In contrast to the Grammys, where only 23% of the awards went to women this year, the Weekly5 stage today is almost entirely theirs. Not that the significance is even remotely the same.
Nevertheless, today’s selection shows that the discussion about equality should have ended long ago. Because even now, in February, I’m already predicting that Echo by Malummí will be right at the top of my best of list. Its intensity, vulnerability and power are truly extraordinary.
But the other tracks are also keeping pace, demonstrating sensitivity, balance and sophistication.
Malummí – Echo
Last year, I was praising Malummí’s gripping storytelling in Silent Baby. It was already clear back then that the album Damaged By Their Silence, announced for 13 March, would be something very special. However, with Echo, the Basel trio led by Larissa Rapold catapults itself into such new spheres that it is difficult to put into words. With excellent rawness and unstoppable force, the sound gains intensity. And then there are the lyrics, which paint a picture of helplessness and longing for connection. It’s poetry without rhymes, but with a Dylan-esque universality and charisma.
KEZA – S2S
Fuelled by TikTok virality and her participation in the talent factory La Gustav, Zurich-based KEZA, who studies mathematics during the day, is positioning herself as a promising rough diamond. Her single S2S starts off as a powerful, soulful pop ballad before veering into a loud, grunge-inspired chorus. The production is unpolished and authentic, reinforcing the contrast between the passionate vocals and the gloriously raucous sound.