Hemlock Smith

Hemlock Smith is the project of Lausanne singer, writer, and composer Michael Frei. Since 2002, he has led a flexible collective that has lit up stages from Paléo Festival Nyon to Label Suisse and Metropop, as well as most major venues across French-speaking Switzerland. Year after year, the project has earned national and international praise for its delicate, idiosyncratic songwriting—literate pop shaded by folk, chamber textures, and a touch of noir. Beyond the stage, Hemlock Smith has created two scores for silent-film adaptations and pursued wide-ranging collaborations with artists including Ripperton, Barbouze de chez Fior, Les Poissons Autistes, The Worst, and Oscar Louise. Most recently, Frei released an intimate song collection with pianist (and band member) Emilie Roulet—The Beauty of Lost Causes (2022)—which met with strong public and critical acclaim. Hemlock Smith continues to evolve as a collaborative, story-driven vehicle for Frei’s unmistakable voice and craft.

Lausanne, Switzerland