Nico Names in full show.
-
Nico Names
Pauline, a young Alsatian singer, won the prestigious
Immer Wieder Sonntags
program
last Sunday
, broadcast on German Channel 1.
A tele-hook where she revealed herself on a style little known in France, the schlager.
What is the schlager?
We asked the question to Alsatian singers, recognized in Germany and who lead their small careers with many concerts.
"We must not lie to each other, it is especially the old ones who listen", amuses the Alsatian singer Nico Names before quickly specifying: "There are more and more young people at concerts!
"
A catchy melody, nice lyrics and physically attractive singers… Welcome to the schlager!
The what ?
"I prefer to call it German pop," explains Robin Leon, one of its most famous representatives in Alsace.
“The rhythms are, for example, the same as with Kendji [Girac] but the tunes are inspired by songs from the 1980s in France.
Like those of Frédéric François.
Germans still love!
"
It's not just them.
In border regions, the schlager still has its followers.
"We must not lie to each other, it is especially the old ones who listen", laughs Nico Names, another singer recognized in the Bas-Rhin.
Before quickly specifying: “There are more and more young people at concerts!
They often come with a bad assumption and leave delighted.
It's normal, it sounds a lot like ballerman, the music we listen to in Mallorca.
The schlager looks like the guy playing the accordion, but it's not that at all.
We have modernized it a lot.
"
Robin Leon with Pauline.
Both won the prestigious show - Robin Leon
At 20, he is part of this new generation of artists emerging in Alsace.
Like Robin Leon (23) and Tom Mathis (31) before him.
And like the youngest, Pauline (19), who won last Sunday the prestigious program
Immer wieder Sonntags
, broadcast on the German premier channel (ARD).
Concerts everywhere
They all discovered the schlager thanks to their grandparents and are now pursuing their small careers.
They go on to concerts, in France or across the Rhine.
"If it had not been for the Covid-19, I would have done 120 this year," reveals Robin Leon, who makes a good living from music thanks to the company he created.
“I do a lot of festivals, summer parties and beer parties.
Germany?
I have already sung there everywhere!
Sometimes in front of 10,000 people.
In his region of origin, the public is often more modest but they were still 600 to come to applaud their idol at the Robin Leon Festival, at the end of August in Ettendorf, the village where he grew up and still lives.
On September 11, the young man with 11,000 Facebook fans will once again feature in a new event.
An evening organized in Monswiller by the man who is nicknamed the “Singenden Wirt” (the “singer-restaurateur”), Alain Wilt.
"We are here to make people dream"
"We launch it in a small hall, the Barbados Stadl and if it works, we will do it again every month", explains the person, 54 years old including 12 in schlager.
“It's limited to 150 people but I'm not worried.
I recently did a concert in my restaurant and in two days I already had 90 reservations.
There is an enduring audience.
People come because the atmosphere is frank, the music moves and there is no word of hate.
We are there to make people dream, to tell beautiful stories in which the public find themselves.
"
Even if it means using a slightly “weirdo” directory?
“Of course everything is rosy in our songs and it's super kitsch,” laughs Nico Names.
“But those who listen love it, the music is catchy with a lot of love.
“He has just released his third album and is already preparing for new concerts, when the epidemic has eased a little.
“The demand is huge.
"
In the meantime, he keeps in touch with his audience thanks to television.
Like Pauline and Robin Leon, his clips are broadcast on the German channel Melodie TV with which their producer is linked.
Often with water and boats in the background, other elements of this dream world of the schlager.
Did you see ?
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