Why the Independent Scene Has a Voice in Times of War

As I said: We See You has become one of the most important projects I’ve ever done. It moves me and musicians all over Switzerland  it makes us play, think, and become visible. Please check out this article:

 Why the Independent Scene Has a Voice in Times of War

The independent experimental scene is not part of the capitalist, commercial culture industry. Its goal is not to produce marketable products, but to engage in artistic and societal processes. Its economic value is low – and will likely remain so. Yet this is precisely where its strength lies: the independent scene thrives on freedom, experimentation, and the opportunity to explore new forms of expression. At the same time, this independence carries a certain vulnerability, as it relies largely on its own resources: creative energy, commitment, networks, and the willingness to take risks.

In a world where war has long become a business, where profit is made from weapons, fear, and the manipulation of attention, many artists in the independent scene uphold a different kind of value: the human one. Their work is grounded in freedom of expression, communication, empathy, and the willingness to engage with the unfamiliar.

Its foundation is trust.  Trust in one’s own creative work, in the power of encounter, and in life itself. This trust is far from naive. It arises from the awareness that times of war, crisis, and unrest deeply shake joy, creativity, and confidence. War is always a repetition of unresolved conflicts, a spiral of alienation in which compassion and understanding are lost.

Cultural activities create spaces for connection, where people can open themselves up to shared experience, resonance, and empathy. At a concert, a film screening, a sporting event, or a festival, we share experiences that connect us to our humanity on a rare, extraordinary level.

In this sense, We See You / Sound the Alarm was created and achieves exactly this effect: it brings people together, nationally and internationally, fosters solidarity in hearts, and generates support for those who urgently need help.

Creating culture is an act of peacebuilding. It keeps our sensitivity alive, strengthens solidarity, and reminds us of what makes us human: the ability to feel, to act, and to take a clear stand.
And it represents values that cannot be bought,  they must be created, lived, and experienced.