Nicole Bernegger and her Soul Family (Photo: Flavia Schaub)
Nicole Bernegger, from Basel, is one of Switzerland’s greatest soul singers. She’ll be back on tour with her Soul Family starting in August.
Nicole Bernegger is one of those voices you don’t just hear—you believe every word she sings. Anyone who hears her sing immediately senses that she truly means what she says.
The Basel native first came to the attention of a wide audience in 2013, when she won the first season of “The Voice of Switzerland.” From there, she steadily made her way through the Swiss music scene. This was followed by gold-certified albums, performances at the Baloise Session and Stars of Sounds, as well as a tour of Germany as the opening act for Simply Red.
In 2019, Bernegger founded her own label, Alien Pearl Records. Since then, she has been working more independently. The solo artist has evolved into a band. Today, the name Nicole Bernegger stands for an eight-piece “Soul Family.” The lineup includes Marco Nenniger on bass, Florian Haas Schneider on drums, Stefan Strittmatter on guitar, and Yves de Groot on Wurlitzer and Hammond. Nza Smith and Steffi Klär provide backing vocals.
The current album is titled “Alchemy.” It is the third release on her own label. The sound ranges from Americana to indie soul, capturing the spirit of the 1960s and 1970s. At times the band grooves; at others, the music becomes expansive and dreamy. “You’re an alchemist turning grey days into gold,” goes the lyric in the title track. This line sums up the album’s essence quite accurately.
Live, this music unfolds its full power. You’re listening to a band that plays for one another. The songs sound warm and earthy without losing their connection to the present. That’s exactly what makes them so appealing. Bernegger doesn’t need grand gestures. Her voice is enough.
She’ll also be performing several times in German-speaking Switzerland in 2027. On January 22, the Soul Family will play at the Mühle Hunziken in Rubigen. This will be followed on March 20 by an evening at the Grandhotel Giessbach on Lake Brienz. On April 13, the band will perform at the Kaufleuten in Zurich.