Switzerland's Got Talent
Budding Swiss stars have dazzled in talent shows in recent years, not just in Switzerland but in neighbouring France and Germany too. Whether singing a song or wielding a kitchen knife like no other, they have held their own and sometimes even won! From The Voice to MasterChef, here is a list of just some of our compatriots who have made a name for themselves.
Let's begin with a song that appeared on The Voice, a TV music talent show that almost everyone has heard of.
THE VOICE OF FRANCE
Amandine Rapin (The Voice, France 2016)
The first thing you notice about Amandine is her laugh – thunderous, forthright and loud. This bubbly and no-frills music teacher from Chavornay in the canton of Vaud is affectionately known as 'ananas' (pineapple) to her pupils in Apples and Château-d’Œx. With her smooth and husky tones, Amandine blew away both the jury and the audience all the way up to the semi-finals where she lost the battle to the ultimate winner of the show, Slimane. She bid farewell to The Voice with grace and humour, and is currently using her resourcefulness to crowdfund her first album.
Anahy (The Voice, France 2016)
Although less exuberant than Amandine, Anahy was just as strong a competitor as her stage companion – precise, delicate and, it seems, with perfect pitch!
And with this year's 2016 batch, we can look forward to hearing more from Jessanna, Jérôme Achermann (from the Jura and member of Arcadian), Lica, Emilie and Thibaud.
THE VOICE OF GERMANY
Msoke Namusoke Minha (The Voice, Germany 2013)
Msoke Naumsoke's story is a real uphill battle. The 2013 Voice participant from Zurich was born as a woman, living for 30 years in a body he felt didn't belong to him. With the help of medication and major surgeries he turned into the star that gripped the audience and jury of The Voice of Germany in 2013 – a man with a deep soul and a crystal-clear voice.
Cris Rellah (The Voice, Germany 2014)
Participant of The Voice of Germany 2014, this singer-songwriter started learning the piano at the age of seven. And this wasn't his first time on stage or in a music show. By the time he turned 22, Chris found himself among MusicStar's top 20 and in the top 16 of the Superstar talent show.
THE VOICE OF SWITZERLAND
Nicole Bernegger (The Voice, Switzerland 2013)
The 2013 Voice of Switzerland was carried away by Nicole Bernegger from Basel. She then went on to become Simply Red's supporting act during the first part of their tour, and has just completed a series of 12 concerts in Germany and Switzerland. Nicole's decidedly soulful voice is reminiscent of the extraordinary likes of Amy Winehouse. She has signed two solo albums produced in London by Andy Wright (Simply Red, Simple Minds).
Tiziana Gulino (The Voice, Switzerland 2014)
At the age of 17, Tiziana from Zurich was voted Switzerland's best voice on the Kreuzligen stage, 19 April 2014. We don't know if Tiziana's duo with Bastian Baker brought her luck!
NOUVELLE STAR
Patrick Rouiller
A different but similar talent show, this time Nouvelle Star sets Switzerland apart. Three is the magic number as they say, just as Fribourg-born Patrick Rouiller's third attempt at the show was successful. Patrick won the title of the show's final season, which may have to stop after running for 12 years.
DANSE AVEC LES STARS (STRICTLY COME DANCING, FRANCE)
Bastian Baker
At the age of 21, singer-songwriter Bastian Baker from the canton of Vaud took part in France's Strictly Come Dancing in December 2012. Danse avec les stars has been delighting its audience with fancy footwork, smouldering looks, acrobatic stunts and technical expertise for five series. Bastian was however obliged to bow out to champion vert skater Taïg Khris and his dancing partner.
DAS SUPERTALENT
Ricky Kam
The German talent show Das Supertalent, based on the Got Talent television format, welcomed one of it's youngest participants onto the stage in 2011. Barely six years old, Ricky Kam from Bern, won third place in the final with 13.23% of the votes.
Jörg Perreten
Jörg has another style but is just as full of talent. The 23-year-old Swiss punk, who has had his share of troubles in the past, turned out to be as gentle as a lamb as he ran his fingers over the piano keyboard like a real virtuoso.
And now let's swap the mike for some kitchen knives with our compatriots who stood out in MasterChef seasons 4 and 5.
MASTERCHEF
Diane Freymond
In 2013, the bubbly Diane Freymond from Duillier in the canton of Vaud became the first Swiss person to qualify in the programme's fourth season. Although she was eliminated after the first five weeks, Diane made it into the famous top ten. Riding on the wave of her success, she published a book of recipes (Les recettes de Diane) and is carving out a career in communicating her culinary passions.
Benoît and Léonard
In MasterChef season 5, which aired from June to September 2015, our taste buds were tantalised by Benoît and Léonard, a double act both in and outside of the kitchen. After having discovered the two friends' facebook page which is bursting with mouth-watering recipes, the French television TF1 casting team asked them to showcase their talents at the initial MasterChef selection round. Both qualified for the competition although they were judged separately.
Benoît wowed the jury with his show-stopping dish in the knockout round and, just like Diane, went on to delight their palates up until the semi-final.
