Sony Music Entertainment Germany and the non-profit artist association Music Women* Germany (MWG) have announced the winners of the Female* Producer Award 2023. The honor is designed to support and promote the careers of rising female producers across Germany.
The seven winners – Mimski, Evîn, Kota No Uta, Mona Yim, Aufmischen, Sheyda Minia and Just Honest – were chosen from more than 150 applicants by a five-member jury. They will receive a support package consisting of production grants, vouchers for music equipment and a production workshop at Sony Music Germany’s Circle Studios. They will also be added to the roster of female producers at Sony Music and NEUBAU Music Management, who will put them in touch with various labels and artists. In addition, newly added partners Sony Music Publishing and Female* Producer Collective will provide training sessions for the winners.
In addition to the seven selected applicants, a shortlist of 20 applicants will also be added to Sony Music and NEUBAU’s roster of female producers.
“The overwhelming response and exceptionally high level of over 150 entries this year has not only shown how long overdue the Female* Producer award was, but above all, how many highly competent and visionary female music producers there are out there,” said. Jovanka v. Wilsdorf, jury member and initiator of the Female Producer Award*, in a statement. “Visibility develops a glow that creates measurable success.”
Added Head of A&R Sony Music Columbia Records Germany Sarah Schneider, who also served on the jury: “More female and non-binary producers means more prospects! This is proven again by the exceptional quality of the many applications received. As a record label, we want to apply approaches and tools across the industry to actively move forward to effect a change in the status quo.”
In addition to Wilsdorf and Schneider, the 2023 jury consisted of Nova, producer and finalist for last year’s award; Producer, composer, sound engineer and co-founder of sheWrites UK Charlie McClean; Pamela Owusu Brenyah, an independent curator, creative consultant and project manager who serves as program curator at Musicboard Berlin and board member of Music Women Germany, among others; and music producer and composer Moses Schneider.
The Female* Producer Award is supported by the Reeperbahn Festival (sponsored by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media) and sponsored by Thomann, Ableton, NEUBAU, Female* Producer Collective, Sony Music and Sony Music Publishing.
The awards ceremony and seminar will be held in Berlin on September 14.
Below you can read the descriptions of the winners’ capsules.
Mimsky: She started producing in early 2022, first in Germany and then in England, where she was received more warmly as a female producer than in Germany. There she submitted a rhythm for the Novembars competition, which helped her to find out: her first song was played live on radio shows. She is currently working on her first album, which will be released on the RUNTLIFE Records label, and will be working on an EP with King Kashmere as well as a Female Force EP with several female rappers.
In love: A German/Kurdish alternative R&B singer and producer. Her music combines elements from various genres such as soul and hip-hop with her Kurdish roots, giving her a distinctive sound within the German scene. Emotions and experiences, as well as themes such as escape, memory culture and belonging can be found in Evin’s songs, which she writes and produces in her studio in Berlin. April 2022 saw the release of Evîn’s debut EP, followed immediately by her second EP, It wasn’t as for you, in November 2022.
Kota No Uta: Singer-songwriter and producer who works mainly in the direction of jazz, soul and neo soul. In October 2022 she released her self-produced single “Autumn Leaves”. She is currently working on two collaborative releases and her own EP.
Mona Yim: A Chinese-German music producer, singer and DJ from Hamburg, Germany. Her music combines emotional vocal hooks with her self-produced electronic productions, inspired by UK garage, house and electronica, as well as influences from her training as a violinist and classical performer. Her debut release in 2022 was followed by further releases on labels such as Ninja Tune and remixes for Glass Animals and DJ Seinfeld, among others. She has played venues such as O2 Academy Brixton, DGTL Festival, Printworks, KOKO and Warehouse Project.
mix: A producer who started her first steps in the music industry as a drummer, in her studies she wrote contemporary compositions for classical ensembles before fully dedicating herself to pop music. In 2022, her productions can be heard on the album of poetic artist Dshamilja Roshani, the EP of pop singer Pieke and numerous songs by other artists. More releases are planned for this year, such as the artist Elay’s album.
Mini items: Iranian-born artist who started playing the harp at the age of 8 and became a junior student at the Musikhochschule in Cologne at the age of 13. At 16, she used her first self-earned money to buy an interface microphone and Logic music software so she could finally produce her own beats. In late 2021 she was discovered by Mehrzad Marashi, CEO of Impulse-Records GmbH, where she has been working as a producer ever since.
Just honest: Music has saved producer Just Honest many times, so she had no choice but to bring her songs to life and produce them herself. Hoping to touch, heal and inspire the hearts of others. Her debut single, “Toxic Culture,” has already reached over 1 million streams, and her debut album, No Love No Hate, is about to be released.
