The TONO grant helped Daniela Reyes Holmsen quickly get started writing music for a new EP. (Photo: Sverre Kvamme)
On March 22, Daniela Reyes won the Spellemannprisen in the "Viser" category. Now new music is on the way. – The Tono grant has been important for creating my latest EP, which will be released later this year. The grant made it possible to complete the project much faster than I worked before, says Daniela Reyes Holmsen.
/ 24/03/2026 / Willy MartinsenThe application period for the TONO scholarship and Young Talents in 2026 is from March 10 to April 15. This year, the scholarship pool is 17,3 million kroner. Last year, we awarded 680 scholarships. One of those awarded a TONO scholarship was Daniela Reyes Holmsen, who on Sunday 22 March won the Spellemann Prize in the category Singer.
You apply for a scholarship on the member portal. My TONO. After you have logged in there, click on the menu option "Scholarship" to go to the application form. You can apply for either The TONO scholarship or the Young Talents scholarship.
Daniela Reyes Holmsen is one of the most awarded voices in recent Norwegian folk music. She won the USBL Jazztalent during the Oslo Jazz Festival in 2019, and really broke through with her debut album Disposable days in 2021, an album that earned her the Spellemannprisen as lyricist of the year, NOPA's lyric prize and the Lyspunktpris of the Norwegian Lyricist Foundation. In September 2025, she released her second album, Let me be your hiding placeand was awarded the Spellemannprisen in the Singer category on March 22nd.
Even for an established artist, starting a new project can require a lot of time and resources:
– After spending a very long time writing and producing my previous album, I wanted to start a project that felt more manageable, namely an EP where all parts of the process would go faster than before. It's great to get support so you can just get started with the writing and execution, she says.
For Reyes Holmsen, music started early, but the big kick came gradually:
– I have played the accordion since I was five years old, and have been with my parents at work for as long as I can remember. It took a few years before I really got a musical kick, but it really hit when I was around 10 years old. The kick is still there! And it's probably still the reason why I work with music today. Being able to explore new things and areas still drives me a lot.
Reyes Holmsen emphasizes that in a small country like Norway, scholarships and support schemes are a necessary part of a vibrant musical life:
– Since I grew up in a family of musicians, I have never really doubted whether it is possible to make a living from music. But the economy is complex, and scholarships like this are incredibly important, both to be able to make a living from it, and to be able to create new projects, she says.
If you would like to apply for a scholarship from TONO this year, please log in to the member portal. My TONOThen select "Scholarship" in the left menu to go to the application form.