EDVARD Prize to Susanna Wallumrød

Susanna Wallumrød is the winner of the EDVARD Prize in the "Open Class" category.

– It is a great honor to receive the EDVARD Prize in Åpen Klasse for the album Triangle. The prize is a great recognition of my work as a composer and lyricist, which I am very happy to receive, says Susanna.

Yesterday, November 5th, just before Susanna's concert at Sentralen, during Oslo World, Susanna was presented with the award on stage by Fay Wildhagen, who won the EDVARD award last year.

The jury's reasoning:
" For many, the first encounter with Susanna Wallumrød was in her unique reinterpretations of famous songs in the early 2000s. Since then, Wallumrød has impressed her audience time and time again. And far from just as a singer and artist. Wallumrød is a world-class composer and lyricist. Her music transcends genres and is unpredictable. It is playful and serious at the same time. Whether she is making new versions of well-known works, setting music to poems by Gunvor Hofmo, or writing both lyrics and music herself, there is an unmistakable identity of Susanna in everything. Call it integrity. We believe that integrity is part of the reason why she also attracts such a wide audience from such different scenes, be it jazz, contemporary or pop.

The album «Triangle» was released in 2016. Over no less than 22 tracks, we are taken on a journey through an original and diverse musical universe. The lyrics go to the depths of what it is to be a wondering human being. She has composed all the tracks on the album herself, and above allår as one wishesøpt and mature composer and lyricist. She moves from the captivating simplicity of pop music to the complex surprises of the exploratory field with the stfirst self-feed"Triangle" has haygot strong reviews, båThey are internationally and domestically. She won the Spellemannprisen for the album earlier this year. She also hasimpressed the EDVARD Prize jury. We congratulate Susanna on a powerful album, and look forward to the continuation of an already strongåsuccessful career».

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: Jonathan Vivaas Kise/Oslo World