Tonight the 14th Reeperbahn Festival 2019 came to an end!
This year more than 50,000 visitors, including 5,900 professionals from 52 nations, experienced a multi-faceted programme full of highlights of music, the music industry, film, art and literature. Once again, the Hamburg district of St. Pauli became the melting pot for the most exciting new international talents. As already announced by Hamburg Senator for Culture Dr. Carsten Brosda in his opening speech, the importance of music as an element for international unification and understanding could be clearly felt and experienced over the four festival days!
The winner of this year's international talent competition ANCHOR is: alyona alyona (UA)!
The ANCHOR jury including Tony Visconti, Bob Rock, Peaches, Kate Nash, Arnim Teutoburg-Weiß and the Australian radio presenter Zan Rowe attended the six nominees concerts over three evenings and selected the winner from soul singer Celeste (GB), rapper alyona alyona (UA), punk-pop women's band The Hormones (CN), post punk trio DRAHLA (GB), songwriter Moyka (NO) and dream pop duo Feng Suave (NL). And the winner is: alyona alyona (photo)! The jury stated its decision as follows:
Bob Rock (ANCHOR 2019 jury member): "I got out of my chair, stood up, almost danced and took videos which I actually don't think I've ever done before. I didn't understand a word she was singing but it came out so powerful. It really blew my mind. And most importantly I would buy her record in a heartbeat."
Zan Rowe (ANCHOR 2019 jury member): "Beyond language barriers alyona alyona's songs were stuck in my head long after I saw her perform. Incredible rhythm, hooks and an amazing presence."
The Ukrainian rapper is an absolute force of nature on stage: with crazy flow and groove she delivers raps without any bling and pomp and describes in her songs the unembellished situation of the young generation of her homeland.
Alongside the nominees' and the Irish songwriter Dermot Kennedy's (IR) appearances, the absolute highlight of the ANCHOR award show was the spectacular performance of Jury Duty, the one-off-band with Tony Visconti on bass, Bob Rock on guitar and singers Peaches and Kate Nash, who performed Bowie’s 'Moonage Daydream' together with the Kaiser Quartett, blowing the roof off in the process.
Keychange 2.0
Gender equality was the central theme of the entire event.
Pitchfork editor-in-chief Puja Patel, musicians Kate Nash, Peaches and Reeperbahn Festival CEO Alexander Schulz announced the new goals and catalogue of measures for the second phase of the international gender balance initiative in music at the Keychange 2.0 press conference. Amongst other initiatives, the declaration of intent, the so-called 50/50 pledge to offer gender-balanced programmes by 2022, will be extended from festivals to many other organisations in music, such as labels, venues, radio stations, orchestras and conservatories.
In the process, gender equality in music was negotiated in almost all formats and individual events.
Focus Country Australia 2019 The Australian music export office Sounds Australia presented 17 bands and artists as this year's Reeperbahn Festival partner country. In addition, Australia was represented on the ANCHOR 2019 jury and board by TV and radio presenter Zan Rowe and Maria Amato, managing director of the Australian association of independent record labels.
Glenn Dickie (Export Music Producer, Sounds Australia): "After six years working with Australian artists at Reeperbahn Festival, we couldn't be happier with how our year as focus country has played out. There was the incredible performance from Dope Lemon and an appearance of the Australian Deputy Ambassador to Germany, Simon Clayton and ANCHOR judge Zan Rowe at DOORS OPEN. We had an absolutely huge edition of THE AUSSIE BBQ with 15 artists, a full house and a line down the street all day. Our artists and managers are excited by all of the business opportunities that have been presented to them and we are excited to continue this momentum in presenting great Australian music to the German market."
What was new at Reeperbahn Festival 2019?
New this year were two opening concerts by Dope Lemon (AU) and Feist (CA) as well as a programme presentation by the BBC and the showcase by Country Music Association with Blanco Brown (US) and Rachel Wammack (US) including an accompanying panel session for trade visitors. For the first time, the theme Film & Future was offered, including two keynote interviews with Matt Dillon and an addition to the film screening programme, which included the European premiere of Creating Woodstock with Woodstock co-founder Joel Rosenman.
The remarkable new venues this year were the Hamburg Planetarium with the Ólafur Arnald's show Ekki Hugsa 360° and the Millerntor Stadium's player tunnel. For the first time, the Future Playground in the Festival Village presented sustainable social visions and the UN sustainability goals as well as the Music Makers Playground, where instrument manufacturers showcased their products. For the first time, the Next Generation module was aimed at 16 to 21-year-old Reeperbahn Festival visitors, who were able to gain an insight into the music industry on the festival Saturday.
Reeperbahn Festival 2020
Following an extremely successful country partnership with Australia, the focus next year will be on Denmark. Against the backdrop of the first German-Danish Cultural Friendship Year, Denmark will present its most exciting artists and, together with members of the Danish music industry, offer insights into the music market of our neighbouring country. We are looking forward to the coming year with the confirmation of the Australian-Malian songwriter Tash Sultana, whose multi-layered sound combines elements of electronic, folk, indie and reggae in a captivating way and ignores all genre boundaries - who could better fit into the Reeperbahn Festival lineup?
Tickets for Reeperbahn Festival 2020, 16 - 19 September, are now available!
Awards 2019
In addition to ANCHOR 2019, the following awards were presented at this year's Reeperbahn Festival:
New Music Award of the young ARD broadcasters
Newcomer of the year: Majan
Starter of the year: Giant Rooks
Helga! Festival Award
Best Festival: Open Flair Festival
Best Booking: Haldern Pop
Best Inclusion: Zurück zu den Wurzeln Festival
Best Bargain: WATT EN SCHLICK FEST
Best Reinvention: Artlake Festival
Most Inspiring Festival Idea: alínæ lumr
IMJA - International Music Journalism Award
Best Music Business Journalist of the Year: Jon Chapple, IQ Magazine
Best Music Journalist of the Year - German: Juliane Liebert // Author & Journalist, Radioeins, frequent pop texts for the Süddeutsche Zeitung, SWR2, Spiegel, Rolling Stone
Best Music Journalist of the Year - English: Vivien Goldman // Journalist, Author & Musician
Best Music Journalist of the Year - French: Adrien Durand // Among others Les Inrockuptibles
The Year’s Best Work of Music Journalism - Text - German: Aida Baghernejad // Ain't A Human? - Kaput
The Year’s Best Work of Music Journalism - Text - English: Laudatio for Joshi Hardik // Music and Nature - Music Plus
The Year’s Best Work of Music Journalism - Text - French: Robin Ecoeur // Un Peu, Beaucoup, À La Folie - Un Web-Documentaire Sur L'Industrie Musicale Et La Santé Mentale Des Musiciens - Gonzaï / Racontr
The Year’s Best Work of Music Journalism - Audio - German: Jan Kawelke & Vassili Golod // Machiavelli - The Podcast on Rap & Politics - WDR Cosmo
The Year’s Best Work of Music Journalism - Audio - English: Jake Brennan // Disgraceland - Disgraceland
The Year’s Best Work of Music Journalism - Multimedia - German: Isabel Röttger & Michael Kutscher // Rap in Buenos Aires: Duki & Co. Take Over Argentina - Arte/Tracks
The Year’s Best Work of Music Journalism - Multimedia - English: Various Journalists // Website - Beehy.pe
Best Work of Music Journalism, Under 30 - German: Lina Burghausen // 365 Female MCs - Mona Lina; Malcolm Ohanwe // Wir Sind Zu Viele: Warum Deutscher Pop Nicht Mehr Weiss Bleibt - Bayerischer Rundfunk; Johann Voigt // Wer GZUZ' Realness Feiert, Darf Bei Seiner Frauenfeindlichkeit Nicht Weghören - Vice ** (** Due to legal concerns, the editors withdrew the submitted/nominated text from their website)
ISA - International Sound Awards
Grand Prix | Audio Branding: Axel Springer Audio Branding | why do birds GmbH, DE
Social & Culture: CyMagic | Healing Music, IL
Product: dearVR SPATIAL CONNECT | Dear Reality GmbH, DE
Audio branding: ICT - The Sounds of Costa Rica | Publimark Mullen Lowe, CR
Social & Culture: Inclusion Rocks! Music for all | Handiclapped - Culture Barrierefrei e.V., DE
Social & Culture: Loopfree | Loopfree, GB
Grand Prix | Soundscapes and Ambient Sound: Soundscape Design for Helsinki New Children's Hospital | Aalto University, FI
Soundscapes and Ambient Sound: Sounds of Silence | Idee und Klang GmbH, CH
Universal Design: Swedbank Soundscaping | Lexter Ljuddesign AB, SE
Services and Sound-startups: Weav Music: Music Evolved | Weav Music Inc., US
VIA - VUT Indie Award
Best Newcomer: Alice Merton
Best Label: Greenland Records
Best Act: Apparat
Best Album: Picture Book - "Mea Culpa"
Best Experiment: Holly Herndon & Jlin (feat. Spawn) - "Godmother" and Nik Nowak - "The Mantis" (installation and performance with Kode9, Infinite Livez and Moritz Stumm)
VIA Special Award: Matthias Hornschuh |
