The Swiss broadcaster SRF announced the six songs that will be in the running for the Swiss entry to the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) 2018 today. Four of the six entries were created at the Swiss songwriting camp held by Pele Loriano Productions and SUISA at Powerplay Studios in Maur. Text by Erika Weibel and Giorgio Tebaldi
Chiara Dubey (on the right), English creative artist Janie Price (in the middle) and the Belgian songwriter and producer Jeroen Swinnen in August 2017 in the Powerplay Studios in Maur. (Photos: Manu Leuenberger)
‘Secrets and Lies’ by Chiara Dubey, ‘Compass’ by Alejandro Reyes, ‘Stones’ by ZiBBZ and ‘Kiss Me’ sung by Naeman – four of the six final songs for the Swiss entry to the ESC 2018 were composed during the songwriting camp that took place at Powerplay Studios in Maur, Zurich from 23 – 25 August 2017. The camp was organised by Pele Loriano Productions in collaboration with SUISA. Pele Loriano is a composer, producer and musical director, and has been a member of SUISA since 1996.
During the three-day songwriting camp, 25 artists teamed up in groups of three to five to compose 18 different tracks. In addition to 13 SUISA members – composers, producers and lyricists from Switzerland – 12 artists from Belgium, Finland, Canada, the Netherlands, Israel, Sweden, the UK and the US attended the workshop. It was the first time a songwriting camp of this kind for the ESC had taken place in Switzerland.
The composers, lyricists and producers who were present on the third and last day of the Songwriting Camp in the recording room of Studio A.
Six SUISA members involved with the four final songs
Six SUISA members are represented in the four final songs from the songwriting camp. Three of the songs are performed by the SUISA authors themselves. The following artists are behind the four songs:
‘Secrets and Lies’
Music/lyrics by: Chiara Dubey (CH/SUISA), Janie Price (UK) and Jeroen Swinnen (BE);
performed by: Chiara Dubey
‘Stones’
Music/lyrics by: Co and Stee Gfeller aka ZiBBZ (CH/SUISA) and Laurell Barker (CAN);
performed by: ZiBBZ
‘Kiss Me’
Music/lyrics by: Kate Northrop (USA/SUISA), Alejandro Reyes (CH/SUISA), Eric Lumiere (USA) and Ken Berglund (SE); performed by: Naeman
‘Compass’
Music/lyrics by: Alejandro Reyes (CH/SUISA), Lars Christen (CH/SUISA) and Laurell Barker (CAN);
performed by: Alejandro Reyes
SUISA members Alejandro Reyes (on the left) and Lars Christen (on the right) during their session for the song “Compass“ which they had composed together with the Canadian Laurell Barker.
Total of 670 submissions
The four songs from the songwriting camp were chosen from a total of 670 submissions for the Swiss ESC entry. The songs for the Swiss finals show were selected by an independent jury made up of 20 musicians, media professionals, ESC fans and television viewers.
Finals on 4 February 2018
Which of the six final songs will have the honour of representing Switzerland at the ESC 2018 will be decided at the SRF Swiss finals show on 4 February 2018.
Press Release (PDF, 26 KB)
| Related articles |
 “We wanted to write a song that suits us” | plus video – Siblings Co and Stee Gfeller, better known as ZiBBZ, are battling it out for entry to the Eurovision Song Contest with their song “Stones”. They wrote the song together with Canadian songwriter Laurell Barker at the songwriting camp staged by Pele Loriano Productions and SUISA in August 2017. In the video, the two siblings tell us more about how the song came about and why this kind of songwriting camp is so important. Read more |
 “You always want to write the best song you can” | plus video – Songwriter Kate Northrop is primarily a lyricist, a creative role that doesn’t often land her in the spotlight. Together with three other authors, the SUISA member co-wrote Naeman’s entry to the Eurovision Song Contest, “Kiss Me”. In a video interview, Kate Northrop explains how she came up with the song lyrics and how she was inspired by the songwriting camp organised by SUISA and Pele Loriano Productions. Read more |
 “You have three minutes to impress the whole of Europe” | plus video – Ticino-based musician Chiara Dubey has a good chance of representing Switzerland at the Eurovision Song Contest in Lisbon on 12 May 2018 with her song “Secrets and Lies”. The pop ballade was written at the songwriting camp organised by Pele Loriano Productions and SUISA that took place in August 2017. In an interview, Chiara Dubey talks about her collaboration with her co-songwriters Jeroen Swinnen from Belgium and Janie Price from the UK. Read more |
Leave a Reply