For the first time in the award’s history, a Finnish musician has won the Nordic Music Prize. The jury panel of music innovators including Judge Rodgers of The Guardian, gave the award to gloomy blues folk act Mirel Wagner for her second sinister-titled album When The Cellar Children See The Light Of Day. Full of creepy, pessimistic tales and gripping lyrics set over minimalistic instrumentation, it fitted right into Scandinavian folk traditions and was always set to captivate.
The decision broke Sweden’s winning streak of three successive wins (Goran Kajfeš, First Aid Kit and The Knife) but it could be the destructive Danish rock outfit Ice Age who start smashing their hotel room up after losing for the third time with Plowing Into The Fields Of Love. Although the silver lining is that at least they picked up a runners-up award with fellow Danes Selvhenter.
A statement made by the jury explained their decision calling Mirel Wagner a “strong and intense voice that feels like it coming from somewhere deep and true“. It was awarded at By:Larm conference last night (March 5) by new sponsors Phonofile, with the thought-provoking Finnish lyricist Wagner receiving a whopping 30,000 Norwegian Krone. As set by this example, there could be hope for Norway or Denmark to pick up their own first crown next year.
#Peace.Love.MirelWagner
