Danitsa versus Di-Meh, a polished duel like a can
When local hip-hop meets the planetary strategy of a beverage brand, the atmosphere remains family and the entertainment accomplished, without any overflow. To the advantage of the two Geneva artists?
Danitsa at the Geneva Arena, Saturday February 11 during the Red Bull SoundClash with his compatriot Di-Meh. In the end, it is the Geneva singer who wins over the Geneva rapper.
LAURENT GUIRAUD
It’s 8 p.m. on Saturday atGeneva Arena. The handsome kids have put on their finest down jackets, the young women have redone their delicious braids. We meet dads, moms, many “darons” who have come to support their offspring, teenagers too, but certainly less than expected – perhaps they are the youngest of the family. Some representatives of the local culture made the trip, a little press too.
The first Red Bull SoundClash ever organized in French-speaking Switzerland was the subject of a major campaign. The evening is deemed unmissable. Even more, what will follow is intriguing. Planned to accommodate 1,500 spectators, the Arena is slowly filling up.
“Red Bull has set its sights on two Geneva artists, two major figures on the French-speaking scene.”
So here comes a concept described as unprecedented by its promoter. This after Amsterdam, Paris and Bucharest. After the United States especially, where the Cornish brand without weakening local artists with strong development potential, as they say. It was Gary Clark Jr. and Paul Wall in November in Houston. Their reputation already touches old Europe. Frenna and Ronnie Flex in October in Amsterdam. Millions of plays on the platforms, a first trace of Frenna in promotional emails last July, we bet that this is only the beginning.
Finally, Red Bull has set its sights on two artists from Geneva, Danitsa et In-Meh. She sings it, soul trend, R’n’B, ragga. He raps, trap style, drill, boom bap. Two major figures of the French-speaking scene. Noticeable incursions into Paris and Brussels. Francophonie as a horizon. As the other would say, almost nothing on a world scale. Will Red Bull fix it?
Are we going to insult each other?
For once, the Arena lived up to its name. The Red Bull SoundClash, in fact, invites participants to a confrontation. A settling of scores in the arena. Circus games but TV version. The microphone as a truncheon. The battle – the term “battle” imposes itself here, hip-hop culture obliges – takes place in four rounds. Each in turn. I play my title, you cover it, I cover a famous song, you do the same, etc. At each stage, the audience shows their preference by shouting as loud as possible. The applause meter is measured in decibels. Come what may.
On the central plateau of the Arena, his usual scene, there is no one. Except the DJ to set the mood and the presenter to show the dishes. For Danitsa and Di-Meh, two small stages were set up, each his own, installed on the sides of the room, one in front of the other. So that one and the other competitor harangue each other, get heated and, let’s go then, insult each other skillfully during the game? No way.
First notes for the Geneva rapper Di-Meh, in a red jumpsuit, before flying towards the ceiling of the Arena.
LAURENT GUIRAUD
A little history. Red Bull, this is no secret, on the contrary, has been investing heavily in events since the 90s at least. Extreme sports are one of the brand’s favorite areas. Latest events to date, in addition to Formula 1: bicycle acrobatics on the roofs of Valparaíso in Chile, a car rally in Sweden, freestyle skiing in the streets of Gastein in Austria, home of the late Dietrich Mateschitz. Charismatic figure of the company, the founder died in 2022 at the age of 78.
An energizing patronage
And the music. To promote its caffeinated drink to a young clientele, the company had been interested in festive evenings since its inception in the 1980s. Since then, marketing has been refined, resulting in a hybrid action between sponsorship and patronage. Without the discretion proper to philanthropists, it is true. Thus the Red Bull Music Academy, launched in 1998, liquidated in 2019. And the Red Bull Music Festival franchise. And the Red Bull SoundClash.
Particularity of these operations: the brand takes care of its legitimacy with niche audiences. No sausages for sale. But quality. For artists, you have to get along with the brand. Which is not without raising fundamental questions with regard to so-called energy drinks, whose effects on health are regularly decried by the health services, in particular in France by theNational Food Safety Agency. Note that in 2023 Red Bull qualifies its famous “energy drink” as a “functional drink”.
“Unexpected, the entrance to a small Gnawa hole is eclipsed by the flight of rapper Di-Meh, lifted by cables.”
We wonder. Let’s move on to something else? The show then! As a backdrop, no giant head spitting flames or video screen. On the left as on the right, blue side or red side, emblematic colors of Red Bull, on each stage there is, of course, the acronym of Red Bull.
And now Di-Meh joins the game. To begin with, it will be a small Gnawa troupe, with “qraqeb” drums and castanets. Evocation of Morocco, where the rapper is from. However unexpected it was, the entry of the musicians is eclipsed by the flight of Di-Meh, lifted from the ground by cables hanging behind his back, like in the circus. The rest focuses on performance. From the rap to the energy, to the punch, all the niaque in the spittoon, the blow of the club in the bass lines. Di-Meh, always brilliant in his genre, although forced to take official breaks between each round, which somewhat breaks the rhythm…
Arena, Saturday February 11, the public on the side of Danitsa during the Red Bull SoundClash.
LAURENT GUIRAUD
Danitsa, she has polished her singing tour, with a gospel choir, a string quartet, pole dance for the visual, a troupe of dancers again – Di-Meh has only two, quite amazing by elsewhere. The living forces of hip-hop in Romandie, the female side, KTGoricChilla, lend a hand to their colleague, helped by the French Davinhor and Le Juiice again.
butter in spinach
Over the ping-pong, the assembly, which we feel rather happy at the start, ends up lukewarm. Up to 86 decibels is the maximum displayed on the screen of the applause meter. The presenter may explain – “this is not the right number, do not worry” – the atmosphere melts gently. Rather, it never takes off. “The ideal evening to meet people”, proclaims a visitor. Why not?
Isn’t the main thing elsewhere? In addition to the marketing efforts of a large Austrian company, Di-Meh and even more Danitsa had the budget available to prepare the show ahead of the said day. Paid by Red Bull. Butter in the spinach. The opportunity to organize the scene with means inaccessible in normal times. In this case, yes, Danitsa, with its choir, its dancers, its quartet and its pole dance, wins hands down.
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