The Zurich-born Faber can justifiably call himself an exceptional singer and songwriter in a class of his own. His lyrics not only pick up his audience at the pulse of time, but polarize at the same time. Thus, he is also considered among music critics as one of the most exciting singer-songwriters in the German-speaking world. In the meantime, the concert stage has become his second living room and fans of profound pop are clamoring for Faber tickets.
Faber saw the light of day on April 18, 1993 in Zurich as Julian Pollina. His musical talent lays him especially his father - the Italian-born musician Giuseppe "Pippo" Pollina - in the cradle. Faber's mother is the TV journalist Christina Pollina-Roos, who is well-known beyond Switzerland. His sister Madlaina is part of the Zurich pop and folk duo Steiner & Madlaina.
Song lyrics with discussion potential
Faber's songs are often described with the attribute "ambivalent." This is exactly what the Swiss artist aims at: his often ironic and provocative lyrics are intended to stimulate discussion as well as to denounce social and political grievances. Sometimes he plays the chauvinist, the hedonist, the egomaniac, sometimes he sings about despair over love and sometimes he makes clear his contempt for representatives of right-wing sentiments.
Stirring lyrics and a sound between folk, rock, indie, chanson and brass band: this is not exactly the classic recipe for chart toppers, but Faber is and remains a welcome guest in the German-language hit lists.
His debut record "Sei ein Faber im Wind" held at No. 3 in the Swiss charts for a whole 19 weeks and also occupied a respectable position within the top 20 in the German rankings for weeks. The Swiss dialect album "Ich liebe Dich," which he will release at the end of 2020 together with Dino Brandão and Sophie Hunger, even makes it to second place in Switzerland.
Statement performances without a lot of frills
Faber's honest nature is reflected in his song lyrics. The same goes for his performances on stage. Always with a penchant for irony, the singer-songwriter from Zurich tries to establish a deep thought connection with his audience. To do this, he needs neither an elaborate backdrop, nor dazzling costumes or sensational show effects. Only his band, his guitar and, at best, a cigarette in the corner of his mouth are needed to take his audience on a journey.
In addition to Goran Koč - alias Silvan Koch - the members of the Goran Koč y Vocalist Orkestar Band, which also accompanies Faber on tour, include Tillmann Ostendarp, Max Kämmerling and Janos Mijnssen. With instruments such as trombone, piano, organ, cello, saxophone, darbuka and bouzouki, Faber's style is special not only in terms of his song lyrics, but also from a musical perspective. Faber's concerts are intense, varied and offer food for thought.
