EDVARD Prize to Tønes

On Tuesday, December 20, TONO announced that Frank Tønnesen has been awarded the EDVARD Prize 2022 in the category Lyrics for Music. Tønnesen, who is known by the stage name Tønes, receives the award for the lyrics on the album Thilda Bøe's legacy.

– Tønes is a master at taking the everyday, familiar and recognizable as a starting point, and through this bringing out something deeper and greater in people's lives, the jury writes in its justification.

The award was presented in Storstova in Bryne during preparations for the last two performances of the revue. Tønes & Hovland – This year we're just keeping it simple. Many of Tønnesen's songs were originally written specifically as revue numbers. The EDVARD award adds to the evidence that the lyrics work just as well outside of this context.

I am proud to receive an award from TONO, which does so much good for composers and lyricists. I see that the jury consisted of a wonderful mix of people. It's really great! Thank you very much, said Tønnesen.

Awarded since 1998

The EDVARD Prize has been awarded annually by TONO since 1998, and is awarded in five categories to composers and lyricists who have created musical works of particularly high quality in the previous year. A highly qualified professional jury selects the winners.

With the EDVARD Prize, we highlight some of the most beautiful music created in the previous year. The purpose is both to honor and thank individual creators, but also to raise awareness of the important work that composers, lyricists and songwriters do, says TONO's communications director, Willy Martinsen.

The jury's reasons

"The lyrics on Thilda Bøe's legacy range widely. They can be angry, hurtful, caring and not least funny, both about each other and at the same time. The songs are lifted by sharp and original observations about what it means to be what one might call "in the middle of life, in the middle of the country". The lyrics to the work Treskærjenj convey both heartwarming and sadness, with lines like: "He has started collecting beers/lined up bottles and cans on a damn long shelf/Now people have to come down and watch/Life is in a good phase". Splesilelag/Waldorf salad carries a great irritation about something as strange as Waldorf salad at bring-a-dish gatherings. Thus, we are suddenly in clammy relationships and small-town claustrophobia. Lyricist Frank Tønnesen, known as Tønes, is a master at taking the everyday, close and recognizable as a starting point, and through this bringing out something deeper and greater in people's lives."

The jury for the EDVARD Prize 2021 has consisted of Torgny Amdam (NOPA, jury chair), Samsaya Sharma (NOPA), Kristin Norderval (Norwegian Composers' Association), Martin Rane Bauck (Norwegian Composers' Association), Ole Børud, (Independent), Sten Ove Toft (Independent), Oda Svendsby (Music Publishers) and Andrew Smith (Music Publishers).