Sway sings in the car, too. Loud.
Marc Sway is a born entertainer. He likes to clown around, always has a witty saying at the ready and spreads nothing but happiness. No wonder he has been one of Switzerland’s most successful entertainers for years. His concerts sell out and he is a welcome guest everywhere he goes. But Sway, whose real name is Stefan Marc Bachofen, was born in 1976, the son of a Brazilian mother and Swiss father, is much more than that. He is a highly attentive and therefore very exciting conversation partner, funny, charming, every sentence he utters is ready for publication. Above all, however, he is a loving, life-wise person, and every meeting with him enriches the person he is with. We recently sat down for lunch in Zurich. It was supposed to be about his experiences with the Volvo EX30, but we chatted for three hours about everything else. In the end, we did talk about music.
radical: Do you sing in the car?
Marc Sway: Sure. Sometimes very loudly. I’m also accused of lack of restraint.
radical: Your own songs?
Sway: Sometimes, yes, especially before a concert. And when I have to memorise new lyrics.
radical: How important is a good hi-fi system in the car?
Sway: Absolutely fundamental. Look – the car is like a very private space, maybe even more so than the living room at home. And you can achieve the perfect sound experience in the car, so to speak, this isosceles triangle. There are even special simulation programmes for mixing an album that are designed for the conditions in a car. This is important because many people consciously listen to music in the car.
radical: Do you consciously listen to new albums in the car?
Sway: Counter question: When did you last listen to a whole album? But yes, I also consciously take music with me into the car. But mostly on Spotify. Life would be unthinkable without Spotify. I also often listen to podcasts, for which the car is perfect. But sometimes I also let my thoughts wander, and longer car journeys are also ideal for that.
Sway then talks about how much he loves driving. It’s like ‘doing nothing’, the processes are automated, he feels unobserved, he loves this feeling of freedom. And then he also talks about the many good conversations he has had in the car, especially on longer journeys, you are close, but don’t have to look at each other: ‘A certain intimacy arises’.
radical: Are you happy with the hi-fi system in your Volvo EX30?
Sway: Harman/Kardon, yes, of course, it’s excellent. They now also have a lot of experience with Volvo. It’s not that easy, there’s always background noise in the car, the wheels, the wind. But they’ve got it down to a fine art.
radical: Some manufacturers even offer a karaoke function in the infotainment system. Do you need that?
Sway: Absolutely! I want that too. It’s great when the whole family sings together in the car. That’s when the dopamine really kicks in for me, true happiness, like a plate of pasta.
radical: How important is infotainment for you in the car?
Sway: Extremely. Of course I need the sat nav – and I think it’s great how well it works now. And how fast. And how good the display is. It’s also great how well voice commands are now supported, I use them a lot.
Here is Marc’s current car playlist. You can create your own on Spotify, for example.
Camila Cabelo – Bam Bam
Libianca – People
Surfaces – Sunday Best
Gilsons – Varias Queixas
Jarabe de Paolo – Bonito
Bon Iver – AUATC
Maria Gadu – Shimbalaiê
Vanessa da Mata – Boa Sorte
Beatenberg – Ithaca
Flora Cash – You’re Somebody else
This is a story from the Volvo supplement in our print edition radical #2. The table of contents can be found here.
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