Regina Tucker, known by the stage name Myra, has been awarded TONO's EDVARD Prize 2020 in the "Lyrics" category for the song "Hjemløs i egen by". The prize consists of kr 50,000,- as well as a trophy and a diploma designed by artist Magne Furuholmen.
/ 09/09/2020 / Kristian DugstadRegina Tucker was presented with the EDVARD award on Tuesday by composer and artist Samsaya Sampda Sharma, who is also a member of the EDVARD jury. The winner was surprised with the award during a video interview with TONO at Oslo Records' studio in Oslo.
The EDVARD Prize differs from other music prizes in that it is only awarded to composers, lyricists and songwriters, in other words, creators.
- "Thank you so much for this huge gift. It means so much to me. I never imagined I would win something like this, and it hasn't really sunk in yet," says Regina Tucker.
The jury's reasoning:
Regina Tucker, known as Myra, is a lyricist of overwhelming breadth. She exudes hip-hop's fearless self-assurance while also managing to be uniquely vulnerable. The lyrics "Homeless in My Own City" fall into the latter category. Tucker puts into words thoughts and feelings that are both deeply personal and relatable. The lyrics provide an intimate insight into personal outsideness without the listener feeling like an intruder. In 2020, it is precisely this courage that we need more of: Lyrics that neither marginalize nor stigmatize, but that even when written in the dark have the heartfelt ability to enlighten us.
Price for more than 20 years
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, who receive kr 50,000 as well as a trophy and a diploma, both designed by artist Magne Furuholmen.
– It is an important part of TONO's work to highlight that music has value, and that music creation is an important work. With the EDVARD Prize, we highlight some of the most beautiful music created in the previous year, and with it we want to both honor individual creators and create awareness about the important work that composers, lyricists and songwriters do, says TONO's communications manager, Willy Martinsen.
The jury for the EDVARD Prize 2020 has consisted of Peter Edwards (Norwegian Composers' Association), Kristin Norderval (Norwegian Composers' Association), Torgny Amdam (NOPA), Samsaya Sharma (NOPA), Sten Ove Toft (Independent), Ole Børud (Independent), Thomas Wettergren (Music Publishers) and jury chair Stine Lieng (Music Publishers)
About TONO:
TONO was founded in 1928 and is a non-profit cooperative owned and managed by authors (composers and lyricists) and music publishers, and on their behalf manages the economic copyrights in the music they have created. TONO grants permission for the use of protected music, for example on radio, TV, the internet, concerts and cinemas for a fee, and transfers its financial results each year to the rights holders in music that has been played publicly. TONO has 34,000 members, but also works for approximately three million authors and music publishers from around the world. TONO's social role is twofold, on the one hand collecting and simplifying the licensing of protected music and on the other hand providing music creators with an economic basis for creating new musical works. TONO's turnover in 2019 was kr 771 millions.
For more information:
Willy Martinsen, communications manager at TONO, willy.martinsen@tono.no, mobile 909 65 254.
