US awards for StarGate
No less than three ASCAP Awards for successful Norwegian NYC-based production team StarGate this week.
18th of April is the night of the annual ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) Awards in Los Angeles where prizes are being awarded to the preceding year’s best performing songs on US sales and radio charts. Out of 50 compositions that are being awarded with the coveted prize, three are produced by hot Norwegian NYC-based production team StarGate. The two-man team takes home the prestigious awards for the studio savvy displayed on Ne-Yo’s So Sick and Sexy Love as well as Rhianna’s hit Unfaithful.
Says StarGate’s Tor Erik Hermansen to Norwegian daily VG: ‘Needless to say, we’re incredibly proud. This is not a prize that’s being awarded to us on subjective criteria – it’s a testament to the actual performance of our productions last year. According to ASCAP, it’s not common for a ‘newcomer’ – as we are here in the US – to receive more than one prize. So much has happened over the last year - it’s been 13 months since our first success with Ne-Yo and his So Sick. One cannot take it for granted that each year will be as fruitful as the past – still, we feel that we’ve had a great start to 2007.’
Established in 1914, ASCAP is the first and leading U.S. Performing Rights Organization representing the world's largest repertory totaling over 8.5 million copyrighted musical works of every style and genre from more than 275,000 composer, lyricist and music publisher members.
In addition to their ASCAP awards, the StarGate team has also won another competition, namely a MySpace-based poll on what is to be the first single from r&b hotshot Mario’s next album. The StarGate produced track How Do I Breathe won the poll and will be the first single launched from the album that is scheduled for release on 17th of July.
Another StarGate-produced track that continues to perform well is the Beyoncé/Shakira duet Beautiful Liar which is currently No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. StarGate has also been hugely successful with another recent Beyoncé hit; Irreplaceable.
Headlines:
Himmelkvad
Celebrated vocal ensemble Nordic Voices is currently out on its promo tour for their new outing ‘Himmelkvad’, a critically acclaimed album presenting Norwegian composer Lasse Thoresen’s unique vocal universe. MIC Norway takes a closer look at the cutting-edge vocal ensemble and ground-breaking composer.
I was the devil in my younger years
Late Feb sees Enslaved heading out on a month-long European tour. MIC Norway hooked up with Enslaved’s Ivar Peersen to talk about musical cross pollination, inspirational sources, humour and his fascination for singer-songwriter Stein Torleif Bjella.
