Four Finnish artists nominated for ECHO awards
The Deutsche Phono-Akademie has announced this year’s ECHO award nominees and Finland is represented in four categories. Iiro Rantala and Kalle Kalima have been nominated for ECHO Jazz awards, while Sunrise Avenue and Nightwish are nominated for ECHO Pop awards.
Last year, composer Kalevi Aho received the ECHO Klassik award. The ECHO is one of the most important and renowned music awards internationally, and is awarded annually since 2002. The ECHO Klassik was launched 1994 and the ECHO Jazz 2010.
ECHO Jazz
The nominees for the ECHO Jazz were announced in February. Pianist Iiro Rantala continues his streak of success with the album My Working Class Hero, as he was nominated in the category “Instrumentalist of the Year International / Piano/Keyboard”.
Berlin based Finnish guitarist Kalle Kalima is nominated in the category “Instrumentalist of the Year National / Guitar”.
The winners will be announced at the award ceremony at Kampnagel in Hamburg on May 26.
The ECHO Jazz is awarded by a jury of twelve based on artistic criteria. The jury consists of respected journalists, label representatives, concert organizers and other experts. Also popular success is taken into account. Every label can suggest their productions for ECHO Jazz awards.
ECHO Pop
With their album Fairytales – Best of 2016-2014, Sunrise Avenue is contending for the “Band of the Year Rock/Pop International” title along with music heavyweights Coldplay, Florence +The Machine, Mumford & Sons and One Direction.
Finnish metal stars Nightwish and their album ‘Endless Forms Most Beautiful’ is nominated in the category ‘Rock/Alternative International’ along with AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Motörhead and Placebo.
The award ceremony takes place on April 7 at Messe Berlin.
The ECHO POP in those two categories is awarded based on the top positions in the official German Top-100-Album-Charts from February 20, 2015 to March 3, 2016.