Ahead of the release of his latest single, we caught up with Marius Bear on his story so far.
Hello! How are you? How are things going?
Hey! Yes I’m good thank you, though admittedly quite tired after the weekend. We had a few shows which were great but exhausting!
How did growing up in Switzerland help form who you are as an artist?
Hmm that’s a difficult question. I think it definitely helped to shape me into the person I am today. I grew up on the countryside up in the Swiss mountains, and think you can definitely hear that in the music I create. It’s very scenic and cinematic so they are definitely influences – I love it when you can hear and feel every breath in a song, almost in the same way you would walking up one of the mountains I grew up around. It’s allowed me to create pop music, but hopefully with a real cinematic, raw edge.
It’s funny, music never really grabbed me until I was 20.
How did you like living in Brighton?
I came to Brighton for the first time two years ago, and I lived there for about three months. It’s a beautiful place, with the beach and the cliffs, and I’d have loved to have stayed there longer. Unfortunately there were no places to stay at BIMM Brighton, so I had to move to London to carry out my course.
What are your first memories of music? When did it become an important part of your life?
It’s funny, music never really grabbed me until I was 20. I always had guitar lessons and played in school bands but it was never really a focus. I never sang then either – the singers were always the cool kids, and I never really felt part of that, so never said anything.
Singing only came about when I was in the Swiss army. I was in service for two years, and in the middle of my studies to be an officer, one of my soldiers joked that I would have a great voice for singing after hearing me every morning at roll-call. So I just tried it, and here we are!
Some greats have come out of the army, what do you think being controlled and disciplined has given you as an artist? Do you bring it into to the creative process?
Yes, the army taught me self-discipline. It taught me how much sleep I need, so I’m refreshed enough to work and deliver my best, and it taught me about confidence which overall was a great life lesson for me. I love nature and we spend a lot of time in the mountains and in the woods. It made me tougher and much more industrious. And, from a creative point of view, it helped me know myself better.
I met a solider who was also a musician, and we started to jam and play songs in the evening and in our free time. It just captivated me.
But an important thing to say is that we’re talking about the Swiss Army here. Of course we learned how to shoot with a weapon and battle tactics and things; it’s a compulsory system where every man has to go into the army or another charitable organisation like community service for at least a year. But the main purpose of Swiss Army is to help people during natural disasters such as avalanches, floods and public safety, as well as defending the country.
What made you want to make such a big career change?
I met a solider who was also a musician, and we started to jam and play songs in the evening and in our free time. It just captivated me. At the weekends we didn’t go on leave and return home, we went busking out on the streets and then returned to barracks every Sunday evening.
After half a year I had had enough, and I knew I wanted to make music properly. I dropped out of the officer training school and I dedicated myself 100% to busking. I was busking for about eight months or so before I got signed.
Finally, what’s the plan for the rest of the year?
We’re finishing our summer tour which has been so much fun so far, and then next it’s releasing the new single ‘Come What May’ in August, as well as a music video. Then it’s back to start rehearsals for the autumn tour which I’m really looking forward to – and of course in between that I’m back and forth to London writing new songs, which I’m hoping to release next year.
Marius’s new track, ‘Come What May’ is now available – listen on Spotify or Apple.