(Oslo, 23 October 2015) Thea Hjelmeland is the winner of the 2015 EDVARD Prize in the category “Challenger of the Year” for the release “Solar Plexus”. Since 1998, TONO has awarded the EDVARD Prize annually to composers, songwriters and lyricists who have particularly distinguished themselves in the previous year. Thea Hjelmeland is one of those who created music of particularly high […]
/ 23/10/2015 / codexSince 1998, TONO has awarded the EDVARD Prize annually to composers, songwriters and lyricists who have particularly distinguished themselves in the previous year. Thea Hjelmeland is one of those who created music of particularly high artistic quality in 2015, and therefore she has now been awarded the EDVARD Prize in the category "Challenger of the Year" for the album Solar PlexusThe award consists of a stone trophy designed by artist Bruno Oldani, a diploma and kr 50,000,-
Hjelmeland was presented with the award during her concert at Parkteateret Scene in Oslo last night by last year's winner in the same category, Hilde Marie Kjersem. Hjelmeland says the award means a lot:
– This was an amazing surprise. I am so touched and grateful. It means a lot to receive such recognition. I am speechless, she says.
"With her second solo album, Thea Hjelmeland establishes herself as one of the country's most exciting songwriters. It's been a long time since such a tasteful and competent blend of genres and languages as we experience on Solar Plexus. The songs are individually strong and communicative, but it is in the common thread and the whole that this release really shines."
The main themes of the release are grief and loss, and through the lyrics Hjelmeland provides caring, painful, warm and violent perspectives on how a personal tragedy can unfold. Musically, the pop genre is continually challenged by electronic elements, folk, rock, world music and more.
The strength of the album lies in how the lyrics and music complement each other. Through the sometimes hopelessly dark and emotionally chaotic, there is an impressive control and playfulness in the songs and the album as a whole. It never becomes predictable and obvious, but remains in an intricate but restrained mix of rough elegance and sophisticated unruliness. This is further enhanced by Hjelmeland's vocals that tastefully move between the soft and careful to the powerful and insistent. ”
The EDVARD jury In 2015, the jury consisted of composers Nils Henrik Asheim (chairman of the jury), Arvid Wam Solvang, Marte Heggelund, Rita Engedalen, Terese Birkeland Ulvo, and music publisher Jan Stefan Bengtsson.
The Edward Prize is named after Edvard Grieg, and is a prize that TONO has awarded annually since 1998. The prize is awarded to authors 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, but emphasis is also placed on the author's other production.
About TONO:
TONO is a non-profit cooperative, founded in 1928, owned and managed by its members: composers, songwriters, lyricists and music publishers. TONO manages performance rights for musical works in Norway and collects remuneration for their public performance. TONO currently represents nearly 27,000 Norwegian composers, lyricists and music publishers. Through mutual representation agreements with similar companies in other countries, TONO practically manages the world repertoire in Norway. As a non-profit enterprise, TONO's results are transferred to the rights holders in performed works. TONO thus facilitates the use of music in society, while at the same time providing TONO's members with a basis for constantly creating new musical works.
For more information:
Willy Martinsen, communications manager at TONO, email: willy.martinsen@tono.no, mobile 909 65,254