GERMANY: Reeperbahn Festival has announced the jury for its new international music award for emerging music talent, which will be awarded at this year’s event. Longtime David Bowie producer Tony Visconti; Icelandic pop music wonder Emilia Torrini; MTV legend Ray Cokes; Swedish singer-songwriter Anna Ternheim; Paris based soul and blues diva Y’akoto; and James Minor, Head of Music at South by Southwest Festival; will examine carefully the eight ANCHOR artists between September 21 – 24.
“All eight nominees are very promising,” said Y’akoto. “It won’t be easy to choose the best talent. I’m really glad to be part of the Anchor 2016 jury, responsible for this great task.”
In the race to claim the new accolade for excellent music are Albin Lee Meldau (SE), Conner Youngblood (US), Holly Macve (UK), Shame (UK), Olivia Sebastianelli (UK), Konni Kass (FRO), Parcels (AUS) and Woman (DE). The three-day long competition takes place from September 21 – 23 with performances at the legendary clubs Molotow and Imperial Theater.
The grand finale of Anchor 2016 will be the show on September 24 at the venerable St. Pauli Theater in Hamburg, Germany. In front of 400 invited guests, Alexander Schulz (initiator and Manager of the Reeperbahn Festival), and the jury will announce the very first winner of the Anchor. Moderator duo Kylie Olsson (BBC) and Helena Felixberger (DE) host the evening, with the beatboxer Beardyman (UK) and singer-songwriter Jarle Bernhoft (NO) performing as live acts.
Whether you call it a spring board, launch pad, or catapult – the Anchor will establish itself in the following years as a significant label of excellence for the music industry. The design concept as well as the Anchor trophy were created by the design icon Peter Schmidt.
The Anchor is a great chance for emerging musicians; besides several performances in front of a prominent jury, the Anchor offers its nominees the opportunity to draw international attention to their work. Embedded in one of the prime platforms of the music industry, the Reeperbahn Festival – with its 4,000 accredited participants from more than 43 nations – the Anchor allows the nominees to perform in front of a highly interested and professional audience.
