Crimer belongs on stage. There, the synth-pop musician from the Rhine Valley dances, sings, and works up a sweat for two. On April 3, 2027, he’ll be performing at the Chollerhalle in Zug.
Once, his pants ripped right in the middle of a concert. “I was about to pull off a really cool dance move,” Crimer told *20 Minuten*. His keyboardist pointed it out to him. Crimer kept playing. Luckily, he was wearing underwear.
The anecdote fits him perfectly. Anyone who sees Crimer live doesn’t see a singer standing behind a microphone stand. He dances, strikes poses, and seeks connection with the audience. His trademark is his center part.
Behind Crimer is Alexander Frei. He grew up in Balgach in the St. Gallen Rhine Valley and sang in the church choir as a child. Later, he studied business administration and communication studies. He released his first songs under the name “Batman.” After objections from DC Comics, he changed his name.
His breakthrough came quickly. In 2017, he released the single “Brotherlove.” A year later, Crimer won the “SRF 3 Best Talent” award at the Swiss Music Awards. His first album, “Leave Me Baby,” reached number 2 on the Swiss charts in 2018. That same year, he provided the title track, “First Dance,” for the movie “Wolkenbruch’s Whimsical Journey into the Arms of a Schickse.”
Crimer’s music draws inspiration from 1980s synth-pop and new wave. He also cites the Backstreet Boys, disco, and his emo phase as influences. Successful Swiss pop isn’t superficial, he told the Eastern Swiss cultural magazine “Saiten.” You can move the masses by challenging them.
In 2021, his second album, “Fake Nails,” was released. After that, things quieted down. Frei became the father of a daughter and parted ways with his management. It took two years for his daily life as a musician to settle back into a routine. “My daughter has made me a better musician,” he told “20 Minuten.”
At the end of 2025, he made a comeback with the EP “The Birthday Celebration.” He released it on his 36th birthday. As a child, he says, he was never allowed to have a birthday party. Songs like “Spiderweb,” “Love Kills,” and “Sportscar” have been part of his live set ever since. Crimer cites Lily Allen and Charli XCX as his role models. Both wrap serious lyrics in danceable melodies. He has announced a third album.