Caroline Alves: “Since Nemo’s victory, there is a new energy in Bienne”

This voice, suave at first glance, more full-bodied at times, cannot be forgotten. Born in Brazil, arrived in Switzerland at the age of 11, Caroline Alves, 27, has everything to become an essential artist in our country. She hits the mark once again with her new release, a 7-track EP called “Passionfruit” where pop meets electro. Meeting in a Lausanne café with the French-speaking Biennoise who can’t wait for us to discover her work.

Caroline Alves, at 16, you started out as a street musician in different Swiss cities. Tell us about it.

I first taught myself music at home. Then, I wanted to show in one way or another what I could do. Either I went on the Internet, but I was afraid that my friends would find me, or I went into the street, in what I imagined was an incognito mode. Every weekend I would go to a different city to play covers. From time to time, I placed a composition of my own to see how they reacted.

What were the reactions of passers-by?

Supercool. In one year, I met people who are still my friends today, people from the radio too, bars and cafes gave me their card to go and play at their place. On a human level, it was very cool. In Switzerland, we are quite open. Although I also received insults. It taught me to be less shy.

Honestly, yes. Generally, I played for an hour and won a few hundred francs. It was a very good experience.

In 2021, you were crowned “Best Talent” at the Swiss Music Awards, was that a boost for your career?

My family took me seriously. My mother said, “Oh okay, it’s not a hobby, there’s definitely potential.” This award allowed me to become more professional, I signed with Sony Music. It opened a lot of doors for me, it was an asset for getting gigs. The same year, I played at Montreux Jazz.

Two years later, you opened for Coldplay twice at the Letzigrund stadium in Zurich in front of tens of thousands of people. What feeling did you have when you found yourself in front of so many people?

I will always remember the moment when I climbed the little steps to get on stage and saw all these people. It was so big. The people were full, caring, some knew the words. There were lots of Brazilian flags, it was quite moving. When I got off stage, I had 1,000 more people following me on social media. The second night, I told my manager that I didn’t want to go back because I didn’t want it to end.

Let’s talk about your new EP, “Passionfruit”. What was the trigger for its creation?

The name of the project. It’s been in my head for four years, the blue color of the cover too. But I didn’t have a clear idea. After the release in 2023 of my latest EP, “Good Reputation”, I wanted something bigger, to meet other people outside of Switzerland.

What artists did you listen to while preparing this record?

I listened to Sevdaliza a lot, Massive Attack too, so something very trip-hop, very dark. I also wanted songs that were a little more joyful and these are inspired by 2010s pop, with beats like Dua Lipa or Bruno Mars, something very funky.

There is a featuring with the rising London-based Ajoulot, Gaspar Narby. You had worked with him before. Who is he to you?

He became a friend. As soon as we started writing together, it went very well. He gave me space, he let me try things on software. I wasn’t just a singer and songwriter, he respected me as a producer. We would love to write a whole project together.

What themes did you choose to address in “Passionfruit”?

“The Antidote”, which is very electro, represents well what has happened over the last two years. I feel like I’ve reached the end of a phase in my life. Today, I can step back and travel among my experiences, playing the role of observer. I can accept change. Which I couldn’t achieve before. For example, when I arrived in Switzerland at the age of 11, I had a lot of difficulty accepting the change of country.

You end with “Janeiro,” in Brazilian Portuguese. What does this title mean to you?

First a memory linked to Coldplay. I played it at both shows when the song was still unreleased, and lots of people told me to release it. And of course, it’s cool to have for the first time something that is really inspired by my roots, the funk of the favelas, where I was born.

One of the composers of the song “The Code” from Nemo worked with you on “Passionfruit”. What did you think of Nemo’s Eurovision victory and what do you expect from the edition in Switzerland in 2025?

The victory is incredible for Switzerland, and especially for Biel. The whole town is super proud. And I have the impression that there is a new energy, a new creative force among artists. The media are turning more towards us. Even Biel politicians are more interested in culture. There are plenty of us who have felt that way. Towards Switzerland too, there is a new impetus from Europe which did not follow our music. I can’t wait for Eurovision in Basel, I think it will shake things up quite a bit.