– Finally a stone for Baschi – and there is a logical winner for Best Hit
The awarding of Switzerland’s most important pop prizes resulted in several firsts. These are the winners.
Published: May 8, 2024, 11:20 p.m
Baschi wins the “Best Male Act” at the Swiss Music Awards ceremony in Zurich. (May 8, 2024)
Photo: KEYSTONE
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After a two-year interlude in Zug, the Swiss Music Awards took place again in Zurich this year. For the 17th time, the most successful Swiss pop musicians were honored in a total of 12 categories. With the Hallenstadion, the show returns to the location where most of the awards have taken place so far.
Melanie Winiger also celebrated a comeback as a presenter after a seven-year break. She presented the event eight times in a row in the early years.
In the most prestigious hit of the year category, Zurich rapper EAZ won the concrete block with “Juicy”. The 30-year-old is the logical winner after “Juicy” became the first dialect song to land on Spotify’s global viral charts in 2023 and has now amassed over 20 million streams. It is the first award for the Zurich native, after losing out twice so far.
EAZ wins the Best Hit Award at the Swiss Music Awards in Zurich with “Juicy”. (May 8, 2024)
Photo: KEYSTONE
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Allow cookiesMore informationEAZ leaves Hecht and Remo Forrer behind
The Swiss Music Awards reflect the commercial success of musicians. When it comes to Best Hit, however, the audience can ultimately decide. EAZ prevailed against last year’s ESC participant Remo Forrer (“Watergun”) and the dialect high flyer Hecht (“Amigo”), who came away empty-handed this year despite two nominations. EAZ has a dedicated fan community behind it.
The best solo artist was 20-year-old Joya Marleen, who now has four SMAs after her triple triumph in 2022. The award for the best group goes to Züri West, who released the most successful Swiss album of last year.
Joya Marleen wins “Best Female Act” at the Swiss Music Awards in Zurich. (May 8, 2024)
Photo: KEYSTONE
But the big question of the evening was: Will Baschi finally win his first concrete block after four nominations? He was already in the running for a prize at the very first edition in 2008. Now it worked on the fifth attempt: Baschi was voted the best artist – his particularly long SMA dry spell may well have played a role in the voting. The Basel bidder beat out Gölä and EAZ.
Gölä had also come away empty-handed in previous years, despite having seven chances to win. He still has to wait for his first award as a solo artist.
Patent Ochsner and Stubete Gäng among the winners
Patent Ochsner meanwhile won their eighth prize as the best live act – and are therefore close on the heels of the current all-time leader Stress with nine awards. The Geneva rapper Smartka can call itself Best Act Romandie. And the Zurich folk singer Nola Kinwho has just released her new EP “Mayhem”, was honored by her colleagues with the Artist Award.
Patent Ochsner wins Best Live Act at the Swiss Music Awards ceremony in Zurich. (May 8, 2024)
Photo: KEYSTONE
2024 also brought two new categories: Best Streaming Artist and Most Rising Artist Social Media, in which artists were nominated based on their streaming numbers and social media activity. The premiere prices go to Stubete Gangwhose song “Göschene Airolo” is one of the most streamed dialect songs and whose music is currently streamed by over 200,000 people on Spotify, as well as to the Graubünden rapper Gigi. Criteria for the Social Media Award included: at least 5,000 followers, of which at least 60 percent must come from Switzerland.
The band Stubete Gaeng wins the Best Streaming Artist Award at the Swiss Music Awards in Zurich. (May 8, 2024)
Photo: KEYSTONE
The Swiss Music Awards also see themselves as a support platform for local music creation. Riana from Appenzeller was awarded the SRF 3 Best Talent Award. And the Schwyzer Ländler Trio Rusch-Büebla took home the award for Best Breaking Act. With the Genderbüebu and Rusch-Büeblä, Ländlermusik was represented twice in the award race this year – an indication of how in demand this music is in this country.
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The international awards: Miley Cyrus was honored for best hit (“Flowers”) and as a solo artist Rolling Stones as best group, German pop star Nina Chuba as best breaking act.
The nominations are determined by the SMA based on the number of streams and sales in the previous year. The winners are then determined by an industry jury, which is reconstituted every year, and by public voting.
Swiss musicMartin Fischer is an editor in the life department. He writes about pop culture and social issues. More info
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