A Chat with Andrea Schmider (11.06.25)
Andrea Schmider is a Swiss singer-songwriter who has been singing since she could walk. Returning with her latest EP, Potpofolkurri, the five-track offering is a colourful collection of emotion, reflection, and healing. We caught up with Andrea Schmider to discuss all things music below.
OSR: Potpourri is such a beautiful metaphor for a collection of songs. How did the concept for this EP come to you?
Schmider: After releasing my last EP, Movin’ On, in November 2023, I still had some unfinished songs, and I wanted to start up production right away, keep the momentum going. I knew I wanted to develop my sound and experiment a bit. I was brainstorming EP titles, and Potpourri just popped up out of nowhere. I liked and researched it and used it as a working title first. But as the songs developed in the studio, I realised it is the perfect metaphor for this collection of songs. As a potpourri unites different shapes, colours, materials and scents to something beautiful and fragrant, so does music.
OSR: You explore a range of emotions in this project, from loneliness to joy. Was there one song that was especially difficult or healing to write?
Schmider: It is really hard to choose because every song does that to a certain extent. But I would say ‘Lonely Streets’ and ‘Set the Sails’. All my songs are deeply personal and written out of life experiences. Most of them start as journal entries. Writing helps me to order my thoughts and process my emotions.
OSR: ‘Fractured Beauty’ draws from Kintsugi, the art of repairing with gold. What drew you to that symbolism, and how do you relate it to your own story?
Schmider: For a long time, I tried to cover up my cracks as if they were never here, and it was exhausting. I also watched other people do the same. Until I heard a sermon by a very wise woman in my church about embracing our scars and cracks, lighting a flame inside and letting light shine through our imperfections. It was so freeing to realise that healing doesn’t mean nothing ever happened, but scars and cracks are a means for beauty.
OSR: Your voice carries so much emotion. How do you prepare to deliver such raw, intimate performances in the studio?
Schmider: I have to revisit certain situations and create an inner movie so that I can tap into the specific emotion. This can be hard sometimes because some of the situations and emotions are not that pleasant. It often feels like purging. But it is necessary to heal and reconcile.
OSR: ‘Going in Circles’ has this playful yet poignant energy. How do you balance lightness and depth in your songwriting?
Schmider: I love to play with contrast because it creates tension. This ad’s depth makes it more interesting. And sometimes humour is the best way to cope with difficult situations.
OSR: You mention that writing helps you process life. How has that process changed over the years, especially between your earlier releases and Potpourri?
Schmider: It hasn’t changed that much, to be honest. I try to journal regularly as a way to “organise” my thoughts and emotions. Then I start playing around on either the piano or the acoustic guitar until a chord progression or a melody starts to stick. Then I try to listen what words come up. That is how the theme and foundation of the song is laid by inspiration. Then the crafting begins. Writing together with my very talented and good friend Nadine Yomi has been a game-changer for me. It helps to bounce off ideas, have an honest exchange about the song’s story. She also brings an outside view into my sometimes still muddled lyrics.
OSR: Were there any particular life events or turning points that inspired this EP?
Schmider: After having lived in my hometown area for all my life, I have moved to a different city a year ago, due to some shifts in my personal life. The last EP, Movin’ On, was mainly about the process of letting go and coming to terms with those changes. In Potpourri, I am still working through the aftermath of broken relationships and dreams. But it is also about making a home away from what feels familiar and the exciting prospects new seasons bring.
OSR: If listeners could walk away with just one feeling or message from Potpourri, what would you hope it is?
Schmider: That there is beauty to be found, even in uncertainty and hurt.
OSR: You often draw from both nature and inner landscapes in your music. How does place and environment shape your creativity?
Schmider: I consider myself a keen observer, and part of my brain is always telling a story, looking for deeper meaning. I’m guessing writing songs is my way of making sense of and giving meaning to the things I observe or go through.
OSR: When do you know a song is truly finished? Is it a feeling, a sound, or something else entirely?
Schmider: It mostly is a feeling. There is an inner sense of “that’s it”. I feel at peace.
Many thanks to Andrea Schmider for speaking with us. Find out more about Andrea Schmider on her Facebook, Instagram, and Spotify.
