We want to give music the public it deserves

The Swiss Music Awards is the largest music prize show in Switzerland. The event is now in new hands and the creators have promised: "We want to deliver a great two-hour show."

The Swiss Music Awards will be presented in Zug on Wednesday (see box). The organiser is now CH Media, to which the Zuger Zeitung also belongs. Nik Hartmann, former hiker of the nation, is now the co-director of in-house productions TV National, and explains in an interview why this competition is still needed at all.

I always thought that the only sinking ship with which television ratings can be made is the "Titanic"?
Nik Hartmann: (laughs) And why do you think the Swiss Music Awards is a sinking ship?

I attended them over the last few years: the prize is too pompous, the selection of the winners is somehow arbitrary, and the event lacks relevance.
You’re talking to the wrong man if you want to look back on the past few years. CH Media wasn't involved in it then. We’ve only been involved in it that way since last year, when we were still a partner. The 2022 edition is our premiere as an organiser. It would thereby be something between unfair and presumptuous if I were to now start criticising. I prefer to look ahead.

But are the Swiss Music Awards really still needed?
Of course. Switzerland needs a music prize. That’s important for the creation of music throughout the country - it provides it with a platform that it otherwise wouldn’t have. Sure, there's still the Grand Prix Music that Yello has just received. But we are different. We represent Swiss music more broadly. And, in the end, it's also about the fact that this is an industry get-together, where everyone has a good time.

But there are industry meetings probably every other evening somewhere for something. Does it really need a TV show?
Sure. And the fact that the awards are now hosted by us is also an opportunity. We are a commercial broadcaster, and we thereby don’t have to aim for consensus as much as a TV stations that is financed by tax money. We want to deliver a great show for two hours. And thereby give the music the public it deserves and needs.

But, with all due respect: the categories, the election procedure and the show blocks of the SMA seem quite antiquated.
I have to add here: we are only the organiser. The rights and regulations are the responsibility of IFPI Switzerland, the industry association of Swiss music labels, and the official distributor association Press Play.

That sounds like a questionable scenario to me: I'm throwing a party, but I can't determine what the party should be like.
The opposite is true. We now have joint meetings every week. Not because we have to, but because we want to promote this award together. I experience it as being very cooperative. We contribute all our ideas and push ourselves forward.

Nik Hartmann is the new organiser of the Swiss Music Awards at CH Media. The award ceremony will take place in Zug this year                  Alexandra Wey - Wikipedia

The main criticism of SMA has been the same for years: it prefers mass over class. The sales and streaming figures of the artists are weighted too highly.
That's quite an elitist view. And I also think that it falls short. We are not a music prize from the Federal Office of Culture (Bundesamt für Kultur). We also celebrate the popular - the music that’s heard on the radio and finds its fans there. We try to provide a mixture of young talents and established stars In the show acts. The stars are important to us. And they are also important for the newcomers as well. The reach of the show is increased through well-known names. And this, in turn, helps the visibility.

How great is the temptation to have the show feature some of the other productions from the CH Media group. For example, with a guest appearance from the "Sing mein Song" season? Or even a Bachelor or Bachelorette?
Zero. Really not at all. You have to be able to differentiate yourself, and not mix things up. By the way, I think "Sing mein Song" is comparable to the SMAs in terms of its composition: well-known names alongside newcomers. The mix is what makes the difference. As for the Bachelors: they certainly won't be on the stage. Why? Because the stage belongs to the music on this evening. But there will certainly be some in the audience.

Wouldn't they be ideal as tribute speakers?
The tributes have been continuously scaled back In recent years. That will also be the case this year. Therefore: no rose cavaliers.

Whether with or without laudations: The vast majority of international prizes are not even collected on site. When will the Swiss Music Awards be so relevant that all the winners receive their trophy live on the show?
Ha. Let yourself be surprised.

Lots of stars and a family afternoon
The Swiss Music Awards will be presented for the 15th time, with new talents and successful musicians being honoured in twelve categories. This year, the show will take in the Bossard Arena in Zug place for the first time. The prizes were previously awarded in Zurich and Lucerne. A number of established stars will perform at the award ceremony. Among others, there is live music by George Ezra, Kings Elliot, Naomi Lareine, Loco Escrito and Stress and Xen and EAZ. The show will be moderated by Marco Fritsche and Madeleine Sigrist.

There will also be a live audience, and tickets are still available. A family afternoon will also take place in front of the Bossard Arena. Among other things, there will be a performance by Luca Hänni. The show will be broadcast live on 3+ from 8.15 pm. More information is available at: www.swissmusicawards.ch,