Bötschi asks Bettina Bestgen "What I miss most is the politeness of the Swiss"

Her tattoos triggered a shitstorm. blue Music presenter Bettina Bestgen talks about emigrating, her favorite bands and says what she doesn't like about open airs - and why she keeps going anyway.

Bettina Bestgen, I'm going to ask you as many questions as possible over the next 30 minutes. And please answer as briefly and quickly as possible. If a question doesn't suit you, you can also say "go on" once.

Good morning, it's 7 o'clock in Berlin and Switzerland is already calling. I'm delighted. Unlike the people in Berlin, the Swiss are simply always on time. It's a cliché - but it's true. I mean, we agreed to meet for an interview at 7 a.m. and my cell phone rings at 7 a.m. sharp. That's awesome.

Black or white?

Black.

Gurten or Frauenfelder Allmend?

Gurten.

The Fantastic Four or Dabu Fantastic?

Both. I grew up with the music of Fanta 4 and Dabu Fantastic are from Switzerland - so they are a little bit of home. I also recently saw the documentary "Dabu Fantastic - A Swiss musician goes all in". I find it exciting when someone lets their pants down.

Do you listen to a song on loop at home every now and then?

Quite often.

Which one at the moment?

"Sommer meines Lebens" by the Berlin rap band K.I.Z.

About the author: Bruno Bötschi

blue News

blue News editor Bruno Bötschi regularly talks to well-known personalities from Switzerland and abroad for the question-and-answer game "Bötschi fragt". He asks them lots of questions - always direct, often funny and sometimes profound. It always remains open until the very last question as to where the fast-paced ping-pong will lead.

How long does the continuous loop last?

The songs usually change every week.

Let's say you're traveling to a desert island for four weeks next Saturday and you're not allowed to take your smartphone with you. Fortunately, there's a CD player in your beach house: which three albums would you pack - and why?

On a desert island, I would take a "Best of" compilation by Tina Turner and the new "K.I.Z." album "Görlitzer Park".

And thirdly ...

... it would have to be music that helps you survive on a desert island - for example the soundtrack from the movie "Rocky".

Why does music touch people so much?

Music awakens emotions and can evoke memories. Music can inspire, make you happy, calm you down and relax you.

Does music sometimes bore you?

Music doesn't, but sounds do.

This year you are reporting on the 2024 festival summer for blue Music for the first time - the open airs in Frauenfeld, Gampel and on the Gurten. Why are you doing this?

Open airs are great. There's so much bad stuff happening in the world, so I appreciate festivals all the more because they're still small, safe islands.

You are 1.57 meters tall and therefore - at least according to your own statement - have no chance of being seen on stage at an open air or being able to order a beer at the bar. I'm quoting from one of your texts: "But at a festival, it just sucks to be so small."

And yet: I've never had a bad day at an open air festival.

What makes open airs incomparably beautiful?

Counter question: What could be better than listening to a band whose songs you can sing along to with your friends on a warm summer evening?

As a presenter at blue Music, do you hope to be able to hang out backstage with stars and starlets more often?

Not at all.

Austrian rapper Yung Hurn paid you a special compliment during an interview at Open Air Frauenfeld in 2017: "I like the way you stink." Did that bother you?

(Laughs out loud) Jesus Christ, if you watch the whole interview and understand the context, you'd have other questions.

Which ones?

For example, what was going on with Yung Hurn when I interviewed him? I think the rapper is underrated by a lot of people. His behavior during interviews is probably just a scam. I am convinced that there is much more to this person.

Dabu Fantastic wrestle over new albumHas Dabu Bucher just made the mistake of his life?

Which musician enchanted you during the interview?

A few years ago, I was able to interview Samuel T. Herring, singer of the synth-pop band Future Islands, at the St. Gallen Open Air. Shortly before he arrived, I was told that Herring was tired and ugly and that I should arrange a short interview. As soon as the musician sat opposite me, we just laughed.

Did Samuel T. Herring ever say anything clever?

It turned out to be a great interview. Herring was open to my questions and gave some profound answers.

It almost sounds as if the problem wasn't the musicians, but the management. Is that right?

Managements just do their job. They want to protect the musicians and eventually become lion moms. But as soon as the artist sits in front of you, you realize: The lion cub is totally cute and tame.

How much experience have you had with classic push-button personalities, i.e. musicians whose smiles only ever turn on when the camera is rolling?

That happens from time to time, but it doesn't bother me. I meet a musician for an interview and don't plan for us to become friends afterwards. I'm happy when an artist performs during an interview. If you can laugh together afterwards, that's nice, but this industry is not a concert of wishes.

Are there any other backstage episodes from open airs that you can recount?

As I said, that's not where I hang out at open airs. When I work as a presenter at a festival, I'm usually in a container and do interviews with musicians or I'm on the site and make nonsense with visitors for funny videos. (laughs).

And when you're not working at an open air festival?

You'll find me in front of the stage during the concerts.

Are the days of sex, drugs and rock'n'roll backstage finally over?

I might be able to tell you more about that after this year's festival summer (laughs).

How many interviews with musicians have you cut short so far?

Not one.

How many of your counterparts didn't want to finish the conversation with you - for whatever reason?

None of them. My aim is to conduct interviews as equitably as possible and not to push anyone into a corner. At open airs, however, it happens again and again that interviews are postponed at short notice or I only have ten minutes to prepare for a conversation with a singer.

What do you do in this case?

The first time that happened, I thought: "Fuck!" Today, situations like that hardly make me nervous anymore. Because I always have a few general questions about the festival prepared for such cases. And then I google the musician briefly so that I can ask them three or four specific questions. Interviews at open air festivals rarely last more than ten minutes.

How often have your questions moved the other person to tears?

(Laughs out loud) I've never managed that, but that's okay.

Which artist last had a laughing fit because of you?

I do it all the time - like during the interview with Dan Aykroyd. At one point, the actor said I made him feel like his niece. That was sweet.

The summer of 2024 has been very rainy in Switzerland so far. As an experienced open-air performer, that doesn't put you off. I still remember your rain report from the wet Open Air St. Gallen 2017.

(Laughs uproariously)

Have you experienced any wetter situations?

This answer probably sounds like 0815, but I like huddle weather. I've also hiked in Iceland in the rain and snow and loved it.

If the weather conditions in Switzerland remain wet over the next few weeks: Apart from a rain poncho and wellies, what should a person definitely pack if he or she is going to an open air festival?

The most important thing is to pack all your clothes in plastic bags. For me, there's nothing worse than getting up in the morning and having to get into half-damp, smelly clothes.

What else should not be missing from your open-air luggage under any circumstances?

A tube of sunscreen, a hat and enough money - and if it's really going to rain, plenty of warm clothes.

Do you occasionally ask yourself the question of meaning?

Of course - but that would go beyond the scope of this interview. If you want to discuss it with me, let's get a bottle of wine and then we can start philosophizing.

When was the last time you were intimidated by the big, wide world?

I am from time to time - and I don't think that's a bad thing.

Is coexistence between men and women getting worse or better?

Oh God! I always go to great lengths to appreciate even small improvements. At the same time, I'm often frustrated that equal rights are still progressing so slowly.

What makes a person attractive?

Honesty and loyalty.

What is beauty?

I like it when I can see a sense of adventure in the other person's eyes.

Which part of your body is still strange to you today?

None, thank God.

How many tattoos do you have now?

Between absolutely no idea and one.

Which is the last tattoo you got and what is its meaning?

I have no idea which one is the latest.

Why do you get tattoos?

Many people always expect a profound answer to this question. But I simply don't have one. I get tattoos because I like them. That's all there is to it.

What hurt more: getting all your tattoos or the shitstorm about your tattoos in 2017 after your interview on the TV show "Glanz&Gloria " with Federal Councillor Alain Berset?

These feelings are completely different - and therefore not comparable.

Columnist René Hildebrand wrote on persönlich.com after your interview with Berset: "Sorry, but you don't let a Federal Councillor get close to a presenter with such an overload of 'paint'." What did this criticism do to you?

I was delighted that Nik Hartmann, who was my godfather at SRF at the time, and Mona Vetsch wrote to me on the same day and stood by me. They said that the situation was probably difficult for me to cope with. Nevertheless, I should keep calm and not say anything about it. In hindsight, I'm grateful to Mona and Nik, because of course I initially felt the urge to say something.

Later on, you did comment on Facebook.

But I only did so after Federal Councillor Berset followed me on Twitter as a sign of solidarity.

What music do you listen to when you're annoyed?

In situations like this, I like to listen to music that hits the spot. Preferably from bands that you think are going to blow your head off - so preferably blasting techno or ugly hip-hop.

What music do you listen to when you're sick in bed?

Then I prefer to watch a Netflix series or a documentary.

The best music for lovesickness?

In the beginning, I would probably listen to music that makes me feel even more depressed - but is also very beautiful, such as the song "1ste Liebe" by Max Herre feat. Joy Denalane or the live version of "In Case I Fall for you" by Black Sea Dahu or then "Running" by NF. I got tears in my eyes right away.

And later?

Music that really kicks in, like all of Monolink's tracks. Or then "Chop Suey!" by System Of A Down. Or simply good mood music like "Left Hand Free" by alt-J. Or music from Switzerland, such as "2x broke" by Hotel Samar.

The best music for homesickness?

Ohh, then I wouldn't listen to music, I'd call Switzerland.

You've lived in Berlin for seven years. What drove you far away?

A job offer. I was in Berlin for a few weeks at the time and had no intention of staying there any longer and leaving Switzerland, my apartment and my environment. After the offer, however, I did some soul-searching and at some point asked myself: why not?

How often have you regretted moving to Berlin?

Not for a second.

What do you miss most about Berlin?

Oh God! What I miss most is the politeness of the Swiss, the beautiful nature and the fact that certain things just work without much fuss.

What's cooler in Berlin?

Generally speaking, I have the feeling that Berlin makes people more creative. For me, this city feels like Disneyland every day. At the same time, a lot of things don't work in the city. There is also a rough tone that is not nice. And you have to make a lot of effort to ensure that the city doesn't swallow you up.

What helps against being swallowed up?

Swiss discipline (laughs).

Do you already know what you're going to do on August 1?

I think I'm going to visit the "Schwarzer Heidi" in Berlin. It's a Swiss restaurant where you can eat wonderful rösti, among other things.

Would you like to give a speech on Switzerland's national holiday?

There are other people who are better at that and have more to say than me.

If the mayor of Lengnau AG, where you grew up, were to ask you if you would give the 1st August speech, ...

... then I would reply that I hadn't been there for a while and that I hadn't lived in Switzerland for the last seven years, so it would probably be better if I gave a speech in Berlin.

But if they couldn't find anyone other than you in Lengnau, ...

... then I would do it.

What would you tell the Swiss in your 1 August speech this year?

Hang in there, the summer of 2025 will certainly be better again (laughs).

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