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Janine Cathrein of Black Sea Dahu on Grief and Music

artist · 2026-06-02

Janine Cathrein, lead singer of the Swiss band Black Sea Dahu, opens up about the death of her father and how it reshaped her relationship with music. In a recent interview, she recounts receiving the news via a phone call from her mother, who said, 'Der Papi ist gestorben.' Cathrein wrote down the sentence and sat at the piano. Once a musician who saw only beauty in the world through music, she found herself unable to bear songs after her loss. The portrait explores her journey from being hailed as a potential Swiss pop princess to embracing a more authentic, less universally appealing path. She now expresses relief at not having to please everyone.

Key facts

  • Janine Cathrein is the singer of Black Sea Dahu.
  • Her mother told her 'Der Papi ist gestorben' over the phone.
  • She wrote the sentence down and sat at the piano.
  • Music once showed her the beauty of the world.
  • After her father's death, she could no longer bear songs.
  • She was once seen as a potential Swiss pop princess.
  • She is now glad not to have to please everyone.
  • The interview was published by NZZ.

Entities

Artists

  • Janine Cathrein

Institutions

  • Black Sea Dahu
  • NZZ

Locations

  • Switzerland

Sources