The Music Moves Europe Awards (MMEA), held every year at ESNS (Eurosonic Noorderslag) in Groningen, The Netherlands, brings together a wide style of artists from across Europe for an evening of festivities at the Stadsschouwburg Theater. Previous winners include Rosalía, Dua Lipa, and Stromae, showcasing the gravitas and influence that these awards have on artists’ careers. Europavox spoke to the artists to look at how the nominations, and prizes for the select few, would go on to impact their career.
The list of alumni being represented at the MMEA is a smorgasbord of young and diverse European talent. Amongst these nominees are Ana Lua Caiano (Portugal), Arny Margret (Iceland), Ash Olsen (Norway), Berry Galazka (Poland), ClockClock (Germany), Fran Vasilić (Croatia), Pearly Drops (Finland), Ralphie Choo (Spain), Traumhaus (Netherlands), freekind. (Slovenia – Croatia), waterbaby (Sweden), yuné pinku (Ireland), Bulgarian Cartrader (Bulgaria), Giift (Denmark), and Zaho De Sagazan (France).
Organized by ESNS and Reeperbahn Festival, and co-funded by Creative Europe, an EU initiative, the awards not only put a spotlight on diverse new artists from across Europe, but are also there to help accelerate and grow the careers of these talents further. This year, all 15 nominees were given the opportunity to perform at the event, in addition to being invited to a business education event, regardless of whether they won or not.
Amongst this year’s winners were Giift (Denmark), Ralphie Choo (Spain), yunè pinku (Ireland), Bulgarian Cartrader (Bulgaria), freekind. (Slovenia – Croatia), and Zaho De Sagazan (France), the last of whom took home the Public Choice award, and the Grand Jury Award. Each prize winner was awarded €10,000, and was invited to join the exclusive MME Education program. Zaho De Sagazan, winning both of the top prizes, received a cash prize of €15,000, in addition to a Green Touring Support voucher worth €5,000.
“I really don’t think about all the stuff that’s happening, I just do what I do,” replies Icelandic singer-songwriter Arny Margret, when asked what it felt like to be nominated for the awards. At just 22 years of age, the tender folk singer has already achieved so much, with her debut album ‘they only talk about the weather’, released on One Little Independent Records in 2022, receiving an abundance of plaudits from across the globe. “It’s cool to be a part of this great alumni. In the end, I just want to make people feel something,” she continues.
Another nominee who found success at a young age is Norwegian rap-star, Ash Olsen. “It feels crazy, I was kind of shocked,” the rapper said when asked about the nomination. “It feels good though, it feels nice, like I’m doing something right.”
It was after the rapper released her first single ‘KITKAT’ in 2020, that her career trajectory immediately took off. “I grew up on a farm in a little town and started doing music when I was 13,” she explains. “I was very nervous putting my first song out, but the radio picked it up right away and from there on it was crazy,” she says. Even though Olsen didn’t walk away with an award, it’s definitely not the last you’ll hear from her.
Portuguese singer-producer Ana Lua Caiano, who blends together traditional Portuguese styles with modern electronic and experimental formats, was overjoyed at being nominated for an MMEA. “I’m very happy, because all the nominees are amazing, and represent such diversity in Europe,” the producer elaborated about the awards. “For me to be here, I couldn’t be happier.”
It’s not just the recognition that’s important to Ana Lua Caiano, it’s the integrity and importance behind the awards that she feels connected to. “These projects are so important because they connect the music that is so near in Europe, but very far away,” she describes, when asked about what makes the MMEAs so special. “It creates exchanges amongst countries that are not so close, to promote peace and everything that doesn’t always happen. It’s important to unite us all and to see other cultures.”
Even though she didn’t walk away with an award, the Portuguese producer took the nomination and recognition in her stride. “I try not to have expectations, as my first EP only came out in 2022,” she says about her career to date. “It’s a very new career, so I’m very glad it’s going well. I never thought I’d even go outside Portugal or get nominated for this award.”
Berlin-based, Bulgarian Cartrader aka. Daniel Stoyanov, performed at Eurosonic the year prior, infecting the crowd with his lighthearted, pop and feel-good vibes. “I feel really happy to be invited again,” Stoyanov said about returning to Eurosonic.
“There’s always a tendency to be shy about these things, about whether or not you’re good enough,” Stoyanov replies when asked about being nominated. “I just can’t wait to continue to make more music. I feel understood and thankful for being put on a pedestal.”
At the end of the evening, Stoyanov walked away with a Music Moves Europe Award. “As a Bulgarian artist living in Berlin, I am proud to represent my home country and thankful for the support and funding in Germany,” the artist wrote on his Facebook page. “A huge thanks to the MMEA acknowledging the beauty in it, [and] just wanted to say believe in the impossible as any good European should do, and be prepared for more new music.”
Slovenian – Croatian soul duo, and Europavox regulars freekind. were also rewarded with a Music Moves Europe Award during the proceedings. “It feels amazing, we’re very happy to be recognised,” the band’s keyboardist and vocalist Sara Ester Gredelj says, when asked about the award ceremony.
Nina Korošak-Serčič, the drummer from the duo, sees the recognition as something that helps connect them more with their fanbase. “It has an impact for us to meet people, especially those who recognise that [nomination],” she says about the accolade. “Our live performances are really important, and I think that has been noticed most by people.”
Writing online about their award, the duo wrote: “This recognition means the world to us and is a celebration of the hope and optimism we aim to spread through our music. Huge thanks to the jury, our amazing team, and all of you who attend our concerts and believe in our message.”
Another winner from the evening was London-based musician Yunè Pinku. Born to an Irish mother and Malaysian father, Yunè Pinku’s melodic style of deep and progressive melodic electronic music has seen her music compared to the likes of Four Tet and Bicep. “It feels surreal, I’ve never been nominated for anything,” she said before the awards. “It feels dramatic, and I feel like luck plays a big part of it.
The producer, who would perform to a packed-out Grand Theater later in the evening, felt extremely content being part of such a talented alumni, and being a part of the MMEA. “It’s really nice to meet a lot of people here. It feels really cool, and talking-to people, especially ones who are from across the world. Just this confirmation from other people about what you do is always a big ego boost.”
On the night, the producer was also a recipient of an MMEA award. “It’s so surreal and such an honor to be recognised by such an amazing panel of people,” she said afterwards, after picking up the prize. “I’ve been writing my debut album and I was getting a bit nervous about the process, so it’s been a real boost to be awarded this.”
The biggest award winner of the night however was French electronic Chanson singer, Zaho De Sagazan. Walking away with both the The Grand Jury MME Award and the MME Public Choice Award, the French artist was clearly the star of the evening. Zaho De Sagazan, who only released her debut record ‘La Symphonie des éclairs’ in 2023, and performed at last years Europavox festival in Clermont-Ferrand, has been making waves across the globe and even went Gold before the end of the year, with her unique, delicate and very French portrayal of electronic pop music.
“Grand Jury Award and Public Choice Award! We’re going home with two prizes!!! BEDANKT Groningen and MMEawards!! And thank you for voting for me! It’s such a wonderful gift! I cried like a baby, Love you !!!” De Sagazan wrote on Twitter about the award.
Immediately after winning the award, Zaho took to the stage, giving one of the performances of the festival. Playing songs from her debut record, the singer-producer gave an enigmatic performance, showcasing her strong vocal delivery and strength of character, showing Groningen why it was she walked away as the star of this year’s awards.
