Schiffbau | Zurich, Switzerland
21 March, 2026
Written + photographed by Angelin Lehmann
m4music is a Swiss music festival held every year in Zurich. It’s a key event for Swiss pop music, giving local artists a platform to be heard, discussed, and celebrated. The festival supports emerging talents from Switzerland and also brings in international acts, creating a weekend full of discovery.
I had the chance to capture some of the artists from Saturday’s lineup – including Jamila, Cordoba78, ETO, and Paula Engels. Every one of them fit perfectly on the m4music stages and represented the energy and diversity of today’s music scene.
PHOTOS: ANGELIN LEHMANN
Swiss-Palestinian singer Jamila opened my night at the festival in the perfect way. Her indie pop songs are catchy, honest, and full of feeling. Inspired by artists like Holly Humberstone and Gracie Abrams, she brings both strength and vulnerability into her music.
Jamila is already making waves in the Swiss pop scene: her songs are on the radio, and she’s performed at iconic Swiss festivals like the Montreux Jazz Festival and Gurtenfestival. She’s definitely one to watch.
Together with Sami Galbi, they performed at the m4music award show, where the best demos in the five categories Pop, Rock, Electronic, Lyrics & Beats, and Out of Genre were presented. Sami Galbi won Album of the Year 2925. The other winners were XOXO, J.NUNN, Tam Bor, Kolja, Kay Yōko, Baby Volcano, and Elie Zoé.
After the award show, it was time for Cordoba78, and their powerful presence grabbed my attention right away. This Austrian five-member band describes their sound as “somewhere between indie and pop and cathartic megalomania – roaring blues guitar, soul piano, stadium melancholy.”
Their songs explore anger, love, feeling overwhelmed, and the fleeting moments of happiness in between. Their Spotify bio says they “play club shows as if they were stadiums,” and that perfectly captures the energy and intensity of their performance.
Heading to the open-air stage, ETO filled the cool night air with powerful Swiss rap, creating an electrifying energy across the festival grounds. ETO is a TINFA* rap crew from Bern – TINFA* is a German acronym standing for trans, intersex, non-binary, women (Frauen), and agender people, with the “*” including those who don’t identify with these terms. Through their music, they raise awareness for political issues and marginalized people, addressing topics like feminism, patriarchy, and solidarity.
Rapping with a hässig (Swiss German for “angry”) vibe, their energy was unmatched. They made sure the space was safe and empowering for everyone, fostering connection and strength within the community. I was struck by the power of their set and how everyone in the crowd just let go, dancing without hesitation.
My night at m4music ended with German pop singer Paula Engels. Her music feels intimate – she doesn’t hide her emotions, but puts her thoughts honestly into her lyrics. Combined with her voice and the sound, it makes you want to fully take in every song. It’s a perfect mix between music that makes you want to dance and music that hits you right in the heart.
I’d been listening to Paula Engels before her m4music show, so I was really looking forward to seeing her live – and she definitely didn’t disappoint. Her songs didn’t just sound good, they made your whole body feel something. And her live performance and energy was completely in sync with the music. Everything felt natural, real, and full of emotion. With talent like hers, it’s only a matter of time before her songs will touch even more hearts.
The m4music festival took me through a variety of genres, including indie, different pop styles and Swiss rap. I’ll admit I tend to live in a bit of a music bubble, sticking to familiar genres and artists, but m4music popped that bubble in the best way, and it was incredibly refreshing to hear such a wide range of styles throughout the evening. Every artist brought their own unique stage presence, and I was fascinated by the diversity they showcased.
Diversity is the perfect word to describe m4music. You discover so many artists, genres, and live performances that expand everything you thought you knew about music. The possibilities in music are endless, and this festival proved it.
Find out more about m4music: https://www.m4music.ch/
