Kai Robøle receives TONO's Mediator Award 2015

Kai Robøle has made an outstanding contribution to Norwegian songwriters and artists for more than 25 years. For this he receives TONO's Mediator Award 2015.

The Norwegian music industry would have been far poorer without Kai Robøle. Few others have worked so hard, for so long, to – and succeeded so well in – bringing Norwegian songwriters and artists to the limelight both in Norway and abroad. Through his company Waterfall runs Robøle studio, record label, management and music publishing. He was also appointed earlier this summer by Minister of Culture Torhild Widvey to be a member of Business Policy Council for Cultural and Creative Industries

– Incredibly gorgeous
Robøle is very grateful to receive TONO's Mediator Award 2015:

– It is incredibly cool that someone has taken the trouble to look through what we have been working on here at Waterfall for the last 20-25 years. This award does not go to me alone, but to all those who have been part of the team throughout all these years. No one mentioned is forgotten, but Kenneth Lewis, who was with us from our first ventures, M2M and Babel Fish in the late 90s, should have a large share of the credit for the way we still work with the development of artists and songwriters. As the "backers" the motivation has never been attention, but the joy of succeeding in lifting talents up and out, and the fact that someone notices it, is a good reward for work that is not always seen as good, he says.

The jury's reasoning:
Kai Robøle is a "backman" in the truest sense of the word. He runs a studio, record label, management and music publishing. For over 25 years, Kai Robøle has worked to develop music, artists, songwriters and producers for the international market. His method has been to raise the quality in absolutely every aspect, both in the industry and in the music itself. Since he had his first big hit as a producer and studio owner in 1994 with DiDerre's "Jenter og sånn" (Girls and Such), he has worked with an impressive number of Norwegian songwriters and artists: M2M, Ina Wroldsen, Babel Fish, Gisli, Alfred Hall, Karin Park, Ida Jenshus, Ida Marie, Ingrid Olava, Susanne Sundfør, Sissy Wish, Raga Rockers and Span, just to name a few.

 With the help of a network of contacts that few Norwegians are blessed with, Kai Robøle has contributed greatly to Norwegian artists and songwriters getting out into the world and trying their hand at the major music markets. In recent years, the focus has been on publishing. Robøle is one of those who manages to place so-called syncs on a large scale, which gets Norwegian music out to large groups internationally. Robøle holds several key positions of trust, and with his enormous knowledge of the international music industry, he is a highly valued resource person in various forums in the music world. He is also an active speaker in many areas. In short, there are few who have communicated so much Norwegian repertoire to so many audiences.

TONO is proud to be able to award TONO's Mediator Award to Kai Robøle.

(More below the picture)

The jury for TONO's Mediator Award in 2015 consisted of:
Nils Henrik Asheim (composer)
Therese Birkelund Ulvo (composer)
Marte Heggelund (composer, lyricist)
Arvid Wam Solvang (Composer, lyricist)
Jan Stefan Bengtsson (Music Publisher)
Rita Engedalen Independent (composer, lyricist)

About TONO's Mediator Award:
TONO's Mediator Award was established in 2011 to honor people who work to create increased knowledge, understanding and enthusiasm for music and its creation. The award consists of NOK 50,000 and a diploma designed by designer Rune Mortensen. Previous winners of the Mediator Award are Øyafestivalen in 2011, German record producer Manfred Eicher and his record label ECM in 2012, music publisher Leif Dramstad in 2013 and Tommy Tee in 2014.

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 approximately 27,000 Norwegian composers, lyricists and music publishers. Through mutual representation agreements with similar companies in other countries, TONO practically manages the entire world repertoire. 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, willy.martinsen@tono.no, mobile 909 65,254
Janne Sievers, communications advisor at TONO, janne.sievers@tono.no. mobile 957 60,286