Her independently released second album "Monday's Ghost" (2008) stayed at the top of the swiss charts for several weeks and caught the attention of critics abroad. The Guardian described her as "Laura Marling, Beth Orton and Björk in one folk-rocking package".
The Swiss singer spent parts of her youth abroad, living in England and Germany. Her cosmopolitan biography is reflected in her multilingual songwriting. While most songs are in English or German language, each album contains one song in a Swiss German dialect. Her third studio album 1983 (2010) also includes a cover version of Noir Désir's Le Vent Nous Portera in French language.
Hunger has always worked in a collaborative spirit, and her many musical interests have led her to a fascinating geographic and personality mix. While she had recorded her solo début "Sketches On Sea" at home in just a few days, her latest album "The Danger Of Light" evolved over three sessions abroad. In Los Angeles she was joined by Josh Klinghoffer (Red Hot Chilli Peppers, PJ Harvey), Nathaniel Walcott (Bright Eyes) and Steven Nistor (Danger Mouse); in Montréal Howard Bilerman (Arcade Fire), singer/songwriter Mark Bérubé, Brad Barr (The Barr Brothers) und David Payant (A Silver Mt. Zion) jammed along. That last session from Hotel2Tango-Studio in Montréal is included on the Deluxe Edition of her latest release.
Rapidly gaining a reputation as an electrifying live performer, Hunger has been sharing stages with some of Switzerlands’s most successful artists, like Erik Truffaz, The Young Gods, Kutti MC or Stephan Eicher and appearing at locations such as Olympia in Paris, Miles Davis Hall at the Montreux Jazz Festival or the John Peel Stage at Glastonbury Festival.
The musical directions of Sophie Hunger are limitless, from traditional folk songwriting bathed in jazzy moods to soul balladry. Her musical universe is very flourished, nourished by an exceptionally fragile yet mature voice as well as an ability to cross genres. For Sketches On Sea, she collaborated with a great number of musicians, from a trombone player to a flamenco guitarist. Sophie’s technical prowesses can lead her anywhere and allow her to do things that nobody else could get away with.
Sophie Hunger also contributed the soundtrack to the documentary "Zimmer 202" and the movie "Der Freund" by Micha Lewinsky.
Sites: SoundCloud, Vimeo and Facebook.
Invisible
Sophie Hunger Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All the papers speak to me
Telling me about the truth on pages
Fish are dying out again
Michael Jackson had a friend
I should not forget to spend my wages
That's how everybody knows what everybody knows about
Where are all the people at
Someone's paying for the fare
Why hasn't it exploded yet
Invisible
Where are all the people at
Someone's paying for the fare
Why hasn't it exploded yet
It's Invisible
Obama: Showbiz
Jesus: Showbiz
Art: Showbiz
Democracy: Showbiz
Sex: Showbiz
Iraq: Showbiz
Memories: Showbiz
Sophie Hunger: Showbiz
I don't know what it is that it is behind the curtain
There is something out there burning and is unspoken
Where are all the people at
Someone's paying for the fare
Why hasn't it exploded yet
Invisible
Where are all the people at
Someone's paying for the fare
Why hasn't it exploded yet
Invisible
Where are all the people at
Someone's paying for the fare
Why hasn't it exploded yet
Invisible
Where are all the people at
Someone's paying for the fare
Why hasn't it exploded yet
It's Invisible
Somewhere in the Hindukush
Lives the greatest poet
Scribbling signs into to the dust
We would never know it
The lyrics to "Invisible" by Sophie Hunger serve as a commentary on the state of the world today. As the song begins, the singer steps out onto the street and is bombarded by news headlines from newspapers. These headlines reveal information about the state of the world and the truth that is contained within them. The singer mentions news stories about fish dying out again and the death of Michael Jackson's friend. Additionally, the singer is reminded not to forget to spend their wages. This speaks to the focus on consumer culture and the idea that money seems to be the most important thing in our society.
The chorus of the song asks a poignant question: "Where are all the people at? Someone's paying for the fare. Why hasn't it exploded yet? It's invisible." This suggests a feeling of unease and suspicion towards the way things appear in the world. The idea that someone is paying for the fare suggests that there is something beneath the surface that is not being revealed, and the fact that it hasn't exploded yet implies that it could at any moment.
The song also references various aspects of popular culture that are often used to distract people from the "real" issues in the world. Obama, Jesus, and democracy are all mentioned, along with sex and memories, suggesting that these things are often used as forms of entertainment rather than as meaningful contributions to society. Overall, the song suggests that there is something hidden beneath the surface of the world that we are not seeing, and that it could potentially lead to an explosion of some kind.
Line by Line Meaning
When I step out on the street
Every time I go outside
All the papers speak to me
The headlines blaring from every newsstand
Telling me about the truth on pages
Informing me of the events they report
Fish are dying out again
Another story of natural disaster
Michael Jackson had a friend
A tidbit about a celebrity's social circle
I should not forget to spend my wages
A reminder to be responsible with my money
That's how everybody knows what everybody knows about
This is how collective knowledge is formed
Everybody are the bodes that we all know about
We all have access to the same information sources
Where are all the people at
Where is everyone?
Someone's paying for the fare
Who's funding this operation?
Why hasn't it exploded yet
Why hasn't there been a dramatic event?
It's Invisible
Whatever it is, it's not seen
Obama: Showbiz
Even important figures are part of the entertainment industry
Jesus: Showbiz
Even religious figures have to contend with media representation
Art: Showbiz
Art is commodified just like everything else
Democracy: Showbiz
Politics is also part of the spectacle
Sex: Showbiz
Even personal intimacy is packaged and sold
Iraq: Showbiz
Even war is made into entertainment
Memories: Showbiz
Even our personal histories are subject to cultural narratives
Sophie Hunger: Showbiz
Even Sophie Hunger herself is part of an industry in which image and performance matter
I don't know what it is that it is behind the curtain
The artist doesn't know the cause of what's happening
There is something out there burning and is unspoken
There is something happening that nobody is talking about
Somewhere in the Hindukush
In an exotic far-off location
Lives the greatest poet
An esteemed artistic figure
Scribbling signs into to the dust
Creating works with no lasting impact
We would never know it
The artist's work will never gain widespread recognition
Contributed by Keira O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.