I’ve noticed that when meeting a foreign person, mentioning that you like a beloved artist from their country is one of the best way to create a good vibe.
Which revered artist/group (not necessarily musician) from your place should I learn about?
A few examples I’m thinking about (correct me if I’m wrong):
| Country | Artist |
|---|---|
| Argentina | Carlos Gardel |
| Australia | Powderfinger |
| Austria | Mozart, Falco, Thomas Bernhard |
| Beligum | Jacques Brel, Stromae |
| Brazil | Raul Seixas, Zé Ramalho |
| Cabo Verde | Cesária Évora |
| Canada | Leonard Cohen, Céline Dion, Gordon Lightfoot |
| Egypt | Umm Kulthum |
| France | Daft Punk |
| Germany | Kraftwerk, Die Ärzte, Franz Kafka |
| Iceland | Björk |
| Italy | Elio e le Storie Tese |
| Malawai | Evison Matafale |
| Mali | Salif Keita |
| Scotland | The Proclaimers, Sean Connery |
| Sweden | Astrid Lindgren |
| USA | Dolly Parton |
Edit: Spent my Saturday morning vibing, adding the “consensual” suggestions to the table.
Sticking to popular, mainstream rock and pop options I’d say Bernard Fanning/Powderfinger is a good representation of Australian rock that doesn’t really polarise as much as the more cultural cringe options like Darryl Braithwaite, John Farnham or Jimmy Barnes. There’s also Kylie Minogue who might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but is unlikely to be actively disliked by most.
Midnight oil, INXS would be good picks too.