EDVARD Award for Cashmere Cat

Magnus August Høiberg, better known as Cashmere Cat, is the winner of TONO's EDVARD Award 2017 in the Challenger category. He receives the award for his overall production in 2016.

– It's super cool to receive the EDVARD award. Big thanks to TONO for following the music I make, says Magnus August Høiberg, better known by the stage name Cashmere Cat.

Høiberg was not prepared to win the award, and was presented with it as a surprise by TONO together with his closest family, friends and collaborators at a café in Oslo on Thursday, October 19. Høiberg lives in the USA, but is on a world tour and is currently holding concerts in some of the largest cities in Norway.

JURY'S REASONING:
"This year's challenger may thrive best in the shadows, hidden behind his bangs, but his distinct sound has made him a favorite among the world's biggest artists. Composer and producer Magnus August Høiberg from Halden is an innovator in his field. From being an award-winning DJ back home in Norway, he has become an international standard-bearer for the intersection between club and urban music.

According to himself, Høiberg stumbled upon his own sound after getting tired of copying his heroes. What was initially an attempt to parody contemporary pop music turned out to be his strength and hallmark. A cheerful mix of sensual R'n'B and danceable EDM, combined with an ear for clever details, would become his unique signature. You can recognize a Cashmere Cat production within the first four bars of the song, and they can move from cheerful to painful, then from quiet to grandiose in an instant. In this way, he challenges the dynamic spectrum of today's pop landscape.

2016 has been the year of the cat. The portfolio of artists who have benefited from Magnus Høiberg's talent for composition and production includes names such as Ariana Grande, Selena Gomez, Britney Spears and Ty Dolla Sign. One of 2016's most impactful album releases, "Starboy" by The Weeknd, has Høiberg's signature on four songs. He also released his critically acclaimed debut album, and also worked with Kanye West, which he himself has said was the fulfillment of his greatest dream. Cashmere Cat lets the music speak for itself. He is proof that you don't have to be in the spotlight to become a star. Congratulations on a very well-deserved EDVARD award.

Expert jury
The 2017 EDVARD jury consisted of composers Arvid Wam Solvang, Hilde Wahl, Therese Birkelund Ulvo, Klaus Sandvik, Rita Engedalen, Gøran Grini, as well as music publishers Jan Stefan Bengtsson and Stine Lieng.

The EDVARD Prize
The EDVARD Prize, named after Edvard Grieg, is a prize that TONO has awarded annually since 1998, and which is awarded to authors and composers who have created musical works and lyrics of high artistic quality. With the prize, TONO wants to increase attention to Norwegian composers and lyricists, and to increase Norwegians' understanding of and knowledge of newly written Norwegian music. The winner's music or lyrics must have been premiered or published in the previous year. Emphasis is also placed on the author's other production.

PHOTO: TONO