Patrice: “I think it’s important to create a moment that is special in some way”

Patrice has been making music since her early childhood and has been one of the most popular and successful reggae acts in Germany for almost 25 years. But the Cologne with Sierra Leone roots prefers not to define his genre at all – or simply call it Sweggae.

The 44-year-old constantly crosses boundaries musically. His recently released album ‘9’, which was recorded in Senegal after his seven-year retreat in Jamaica, is no different: there is a wide variety of sounds and styles. Besides those kinds of messages, we have every reason to celebrate life because most things are already good, his songs have a lot of depth, both philosophical and political.

Welcome back! It’s been ten years since your last performance in Switzerland. How does it feel for you to be here again?
Patricia: Nice, I’m happy! First of all: you immediately notice that the catering is better as soon as you cross the border (laughs). The food here is really good, just like the air. So Bern certainly has an atmosphere. It’s amazing with the river, the valley, the mountains so close and how everything is built. And here in Zurich there are many Caribbean and African restaurants, I noticed. Everything is multicultural, I immediately feel at home! And don’t forget: the Bierhübeli and the Plaza Klub are both great, historic halls. That’s why it was very nice to play here and especially to reconnect with the Swiss.

On Friday, do you remember what the Monday concert was like, or does everything just blur together?
Yeah, that’s a bit blurry. But that’s also my fault, because I don’t remember things very well. People who have been to my place are always completely surprised and say: What, you don’t remember that, do you? Do you remember when this and that happened? And I really have no idea.

Not surprising given the many new impressions…
Even. Because I started making music so early and traveling around so much, I think I really have to be in the here and now to process it all. Otherwise that’s too much. This is an exaggeration. You can’t capture everything.

Are you able to break the routine of touring somehow?
Yes, because every city is a little different and we don’t tour with the Nightliner, but with two electric cars, it is less routine because we arrive at the places much more consciously and also drive through the places more consciously. We see if there is anything we would like to see and with the electric cars we are of course much more flexible than with such a huge tour bus. That’s one thing and the other thing is, I keep making music, so I always set up some kind of studio backstage and try out some new things. So every day is a little different.

You already said it briefly: you and your band and crew tour sustainably. How does it work, where is there still potential and how do you house all the band material?
There are four people per car and one of us has a trailer with all the equipment in it. Sometimes part of the crew also travels by train. So everything can still be expanded, we are just waiting for the technology at the moment. There are already larger electric buses, but they have no range. If they ever exist, we can make everything bigger. But hey, that’s fine for now.

Does this mean that you have now timed the tour through France, Switzerland, Austria and Germany well with the reach?
Yes, the requirement was simply that the locations could not be more than 400 kilometers apart. Preferably something around 300 kilometers so that we don’t have to travel so far to the next city. That is perfect. This will be difficult for the festivals because you have to drive back and forth so much and also have to cover much longer distances. That doesn’t work with electric cars. So not yet!

In addition to the sustainability aspect, you attach great importance to the proximity of the public. You let your fans run the merchandise booth, perform free sunrise concerts in the summer, and also perform in the middle of the crowd. Why is this important to you, what drives you?
I think music was originally meant to be something communal. It started with everyone making a rhythm or singing a song together. This idol status did not yet exist at the time: a highly stylized person on stage who was magnified with lights and all the trimmings. But that is exactly what has increasingly developed: the audience sits downstairs and watches a person or a band on stage. I try to break this distance and return to this natural essence.

So back to the commonality that connects us all?
Precisely. There are certain rhythms that move us from within and that go to our base and our deepest roots: where we come from, as beings. The moment I come off the stage at the concert and lie on the floor, we can all meet at eye level. Only then will we come closer to this origin that we all have within us. And I think it’s important to create a moment that is special in some way and that you remember. Even if you can’t remember things very well, as in my case, you will at least remember them emotionally. That you can say: the concert has given me something, it has resonated in my life, it has built me ​​up, has positively influenced me or given me strength. I think it’s easier if you distance yourself and create closeness.

How does it feel for you to perform “One Love” live?
It’s special and special because Bob Marley was always the greatest musician for me. I set “One Love” to new music as part of the film biography as a tribute to him. That’s why I’m currently performing this on tour, because the message of unity is so important right now. I think it’s a perfect song to end a concert like this, especially in our time. It summarizes everything you want to say and give to the world.

Your biggest realization last year was that war has absolutely no point and that love triumphs over all. Your greatest wish is world peace. Why do you hope that everything will turn out well in our world?
In that sense I’m not hopeful, I just want to see it and that’s what I’m working towards. Yet I am not dissatisfied, no matter how bad things still are in the world. I’m just grateful to be here and don’t take it for granted. At the same time, I am aware that many people are not doing as well as I am. But I believe that we and this enormous miracle would not exist here if we were to perish so miserably now. Then it would make no sense that we humans ever existed. Something almost has to happen to move us in the right direction.

Still sounds hopeful.
Yes, I mean, we all have to pull together and tackle the real problems in the world together. There is no detour. On the other hand, and from my own experience, sometimes things have to get really stupid before they can get good. Often things just go a bit wrong and then you don’t do enough because you think: Oh, it will be fine. But at some point it gets so bad that everyone has to finally move and do the right thing. And that’s already happening a bit. But ultimately I also welcome the bad, that is, when things don’t go well. The question is always what you do and learn from it. But for today the most important thing is to enjoy this day here.

For your new album “9” you were inspired by many different styles, etc. How do you find a good balance between outside inspiration and enough space in your head and mind to hear yourself?
If I love something, it influences me – that’s just how it is. The thing is, even if I were to imitate something, it still sounds so much like me that this balance already comes about automatically. Moreover, if I imitate something that I do not understand on a spiritual level, then it is not good at all and will never come out anyway. I really just have to find what works for me and then I’ll be on the right track. For example, I hear things that I think are cool and immediately think: But I would do it like this and like this and of course I bring in my own element or an aspect of myself.

Your album ends with the song “Stamina”. Does the album closer refer to your long creative process, which required a lot of perseverance? Or is it perhaps a little hint to your fans that they too need perseverance until something new comes from you?
(Laughs) Both. No, nice, the new album is coming relatively soon. But not just because I still have so many songs left that were made in recent years. Mainly because I think to myself: I was away for a while and now I’m back and now I’m going to stay there for a while.

Do you have any festival plans for this summer? Are you coming to Switzerland?
I don’t even know exactly. I’ve already played at the OpenAir St. Gallen and Gurten Festival, which I think was also Afro-Pentecost. But it was a long time ago. So I would love to come back again! Afro-Summer Jam also sounds exciting, let’s see.