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November 30, 2021
PRESS RELEASE
Apple declares third annual Apple Music Award winners: The Weeknd wins world award for Artist of the Yr; Olivia Rodrigo and H.E.R. additionally take house high awards
Apple offers 5 new Regional Artist of the Yr awards to Aya Nakamura (France), OFFICIAL HIGE DANDISM (Japan), RIN (Germany), Scriptonite (Russia), and Wizkid (Africa)
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple right this moment introduced the winners of the third annual Apple Music Awards, recognizing the perfect artists of 2021 and their affect on world tradition.
The Apple Music Awards honor achievements in music throughout 5 distinct classes — Artist of the Yr, Songwriter of the Yr, Breakthrough Artist of the Yr, Prime Music of the Yr, and Prime Album of the Yr — and winners are chosen by a course of that displays each Apple Music’s editorial perspective and what clients all over the world are listening to essentially the most.
This yr, the Apple Music Awards will introduce a brand new class of awards for Regional Artist of the Yr, recognizing artists from 5 international locations and areas: Africa, France, Germany, Japan, and Russia. The Regional Artist of the Yr awards acknowledge artists who made the best affect culturally and on the charts of their respective international locations and areas.
“The previous 12 months have proved to be a exceptional yr for music, and we’re thrilled to honor the artists who’re shaping tradition and connecting with followers all over the world on Apple Music,” mentioned Oliver Schusser, Apple’s vp of Apple Music and Beats. “This yr we’re additionally recognizing extra regional artists, exhibiting the world the affect of extraordinary gifted musicians who’re making waves globally.”
The Apple Music Awards celebration kicks off Tuesday, December 7, 2021, with interviews, authentic content material, and extra all streaming worldwide on Apple Music and the Apple TV app. Music followers who are usually not already subscribed to Apple Music can join a three-month free trial at apple.com/apple-music.
And the winners are…
International Artist of the Yr: The Weeknd
Filtering R&B and pop by an bold widescreen lens, The Weeknd took over standard music and tradition on his personal phrases. The worldwide famous person’s 2020 album “After Hours” rapidly surpassed a million pre-adds on Apple Music, and is essentially the most pre-added album of all time by a male artist on the platform. “After Hours” additionally holds the document for essentially the most streamed R&B/Soul album in its first week in 73 international locations. The smash single “Blinding Lights” peaked at No. 1 on Apple Music’s Each day Prime 100: International chart, and ranks as one of many 20 most Shazamed songs of all time. The Weeknd additionally hosts the massively standard taste-making Apple Music Radio present “MEMENTO MORI,” celebrated for its eclectic playlists and main world premieres. He’s graced latest covers of TIME, Forbes, Selection, Rolling Stone, Esquire, Harper’s Bazaar, and GQ, and blew away followers together with his 2021 Tremendous Bowl LV Halftime Present, which was some of the Shazamed moments of the yr.
“I’m so grateful for this enormous honor and wish to thank Apple for all its assist, not just for my work but in addition for nice music by newer artists, the place it issues a lot for creators to be discovered and supported,” The Weeknd mentioned.
Breakthrough Artist of the Yr, Album of the Yr, and Music of the Yr: Olivia Rodrigo
For Olivia Rodrigo, 2021 will go down because the yr of epic firsts. The 18-year-old singer-songwriter launched her tear-soaked debut single, “drivers license,” in January, which rapidly topped the charts and have become some of the streamed new releases of the yr. “drivers license” registered the best first-week streams ever for a debut single by an artist on Apple Music globally, reaching No. 1 on the Each day Prime 100: International chart, the place it remained for over a month, and was the fastest-ever debut solo monitor by a US artist to build up 5 million Shazams. Her extremely anticipated debut album, “SOUR,” adopted in Could, and was celebrated with an Apple Music First Hear digital occasion with followers and an accompanying interview with Zane Lowe. “SOUR” carries the best first-week streams for a debut album on Apple Music globally, with all 11 songs on the album ranked on the Each day Prime 100: International chart, in addition to the Each day Prime 100 chart in 66 extra international locations. Rodrigo has been on the quilt of Apple Music playlists Right now’s Hits, A-Listing Pop, and New Music Each day, and closes her life-changing yr because the deserving recipient of her first three Apple Music Awards. She took house Breakthrough Artist, Album of the Yr (“SOUR”), and Music of the Yr (“drivers license”).
“I did my first interview for ‘drivers license’ with Apple Music, and a lot has occurred since then,” Rodrigo mentioned. “It’s really surreal. Thanks to Apple Music for these wonderful awards.”
Songwriter of the Yr: H.E.R.
Award-winning singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist H.E.R.’s work throughout the R&B style grew much more expansive in 2021 with the discharge of her acclaimed 21-track album “Again of My Thoughts,” which captures the artist at her most good, assured, and freewheeling. The chart-topping album was the third most streamed R&B/Soul album on Apple Music in its first week of launch by a feminine artist this yr, with singles “Harm” and “Come By way of” (that includes Chris Brown) each spending a number of weeks on the Each day Prime 100 chart in over 30 international locations. The previous Apple Music Up Subsequent artist additionally penned the anthemic authentic “Battle for You” for the celebrated movement image “Judas and the Black Messiah,” and lined Marvin Gaye’s “Inside Metropolis Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)” for Apple Music’s unique “Juneteenth: Freedom Songs” compilation. H.E.R. is a daily visitor on Zane Lowe and Ebro Darden’s reveals on Apple Music 1, and he or she has been featured as the quilt of standard Apple Music playlists New Music Each day, R&B Now, and extra.
“I’m very honored and blessed to obtain this recognition,” H.E.R. mentioned. “As a younger Black and Filipino artist, and a lady who’s on the stage giving my all, there’s little question that illustration is vital. Thanks a lot, Apple Music.”
Artist of the Yr (Africa): Wizkid
Singer-songwriter Wizkid is considered one of Africa’s largest crossover acts, having labored with Drake, Skepta, and Chris Brown, amongst others. The Nigerian musician first discovered regional success in 2011 with the massively standard single “Holla at Your Boy,” which appeared on his debut album, “Famous person.” Wizkid went world in 2016 after his collaboration with Drake on “One Dance,” which soared to the highest of the charts in 15 international locations. Between 2019 and 2020, Wizkid was featured in Beyoncé’s tasks “The Lion King: The Present” and its companion piece, “Black Is King.” In October 2020, he launched “Made in Lagos,” his critically acclaimed and most commercially profitable album, which included his hit track “Essence,” a monitor that gained 125 million performs on Apple Music and over 2.8 million Shazams. This previous yr, he’s been essentially the most streamed African artist on the continent on Apple Music and ranked on the Each day Prime 100 charts in 60 international locations, along with his month-to-month performs on Apple Music rising by greater than 250 p.c exterior of Africa. He’s additionally been featured on Apple Music’s Right now’s Hits and R&B Now playlists, and he’s a frequent visitor on Apple Music Radio reveals, together with “Africa Now Radio,” “The Ebro Present,” “New Music Each day with Zane Lowe,” and “OVO SOUND RADIO.”
“Thanks to Apple Music for this award,” Wizkid mentioned. “It’s a blessing to get to do what I do, and I’m proud to be representing for Africa.”
Artist of the Yr (France): Aya Nakamura
French-Malian pop singer Aya Nakamura is essentially the most streamed Francophone artist on the planet. Greatest identified for her hit track “Djadja,” she has launched three albums that includes numerous chart-topping songs, together with “Copines,” “Pookie,” “Plus Jamais,” and “Jolie nana,” and he or she has been on the quilt of Apple Music’s Hits Français playlist. In France, Nakamura is among the solely feminine artists to constantly seem within the streaming charts in a market dominated by male rappers, and her album “AYA” garnered the best first-week streams for an album launched by a feminine artist on Apple Music. Her songs “Jolie nana” and “Plus Jamais” maintain the highest two spots for the best first-week streams for a track by a feminine artist on Apple Music in France, and all 15 songs on the album entered the Each day Prime 100 chart in France, Belgium, and Niger, with “Jolie nana” peaking at No. 1 in these international locations. Her track “Bobo” additionally peaked at No. 1 on the Each day Prime 100 chart in France, Niger, Cape Verde, and Micronesia. It marked her fifth single topping France’s Each day Apple charts.
“I’m extraordinarily honored to be the very first Francophone artist to win an Apple Music Award as Artist of the Yr (France),” Nakamura mentioned. “Thanks, Apple!”
Artist of the Yr (Germany): RIN
Rapper Renato Simunovic, aka RIN, was born in 1994 in Bietigheim-Bissingen close to Stuttgart within the south of Germany. After releasing his first EP, “Genesis,” in 2016, his debut album, “Eros,” adopted rapidly in 2017. A 25-time gold and three-time platinum artist, RIN has carried out numerous reside reveals, accomplished options with legends, and collaborated with among the world’s most influential manufacturers. Together with his third album, “Kleinstadt,” RIN freed himself from the concept of what German rap ought to sound like, and followers and critics alike cite this album as massively influential in shaping the present sound of rap within the south of Germany. He was the primary German artist to host his personal present on Apple Music, “KLEINSTADTRADIO,” tied to the brand new album, and he has graced the quilt of Apple Music’s HYPED and Deutschrap 100 playlists.
“2021 was such a very good yr for me as a result of it has borne lots of fruit of issues that I postponed for a very long time,” RIN mentioned. “My music has developed in the identical sense. I’m way more private.”
Artist of the Yr (Japan): OFFICIAL HIGE DANDISM
Shaped in Shimane, Japan, in 2012, OFFICIAL HIGE DANDISM, aka HIGEDAN, consists of lead vocalist and keyboardist Satoshi Fujihara, guitarist Daisuke Ozasa, bassist and saxophonist Makoto Narazaki, and drummer Masaki Matsuura. They launched their debut mini album, “Like to Peace wa Kimi no Naka,” in 2014. Their first full-length album, “Escaparade” — which incorporates their standard track “No Doubt” — was launched in 2018, nevertheless it was their second single, “Pretender,” that rocketed to the highest of the Apple Music charts in Japan. HIGEDAN entered Shazam’s rising artists lists in Japan and Australia for the primary time in June 2019, forward of the discharge of the band’s follow-up album, “Traveler,” which grew to become their first No. 1 album in Japan. The group has been featured in three totally different Apple Music Japan commercials, with their hit songs “Stand by You” and “I Love…,” together with the 2021 track “Apoptosis,” taken from their third album, “Editorial,” which carries the third-highest first-week streams for an album launched in 2021 in Japan, and was lately featured in an Apple Music Japan spatial audio with Dolby Atmos industrial. The band has additionally made a number of visitor appearances on “J-Pop Now Radio” on Apple Music 1.
“We didn’t know Japanese artists may win this award and have been shocked once we have been informed,” the band mentioned. “We’re tremendous comfortable to be the winners of the primary Apple Music Award for Artist of the Yr (Japan).”
Artist of the Yr (Russia): Scriptonite
Rapper Scriptonite, aka Adil Zhalelov, was found by Basta and signed to his label Gazgolder in 2015. Scriptonite’s debut album, “Home with Regular Exercise,” grew to become an instantaneous basic and has been deemed one of many largest information of the brand new Russian hip-hop revolution. In 2017, Scriptonite adopted up with two extra LPs on Gazgolder, rising to the top-ranked producer and performer of the present hip-hop period, with followers and critics crediting him as a very powerful voice and sound of the brand new era. After beginning his personal label, Musica36, in 2019, Scriptonite’s “2004” album was launched completely on Apple Music to essential acclaim, changing into the No. 1 streamed document of the yr. Scriptonite additionally holds the document for the 2 most streamed albums for its first week on Apple Music in 5 international locations (Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Moldova). His single “Child Mama” landed him within the Prime 20 of worldwide Shazam charts. In 2020, Apple Music completely launched the quick movie “Behind Scriptonite’s ‘2004’” together with a “36 Jam” reside live performance of all Musica36 artists. This yr noticed the discharge of his album “Svistki Y Bumazhki,” in addition to a COVID-postponed present in Moscow, each launched completely on Apple Music. Scriptonite has graced the covers of Apple Music’s Kirillitsa, Russian Hits, and New Music Each day playlists, and he’s presently engaged on his first English-language document in collaboration with Gee Baller, a younger Nigerian rising star who lately signed to Musica36.
“This award is the end result of an unbelievable few years, and Apple Music has been with me for a lot of it alongside the way in which,” Scriptonite mentioned. “Thanks for the popularity.”
In regards to the Apple Music Awards
Apple designed a collection of bodily awards that characterize the extraordinary craftsmanship integral to creating music. Every award options Apple’s customized silicon wafer suspended between a refined sheet of glass and a machined and anodized aluminum physique. The results of this multi-month course of, earlier than it’s sliced into tons of of particular person chips, is beautiful and distinctive. In a symbolic gesture, the identical chips that energy the gadgets that put the world’s music at listeners fingertips sit on the very coronary heart of the Apple Music Awards.
About Apple Music
Apple loves music. Apple revolutionized the music expertise with iPod and iTunes. Right now, Apple Music celebrates musicians, songwriters, producers, and followers with a catalog of over 90 million songs, expertly curated playlists, and the perfect artist interviews, conversations, and world premieres with the award-winning Apple Music Radio. With authentic content material from essentially the most revered and beloved individuals in music, autoplay, time-sync lyrics, Lossless Audio, and immersive sound powered by Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos, Apple Music provides the world’s finest listening expertise, serving to listeners uncover new music and luxuriate in their favorites whereas empowering the worldwide artist neighborhood. Apple Music is offered in over 165 international locations and areas on iPhone, iPad, iPod contact, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, HomePod mini, CarPlay, and on-line at music.apple.com, plus standard good audio system, good TVs, and Android and Home windows gadgets. Apple Music is ad-free and by no means shares shopper knowledge with third events. Extra info is offered at apple.com/apple-music.
About Apple
Apple revolutionized private expertise with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Right now, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV. Apple’s 5 software program platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS — present seamless experiences throughout all Apple gadgets and empower individuals with breakthrough providers together with the App Retailer, Apple Music, Apple Pay, and iCloud. Apple’s greater than 100,000 staff are devoted to creating the perfect merchandise on earth, and to leaving the world higher than we discovered it.
Press Contacts
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