By Joseph Sebastian
CSMR Correspondent
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - USA -- It looks like wedding bells will be ringing in Switzerland for Sabrina Sauder, the attractive multi-talented Swiss artist, who we have frequently covered over the years.
In an exclusive interview with the Chicago Schlager Music Review, the multitalented Swiss performer said that during a recent romantic vacation to the Christmas Fantasyland of Finnish Lapland, her boyfriend Nicolas, proposed and she accepted.
That isn't the only news in Sabrina Sauder's life.
In June, Sauder was the featured performer at a civic gala to inaugurate the Taminabruck Bridge. Bridges are important in mountainous Switzerland and this one at 520 yards in length, is the longest in that Alpine nation. It was a major national infrastructural improvement, providing a badly needed land link between the towns of Pfäffers and Valens.
At the civic gala, Sauder sang her composition, "Wir Gehorn Zusammen" (We Belong Together), which became the official song of the bridge. It's a delightfully airy song whose lyrical rendition is punctuated by her trademark flute accents.
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This comes on top of Sabrina Sauder's 2016 album release, "Liebst Du Mich?" (Do you love me), which hit the top 30 on the overall Swiss Charts and hit #1 on the folk/schlager chart.
Sabrina Sauder recently sat for an exclusive interview with the Chicago Schlager Music Review. Here's what we learned:
Q: Do you still ever perform in little intimate jazz clubs?
I perform as well in bigger venues as in little locations like bars and restaurants. I like the intimate places very much as they challenge me and my music skills. In those places I can get in touch with the audience much better and it requires much more empathy for the people. It’s also more demanding to bring my music and my performance across on small stages as the audience is standing much closer than on big stages where the audience can watch my performance from further away.
Q: Do you still ever wear that Chicago Bears jersey?
I like to wear sneakers and comfortable sporty clothes when I’m doing home office or going for a walk. As for that particular jersey, it had been borrowed for the video shoot “Glückskind”.
Q: Have you ever visited the US (if so what were your impressions) or do you have any plans to visit?
Not yet unfortunately, but I’d love to go to Hawaii one day. It must be amazingly beautiful there. Maybe we’re going there on our honeymoon next year. My boyfriend Nicolas and me got engaged three weeks ago. His proposal was very romantic on our holidays in Lapland/Finland, pretty much in the north of Europe. The proposal took place outside with a stunning sunset, but temperatures dropped down to -30 degrees centigrade (22 below zero F). Still I was warm in heart and of course said yes.
Q: You know Swiss beauty queen and schlager singer, Linda Fah. Is there a camaraderie among Swiss schlager performers? Are you friends with others, such as Beatrice Egli and Francine Jordi?
We know each other by sight – I once was in the make up next to Beatrice Egli before the Swiss TV and pop-schlager show “Hello Again”. We also had a little chat. She might not remember me now as she is knowing so many people. For the most Swiss people as well as singer, we all just keep pursuing our own careers, meeting each other from time to time at different events. Sometimes there collaborations are taking place but mostly we’re concentrating on our own music – it’s probably a gender thing as for the female singers in the same genre there is sort of a competition going on.
It’s more probable to collaborate with male schlager singer then. I had a short collaboration with Roberto Blanco on his latest Oktoberfest song “Eina geht no rein”. Known schlager trumpet player Walter Scholz played on my second Christmas album “Bald wird Weihnacht sein” (2012). Furthermore, I’m planning a collaboration with Leonard for some of his and my songs.
Q: Do you still frequently perform flute solos in church? What denomination?
Yes, I do! Mostly at weddings. I love playing in churches due to the phenomenal acoustics. It’s all different kinds of churches, mainly Catholic and Protestant but sometimes also Baptist churches. We’re pretty open to all denominations in Switzerland – in particular myself, I’m not judging, I’m just doing my job and I love playing in churches and chapels.
Q: Can you tell us what made you decide to pursue a career in music?
My decision to become a musician was taken pretty early in my childhood. We have been singing and playing music in our family as long as I can think of. Music is in my genes and I realized pretty early it’s my destiny. I took every chance I could to perform on stage – first with the flute, later on with my voice and the piano. I composed my first songs as a teenager and showcased them in my former church.
At high school I attended the school choir, the classical orchestra and towards the end also the school big band. That’s where I learned how to improvise on my flute. There was one particular, very big school choir project I participated in which was conducted by US gospel singer Freddy Washington. He gave me a solo to sing and encouraged me to keep my singing up. At that time I wasn’t very self-confident about my singing voice.
The final decision to definitely jump into a professional career in music was made in 2008 when I got the chance to take the starring part in a big musical “Xang im Ried” (Swiss-German for singing in the reed) in the canton (Thurgau), I had grown up. That’s also when I got my first media review which encouraged me to start a professional career as a musician.
Q: What artist or individual (past or present) had the most influence on your life?
There have been many people crossing my personal and musical path encouraging me to go on and live my dreams. There are so many fans, family members, friends as well as strangers and business contacts that encourage me day by day and give me the power and strength to go on, to stand up when I’m down, to keep on living my dream – even if it’s a very hard and tough industry to be in.
To name some of the known persons of the music industry who have inspired me it’s certainly names like Freddy Washington, Ian Anderson from Jethro Tull (with whom I played at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 2012) as well as schlager singer Helene Fischer and singers like Adele and Ed Sheeran. They show me that it’s possible to reach your goals and to make a very good living on music – even if I’m not even half way there.
It’s my musicians and producers though who have most of the influence on my music. Their feedback helps me to get better and to focus on my skills. It’s also helpful to talk to people who are into the same struggles and fights like me.
Q: Are there other members of your family that have or had careers in music?
Most family members play an instrument, my father even used to conduct choirs, but for all of them music is their hobby. I’m the only professionally ambitioned musician. So they couldn’t support me with connections, industry know-how or anything.
Q: What is your idea of a perfect day?
On the one hand, a perfect day is when I get to work with good people or when I get to perform on a nice stage – no matter if it’s big or small. Furthermore, it also feels perfect to me when I get into that kind of positive work flow. It makes me feel good to have accomplished many open tasks by the end of the day.
On the other hand, a perfect day can also be a lazy Sunday with my fiancée or family and friends.
Q: Do you have a favorite pastime or hobby?
My favorite hobby used to be playing music and singing in choirs and musical projects. As music is my profession now there’s not much of a hobby left, except of reading. I love to read books when I get the time to. At the moment I’m about to read the biography of Charlie Chaplin. A very inspiring and initially sad story about the rising of a film star who lived and died in Switzerland. To stay in shape and keep fit, I’m doing Yoga and dance workouts using web-based sport programs and apps.
Q: Is there anything you would like to say to all our CSMR readers?
Do what you love most and don’t let anybody hinder you from doing it. I’d like to encourage you with the following phrase which is written above my makeup table: “Never give up! Stay focused, stay strong, stay positive!”
Here's Sabrina Sauder performing her composition, "Wir Gehorn Zusammen"(We Belong Together) which became the official anthem of the Taminabruck bridge:
CSMR Correspondent
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - USA -- It looks like wedding bells will be ringing in Switzerland for Sabrina Sauder, the attractive multi-talented Swiss artist, who we have frequently covered over the years.
 |
| Sabrina Sauder |
In an exclusive interview with the Chicago Schlager Music Review, the multitalented Swiss performer said that during a recent romantic vacation to the Christmas Fantasyland of Finnish Lapland, her boyfriend Nicolas, proposed and she accepted.
That isn't the only news in Sabrina Sauder's life.
In June, Sauder was the featured performer at a civic gala to inaugurate the Taminabruck Bridge. Bridges are important in mountainous Switzerland and this one at 520 yards in length, is the longest in that Alpine nation. It was a major national infrastructural improvement, providing a badly needed land link between the towns of Pfäffers and Valens.
At the civic gala, Sauder sang her composition, "Wir Gehorn Zusammen" (We Belong Together), which became the official song of the bridge. It's a delightfully airy song whose lyrical rendition is punctuated by her trademark flute accents.
This comes on top of Sabrina Sauder's 2016 album release, "Liebst Du Mich?" (Do you love me), which hit the top 30 on the overall Swiss Charts and hit #1 on the folk/schlager chart.
Sabrina Sauder recently sat for an exclusive interview with the Chicago Schlager Music Review. Here's what we learned:
Q: Do you still ever perform in little intimate jazz clubs?
I perform as well in bigger venues as in little locations like bars and restaurants. I like the intimate places very much as they challenge me and my music skills. In those places I can get in touch with the audience much better and it requires much more empathy for the people. It’s also more demanding to bring my music and my performance across on small stages as the audience is standing much closer than on big stages where the audience can watch my performance from further away.
Q: Do you still ever wear that Chicago Bears jersey?
I like to wear sneakers and comfortable sporty clothes when I’m doing home office or going for a walk. As for that particular jersey, it had been borrowed for the video shoot “Glückskind”.
Q: Have you ever visited the US (if so what were your impressions) or do you have any plans to visit?
Not yet unfortunately, but I’d love to go to Hawaii one day. It must be amazingly beautiful there. Maybe we’re going there on our honeymoon next year. My boyfriend Nicolas and me got engaged three weeks ago. His proposal was very romantic on our holidays in Lapland/Finland, pretty much in the north of Europe. The proposal took place outside with a stunning sunset, but temperatures dropped down to -30 degrees centigrade (22 below zero F). Still I was warm in heart and of course said yes.
Q: You know Swiss beauty queen and schlager singer, Linda Fah. Is there a camaraderie among Swiss schlager performers? Are you friends with others, such as Beatrice Egli and Francine Jordi?
We know each other by sight – I once was in the make up next to Beatrice Egli before the Swiss TV and pop-schlager show “Hello Again”. We also had a little chat. She might not remember me now as she is knowing so many people. For the most Swiss people as well as singer, we all just keep pursuing our own careers, meeting each other from time to time at different events. Sometimes there collaborations are taking place but mostly we’re concentrating on our own music – it’s probably a gender thing as for the female singers in the same genre there is sort of a competition going on.
It’s more probable to collaborate with male schlager singer then. I had a short collaboration with Roberto Blanco on his latest Oktoberfest song “Eina geht no rein”. Known schlager trumpet player Walter Scholz played on my second Christmas album “Bald wird Weihnacht sein” (2012). Furthermore, I’m planning a collaboration with Leonard for some of his and my songs.
Q: Do you still frequently perform flute solos in church? What denomination?
Yes, I do! Mostly at weddings. I love playing in churches due to the phenomenal acoustics. It’s all different kinds of churches, mainly Catholic and Protestant but sometimes also Baptist churches. We’re pretty open to all denominations in Switzerland – in particular myself, I’m not judging, I’m just doing my job and I love playing in churches and chapels.
Q: Can you tell us what made you decide to pursue a career in music?
My decision to become a musician was taken pretty early in my childhood. We have been singing and playing music in our family as long as I can think of. Music is in my genes and I realized pretty early it’s my destiny. I took every chance I could to perform on stage – first with the flute, later on with my voice and the piano. I composed my first songs as a teenager and showcased them in my former church.
At high school I attended the school choir, the classical orchestra and towards the end also the school big band. That’s where I learned how to improvise on my flute. There was one particular, very big school choir project I participated in which was conducted by US gospel singer Freddy Washington. He gave me a solo to sing and encouraged me to keep my singing up. At that time I wasn’t very self-confident about my singing voice.
The final decision to definitely jump into a professional career in music was made in 2008 when I got the chance to take the starring part in a big musical “Xang im Ried” (Swiss-German for singing in the reed) in the canton (Thurgau), I had grown up. That’s also when I got my first media review which encouraged me to start a professional career as a musician.
Q: What artist or individual (past or present) had the most influence on your life?
There have been many people crossing my personal and musical path encouraging me to go on and live my dreams. There are so many fans, family members, friends as well as strangers and business contacts that encourage me day by day and give me the power and strength to go on, to stand up when I’m down, to keep on living my dream – even if it’s a very hard and tough industry to be in.
To name some of the known persons of the music industry who have inspired me it’s certainly names like Freddy Washington, Ian Anderson from Jethro Tull (with whom I played at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 2012) as well as schlager singer Helene Fischer and singers like Adele and Ed Sheeran. They show me that it’s possible to reach your goals and to make a very good living on music – even if I’m not even half way there.
It’s my musicians and producers though who have most of the influence on my music. Their feedback helps me to get better and to focus on my skills. It’s also helpful to talk to people who are into the same struggles and fights like me.
Q: Are there other members of your family that have or had careers in music?
Most family members play an instrument, my father even used to conduct choirs, but for all of them music is their hobby. I’m the only professionally ambitioned musician. So they couldn’t support me with connections, industry know-how or anything.
Q: What is your idea of a perfect day?
On the one hand, a perfect day is when I get to work with good people or when I get to perform on a nice stage – no matter if it’s big or small. Furthermore, it also feels perfect to me when I get into that kind of positive work flow. It makes me feel good to have accomplished many open tasks by the end of the day.
On the other hand, a perfect day can also be a lazy Sunday with my fiancée or family and friends.
Q: Do you have a favorite pastime or hobby?
My favorite hobby used to be playing music and singing in choirs and musical projects. As music is my profession now there’s not much of a hobby left, except of reading. I love to read books when I get the time to. At the moment I’m about to read the biography of Charlie Chaplin. A very inspiring and initially sad story about the rising of a film star who lived and died in Switzerland. To stay in shape and keep fit, I’m doing Yoga and dance workouts using web-based sport programs and apps.
Q: Is there anything you would like to say to all our CSMR readers?
Do what you love most and don’t let anybody hinder you from doing it. I’d like to encourage you with the following phrase which is written above my makeup table: “Never give up! Stay focused, stay strong, stay positive!”
Here's Sabrina Sauder performing her composition, "Wir Gehorn Zusammen"(We Belong Together) which became the official anthem of the Taminabruck bridge:
Here's Sabrina Sauder's new single, a pretty ballad, with a quality video, released just last month, Flieg (Fly):
You can get more info on Sabrina Sauder at her official website:
And at our earlier Chicago Schlager Music Review articles on Sabrina Sauder: