Stress Celebrating Twenty Years on Stage
For two decades, Estonia-born rapper Stress – aka Andres Andrekson – has been one of the most successful pop stars in Switzerland. His eleven albums have spent countless weeks in the Swiss national charts (including an early album, “Renaissance”, which racked up a count of 89). And already his latest LP proves to be another hit. Released on 10 November by Universal, “MTV Unplugged” is his fifth number 1 album.
Arriving in Switzerland aged 12 as a refugee from (then still) Russian-occupied Estonia, Stress achieved early success in Switzerland as a member of the rap group Double Pact. Going solo in 2003, he swiftly established himself as a powerful voice in Switzerland’s burgeoning hip-hop scene. Never shying away from clear political messages – the track “Fuck Blocher”, presented alongside rapping colleagues Bligg and Greis, made his views about a super-conservative national party-leader pretty clear -, Stress made sure that more than just one corner of the country understood his messages by rapping in German as well as French and English.
Celebrating his 20th solo anniversary in suitable style, Stress becomes only the second Swiss artist after Patent Ochsner to receive the accolade of an “MTV Unplugged” album. Supported by an impressive orchestra and a string of guest vocalists including Ilira, Stefanie Heinzmann, Bastian Baker and Noah Veraguth, the 22-track collection offers a richly textured picture if a remarkable career that shows no sign of flagging.
