The prize was first awarded in 2010 and aimed to acknowledge and cherish young talent in the Province of Drenthe.
Translated by Mehret Haile-Mariam
Blackbriar were nominated thanks to their successful debut album, which was released earlier this year. The band had been releasing songs and videos for years, attracting millions of fans all over the world.
Last year the band set up a crowdfunding campaign to record their debut album. Blackbriar was able to raise the targeted amount of 25,000 euros within just one day, and by the end of the crowdfunding campaign, they had managed to raise 70,000 euros in total. Their dedication and engagement were not only noticed by their fans but by the Talent Awards’ jury: “what they managed to achieve thanks to their effort and dedication is special and must therefore be acknowledged”.
Conquering the world from Drenthe
According to the jury, Blackbriar’s music videos are “impressive” and “a joy to behold”. “The do-it-yourself group is a real Drenthe band. They promote the province by showcasing Drenthes’ mysterious landscape in their clips and proofing that you can conquer the world even from Drenthe,” says the jury, explaining their decision. Blackbriar drummer René Boxem called the distinction “a great honour,” furthermore assuring that the band will “continue its hard work”.
The prize money of 2,500 euros accompanying the award, says singer Zora Cock, might be used to finance a new music video. The song is inspired by the mystical story about “Yde’s girl,” a bog body discovered near the village of Yde in the 19th century. According to the band members, as a mystical subject, the bog body theme fits perfectly with their dreamy and mystical genre.
The future awaits
Moreover, Boxem voiced the bands’ hopes to perform at the “Lowlands Festival,” an annual three-day music and performing arts festival held in Biddinghuizen. During her acceptance speech, last year’s prize winner, cellist Mare Keja, expressed her hopes to perform at Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw. A few days later, she was approached by Concertgebouws’ administration.
Ilana de Boer (26) and poet Iduna Paalman (30) were amongst the three nominees. Ilana de Boer, an Assen-based visual artist, won last years’ “Amateur Artist of Drenthe Prize” for her paintings and sculptures. Paalman received the “Poetry Debut Prize” for her poetry collection. Both nominees received a prize money of 500 euros each.
Photo by Filip Andrejevic on Unsplash
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