"For some, I'm already making a statement when I leave the house"

This morning they come sporting matching clothes. A dark hoodie, blue jeans and trainers. However, they are far from the same. Soukey, whose real name is Soukeyna Mboup, is 22 years old. She raps in dialect about psychological problems, her experiences as a young woman and the "Tüffuskreis", the name given to her 2020 hit about breaking norms and embracing individuality. With her voice distorted by autotune, she succeeds in capturing the tone of a young generation. At the m4music festival three years ago, she took home two Demotape Clinic awards and was able to choose a coach as part of the Migros Culture Percentage Double programme.

She decided on Luc Oggier. The 36-year-old is known for his band Lo & Leduc. The dialect duo has been thrilling audiences for more than 15 years with songs such as "079", "Blaui Peperoni" and "Tribut" and is one of the best-known Swiss bands of our time.

At first glance, you seem very different. What is it that brings you together?

Soukey: As a child, I was already a hardcore fan of Lo & Leduc. We only got to know each other in person when I was given the opportunity to play as a support act on their last tour.

Luc: Soukey first came to my attention when she put out her first songs online. She has an incredible feel for capturing moods and brings something completely new to the table.

Soukey, you are a young, black, queer woman. The music industry, by contrast, is very male-dominated. To what extent does that make things more difficult for you?

Soukey: I think that people scrutinise me more and also tend to criticise me. For some people, I'm already making a statement when I leave the house.

Does this have any effect on your music?

Soukey: I've been discriminated against all my life. I fight many of these battles during my everyday life and don't put much of it into my music. However, it could be that my music is well received because many other people have similar experiences. At the same time, I don't want anyone to listen to my music just because I'm a woman, queer or a person of colour.

Luc, you've been involved in the business a little longer. What is your view on this?

Luc: I can't put myself in Soukey's shoes. However, in many ways she is certainly a much-needed antithesis in the local music landscape. The list of the most streamed Swiss music in 2024 was published recently. At the top: Stubete Gäng, Golä, Patent Ochsner and Hecht.

Everything is very Swiss and very male – diversity looks different. How does that make you feel?

Soukey: I'm not surprised by it. I know that my music doesn't reach the mainstream, and I am fine with that.

Luc: What do you mean by Swiss? Dialect music is currently going through a period of reinvention in terms of style. The innovative scene no longer matches the image of dialect music conveyed by the media, which often has a rather conservative "flavour".

Why did you decide to rap in Bernese German?

Soukey: I simply love my dialect. And it's a completely different feeling when you really understand every word in a song.

Luc: That's right! At the same time, however, it is also the reason why dialect music is so polarising: everyone who understands dialect inevitably perceives the lyrics and forms an opinion.

Your first song together was released at the start of the year. How did it come about?

Luc: What I certainly can't do is offer a ready-made recipe for success. I see coaching more as an exchange, a process in which I also learn a lot. We not only share the passion, but also the challenges that this work entails.

Lo & Leduc have already scored many hits. Luc, how do you think you can support Soukey with your experience?

Luc: What I certainly can't do is offer a ready-made recipe for success. I see coaching more as an exchange, a process in which I also learn a lot. We not only share the passion, but also the challenges that this work entails.

Soukey, you are currently enjoying a great deal of success. A somewhat heretical question: Do you still actually need Luc?

Soukey: It's not that I need his help. I just love exchanging ideas, reflecting on lyrics and being creative together. I also just love chilling out with Luc!

This year, you are returning to m4music. Three years ago, you were still a newcomer here, now you are one of the main acts. How does that make you feel?

Soukey: When the line-up came out, I had to search for my name until I eventually found it right at the top. It is a great honour for me and makes me incredibly proud.