided a heavy dose of energy. To cap things off, one of Switzerland’s biggest pop acts at the moment, NEMO really got the square moving and demonstrated once again Swiss artists’ knack for finding the pulse of the times.
Swiss artists also left their mark in other partner showcases: PANDA LUX impressed with her tight Indie sound, GINA ÉTÉ gave progressive pop a new voice, and AKRYL captivated the crowd with her very intimate, German-language Indie pop. Swiss-American MILUNE offered a late-night club atmosphere with her dreamy bedroom pop, while VALENTINO VIVACE brought the Italo dancefloor feeling to Hamburg and KK! made his mark as a rising force in rap – demonstrating in impressive fashion both individually and collectively the diversity of the Swiss scene.
Around 20 Swiss acts set a high bar in St. Pauli – supported and made possible by FONDATION SUISA. The goal: to raise the international visibility of Swiss music, to give Swiss music a lasting boost through festivals such as the Reeperbahn Festival and to strengthen networking within the industry.
Whether with a coffee in the sunlight, a raclette in the courtyard or on the big stage in the evening: Switzerland made a lasting impression at the Reeperbahn Festival 2025.
The Swiss presence at the Reeperbahn Festival was organised by Swiss Music Export (SME) in collaboration with FONDATION SUISA, Pro Helvetia, Musikbüro Luzern, Musikbüro Basel, Popkredit Zürich, FCMA (Fondation romande pour la Chanson et les musiques actuelles) and the Swiss Embassy Berlin.
The 21st Reeperbahn Festival edition will take place from 16 to 19 September 2026 in Hamburg.
SWISS MUSIC @ REEPERBAHN FESTIVAL 2025 ⎪ IMPRESSIONS:
ALL SWISS ARTISTS AT THE REEPERBAHN FESTIVAL 2025
The Swiss bands performing at this year’s Reeperbahn Festival demonstrated the incredible strength and diversity of the local music scene:
