Applications open today until 22nd May 2023 for female-identifying producers of all music genres
Winners’ prizes include production coaching, grants, free music equipment and a producer workshop at SonyMusic Germany’s Circle Studios
Berlin April 19, 2023 – Sony Music Entertainment Germany and non-profit artist association, Music Women* Germany (MWG), announce today the launch of the 2023 Female*[1] Producer Prize. Now in its second year, the prize aims to support and promote the careers of emerging female-identifying producers from across the country, and applications open today until 22nd May with five awards up for grabs this year.
Together with Sony Music, music equipment retailer Thomann, Ableton Live, NEUBAU Music Management and Musik Women* Germany, winners will receive a support package consisting of production grants, vouchers for music equipment and a producer workshop at the Sony Music Germany’s Circle Studios. The winners will also be added to the Female Producer Register at Sony Music and NEUBAU Music Management, putting them in touch with various labels and artists. Newly added partners are Sony Music Publishing and the Female* Producer Collective, who will also offer coaching sessions and their wide network.
Jovanka v. Wilsdorf, initiator, Female* Producer Prize, said: “The great response and the high level of 147 applications last year not only showed how overdue the Female* Producer Prize was, but above all how many highly competent and visionary female music producers there already are out there. Visibility creates measurable success. There’s still a lot to do – but we’re on the right track!”
Sarah Schneider, Head of A&R Columbia Germany, said: “Currently, women* are still outnumbered in musicproduction. An internal evaluation of the “Top 100 Singles Annual Charts 2021” in Germany shows a strong deficit, 96 out of 100 songs were produced by men. We want to address this deficit, consequently I am very much looking forward to the applications of female producers, and am thrilled to have gained support for this round from new partners like Sony Music Publishing and the Female* Producer Collective.”
NOVAA, producer, winner of the Female* Producer Prize 2022 and jury member 2023, said: “The Female* Producer Prize is a unique opportunity to create more space and visibility for all the great, talented and hardworking female or non-binary producers out there, as well as for all the amazing, fierce female* producers to come.”
This year, the selection criteria is based on the quality of the productions as well as a Producer’s individual musical signature. In this round, a jury made up of artists, songwriters and A&R managers as well as one of last year’s winner will select five finalists, evaluating applicants based on the quality of their productions and their individual musical signature.
The 2023 Jury Panel includes:
- Novaa, producer and finalist of last year
- Charlie McClean, UK music producer, composer, sound engineer and co-founder of the world’s largest online community for women writers, sheWrites, and Grammy Nominee 2022
- Pamela Owusu Brenyah Consultant I Afropop A&R I Music & Program Curator of Musicboard Berlin und Freie Universität Berlin, Board member of Music Women Germany
- Moses Schneider, Musicproducer and songwriter
- Jovanka v. Wilsdorf, consultant, songwriter, and initiator of the DIANA AI songcontest and the female* producer prize
- Sarah Schneider, Head of A&R at Columbia, Sony Music Entertainment
