She is making headlines as one of the favorites to win The Voice of Switzerland, a popular reality television singing competition on SRF, the primary public service broadcaster in German-speaking Switzerland. Beatrice Verzier is a talented singer and she’s half Gambian. Her mum, Caroline Briggs is from Dobson Street, Banjul and her grand mum, Mary-Ann Roberts was former president, Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara’s Confidential Secretary.
Beatrice has performed with the likes of Phil Collins, a duet with Youssou N’Dour and has shared the stage with Jermaine Jackson, Bryan Adams, Arielle Dombasles, The Suga Babes, Natalie Cole, and others.
She’s also a model and speaks eight languages. Read below What’s On-Gambia’s exclusive interview with Beatrice Verzier:
Why did you audition for The Voice of Switzerland?
Having been studying music at the Conservatoire of music since the age of 4, and played the piano for 11 years-I taught myself only 4 years ago to play the double bass, as music has always played a big role in my life.
I played and sang with famous artists (Youssou Ndour – the greatest! Phill Collins, Jermaine Jackson, Natalie Cole etc.) but although I’ve had all these magical moments and opportunities of performing with celebrities, my audience has always been somewhat limited. The Voice of Switzerland allowed me, alone, to be in the limelight and to have a bigger audience. So here I am!
How did you choose your audition song?
It was a song I have performed several times and the response from the audience has always been very positive. It’s a song I feel particularly comfortable performing as it is pretty laidback and “teasing”.
Your mum is Gambian from Dobson Street, Banjul. Tell us more about her and why she left The Gambia to settle in Europe?
My mum Caroline Briggs is from Banjul, Dobson Street, like you said and she started and completed her primary education in the Gambia. Our family, the Roberts Family are originally Aku. My mum was in the first class of the only International school at that time – Marina School in 1967. It was in Banjul near the current Ministry of Lands and Surveys Office by the seaside, and not in Bakau where it is now. She then went to St. Joseph’s School and then to Gambia High School. She was also an athlete and in 1978 she represented The Gambia at Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Canada. She left the Gambia to further her education abroad where she met my father at a young age and they have been together for over 30 years now.
Have you ever visited The Gambia?
Yes, I’ve been many times, – the latest having been Christmas and New Year 2012-2013. We always try to come for Christmas as it is a very important time for our family and provides us with an opportunity to get together as a lot of us live in different parts of the world and hardly get to see each other often. It’s also the time where you can have the most fun!!
I usually spend the holidays like a typical semester, day time visiting family or chilling at the beach, and then in the evenings I go out to party with my cousins at Aqua or Duplex, till the early morning, and I always make sure I stop off to get some afra on the way home!
You’re an Italian by nationality, but do you also consider yourself Gambian?
Of course, I love The Gambia and sometimes perform in my solo concerts wearing my Gambian outfits (wax). My Grandmother was often coming to visit us in Switzerland when I was growing up, and still does, so the Gambian influence was always there in the food she would cook us, the music we used to hear her play and the stories she used to tell us. In fact until this day benachin andyassa are at the top of my favorite food list! We have a family house in the Gambia and I can very well see myself living there in the future. Also Gambian women are known to be very ambitious and independent, and I definitely feel I have inherited that from my mother, as she did from hers.
Is your mum a part of your music career?
I cannot perform a song without having it approved by my mother. Although my father, former drummer, and my brother Gabriele, singer and drummer in his band JAK & THE WOW, both are musicians, my mother’s passion for music makes her judgment as a listener fundamental.
How was it like doing a duet with Youssou N’Dour?
It was incredible!! Since at very young age I have been listening to Youssou N’Dour. My Grandma likes ndaga music and I remember when she used to visit us in Switzerland she always used to bring his Tapes and CD’s from his annual concert in Bercy and me and my cousin Mustafa Briggs would dance with her as she played them, so I was over the moon the day it was announced I would be singing a duet with him! Youssou was very kind and invited me and my family to visit him in Senegal! And the nicest feeling was that, although I was 17 at the time, Youssou treated me as an equal artist and not as a child. He made me feel like I had my place there on stage next to him.
What types of music did you grow up listening to?
Basically everything! From Jazz to Hip Hop through Pop and 80s dance music or even Punk and Rockabilly music. My parents, my brother and I have always listened to each other’s music and so I’ve been influenced by a lot of genres, as well as when my grandma who used to visit and bring her Senegalese and Sierra Leonean music. Music is of great importance in our family! Nowadays, I still listen to many different genres amongst which Gambian music has also found its place as my cousin Bankie Grey-Johnson is heavily involved with the Gambian Music scene and has exposed me to some artists. I really like listening to Sona Jobarteh and feel in some ways close to her story. We both are female singers and musicians with a controversial instrument (very few are the women playing the instruments we are playing). My uncle Mustapha Alex DaCosta is trying to plan a duet for Sona and I next time I visit The Gambia.
How are you preparing for The Voice of Switzerland live finals?
Well I’m taking one step at a time and the live shows are still very far down the road! The journey to the Blind Auditions has been already pretty long. There were several castings and getting so far -for me- was already a huge achievement. The next step now is the battles, in which I have to sing against one of my team mates a song selected by our coach. This makes me nervous as I hope the song will suit my style. So Fingers crossed!
How can Gambians in Switzerland support you?
So far, Gambians all over the world can support me by liking my Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/beatriceverzier), following me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/BeatriceVerzier) and Instagram (http://instagram.com/beatriceverzier) and posting positive comments on the YouTube video of my Blind Audition as well as liking and commenting on the official page of the SRF (http://thevoice.srf.ch/talent/beatrice-verzier). If I then make it to the live shows (after the Battles and the Knockouts) that is when only the Gambians in Switzerland can support me as the audience can call to vote for their favorite. But as I said, it still is far away!