After a day spent skiing the crisp, sunny slopes of Saanerslochgrat, my legs were shaky as I settled in for a big plate of bolognese. That’s when Mike von Grünigen—the four-time Olympian and Gstaad local who had guided my mom and me on the mountain—asked about our plans.
While most visitors come to Gstaad for skiing or shopping, I was there for something different. “I’m going yodeling,” I admitted, a little shyly. “Or at least, I’m going to try.”
As it turned out, Mike wasn’t just a ski expert—he was also an enthusiastic yodeler. “I’m in a yodeling group,” he told me. “I started when I turned 50, but growing up as a farmer’s son, it was always part of my world.” Seeing my interest, he added, “Farmers would take their cows up into the Alps in summer. They didn’t have cell phones back then, so yodeling across the mountains was a way to say, ‘I’m still here.’”
That idea was exactly why I’d come. With no musical talent and a tone-deaf ear, my goal wasn’t about perfecting an art—it was something more personal. After a difficult year, I was drawn to the idea of finding my own voice. Especially if I could do it in a small Swiss chalet, preferably after enjoying a Toblerone chocolate fondue.
As it happens, all of that was possible at Le Grand Bellevue in Gstaad. This winter, the historic hotel introduced a series of heritage experiences—like a Swiss chocolate spa ritual and a traditional decoupage workshop—adding to its year-round cultural offerings. (In summer, guests can even join the Gstaad ‘Züglete,’ a traditional cattle procession where flower-decorated cows are led down the mountainside right past the hotel.)
Thrilled to have a yodeling expert right in front of me, I asked Mike the most pressing question: “What do you wear?” With a smile, he pulled out his phone to show a photo of his sharply dressed group. I quickly realized that, among my many possible shortcomings as a yodeler, I definitely didn’t have the right outfit.
Fortunately, I knew the alpine fashion brand Annina was stocked just down the road at The Flower Shop. After explaining my situation, they kindly lent me a linen Janker jacket—a true piece of craftsmanship, lined with green piping, hand-embroidered flowers, and stag horn buttons—so I’d be properly dressed for the occasion.
Ready to go, I walked back down the cobblestone path to Le Petit Chalet, the cozy log cabin in Le Grand Bellevue’s garden that would serve as our yodeling venue. Usually a setting for fondue tastings, the intimate restaurant, with its gingham-covered tables, felt just right for our lesson. I’d convinced my mom and the hotel’s marketing manager to join me, secretly hoping they might take the spotlight instead.
At exactly 4 p.m., our yodeling instructor, Anita Hefti, arrived with her translator, historian Claudia von Siebenthal Fust—punctual, as you’d expect in Switzerland. Anita wore a beautiful traditional outfit from the canton of Bern: a heavy silk apron in crimson and onyx stripes, a billowing white blouse, and a handmade black velvet corset, finished with shiny black buckled shoes. In her arms, she carried a small wicker basket and a Schwyzerörgeli, an ornately embroidered Swiss accordion.
Coincidentally, Mike had guessed Anita would be our instructor. (She and her husband are in the same weekly yodeling group as Mike and his wife.) “It’s a small village,” he’d said with a laugh. “We always say Gstaad has 11,000 people and 11,000 cows.”
Stepping into the timber-walled chalet, we began.During our warm-up beneath the pitched ceiling lined with antique cowbells, we worked—with surprising success—to match Anita’s clear voice at different pitches. She encouraged us to separate our “head voice” from our “chest voice,” but my own goal was simpler: just to keep my voice from cracking.
Then it was time for Anita to show us how it was done. We settled onto the sheepskin-lined benches, all eyes on her as her rich song filled the tiny house. She sang in a language I didn’t speak but deeply felt, the guttural tones stirring something inside me. I pictured all those who had stood alone on the mountainside before us, calling out into the vast emptiness, boldly declaring “I’m here” with their song.
When she finished, we broke into applause, and my mom wiped her eyes. “I don’t know why I’m crying,” she said with a laugh. I didn’t know why I was, either.
Anita wasn’t surprised by our reaction. “Yodeling is very spiritual because the voice comes from within. You can hear how someone feels,” she explained, with Claudia translating. “Singing is an emotional thing.”
I knew that to be true. I’m no stranger to the power of vocal release. Eight years ago, during my first stint living in New York City, I became obsessed with The Class by Taryn Toomey, a sound-based somatic exercise method. I was happy to pay any price to jump around and make noise in a soundproof room for an hour, leaving the studio feeling completely renewed.
“Emotion is energy in motion. Seen that way, making sound is simply moving energy from inside your body out,” Toomey told me when I asked why vocal release is so powerful for mental health. Scientifically, singing and humming are also thought to engage the vagus nerve, which can help regulate stress and activate the body’s parasympathetic nervous system.
When I asked Mike what benefits he gets from his weekly yodeling practice, he expressed a similar sentiment. “It helps me reduce stress, reconnect with myself, and bring a little joy and passion into each day,” he said. “I’ve also noticed real improvements: better breath control, stronger lungs, and an overall sense of well-being. But more than anything, yodeling grounds and uplifts me—it’s both simple and deeply meaningful.”
But yodeling isn’t just about health—it’s also about heritage. With 12,000 active yodelers in Switzerland and over 700 yodeling groups, it’s far more common than one might think.
“Twenty years ago, yodeling was seen as old-fashioned, but now, because we take such pride in our traditions and culture, it’s growing in popularity,” Claudia shared. “We’re committed to keeping our traditions alive.”
That echoed what Daniel Koetser, owner of Le Grand Bellevue, had said about offering yodeling at the hotel. “This isn’t Disney,” he remarked. “It’s about connecting our guests with the makers, farmers, and artists who are preserving tradition and culture—and letting that speak for itself.”
As we sang the last notes and began to wind down, I reflected on how beautiful it was to spend an hour among this small group of women, finding our voices together. I understood what Mike meant when he said yodeling is a way of saying you’re alive.
It’s singing, yes, but it’s more than that. It’s about taking up space—standing proudly, hands at your sides, feet planted firmly—and boldly announcing your presence. It’s rooting yourself in time and tradition, sharing in the deep pride the Swiss feel for their culture.
In just one hour of yodeling, I felt I’d found my voice. And like all those before me who had cried out to the mountains, I joined their song. My voice wavered and sometimes cracked, but—I also cried out: “I’m alive!”
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about Yodelayheehoo The Surprising Delight of Learning to Yodel designed to sound like questions from real curious people
Beginner Questions
Q What exactly is yodeling
A Yodeling is a form of singing where you quickly switch back and forth between your low chest voice and your high head voice or falsetto creating a distinctive break or warble Its like vocal acrobatics
Q I cant even sing well Can I really learn to yodel
A Absolutely Yodeling is less about having a beautiful singing voice and more about learning a specific technique and muscle control Many people find it easier to start yodeling than to sing classically
Q Why would anyone want to learn to yodel It seems silly
A Beyond the fun and novelty yodeling is a fantastic vocal exercise It strengthens your diaphragm increases your vocal range improves breath control and can be a huge stress reliever Its surprisingly empowering to master
Q Whats the most basic yodel sound to start with
A Start with a simple nonsense syllable like Yodelayheehoo Focus on the jump from the low hee to the high hoo That heeHOO break is the core of yodeling
Q Do I need any special equipment
A Not at all Your voice is your only instrument A quiet space where you feel comfortable making strange noises is the most important thing Some people find a recorder helpful to listen back to their progress
Practical Tips Common Problems
Q I just sound like Im screaming or cracking my voice What am I doing wrong
A This is very common It usually means youre straining Focus on staying relaxed The shift should come from your breath support and a quick adjustment of your vocal cords not from pushing or tension in your throat Start gently
Q How do I find my break or where my voice flips
A Try sighing loudly from a high note down to a low note like a siren Youll feel and hear a point where