Added 03/02/2012 by ronni

Pitbull to receive top Latin gong

US Rapper Pitbull is to receive the prestigious president's prize at this year's BMI Latin Awards, organisers have announced.

The top award is presented to artists who have "distinctly and profoundly influenced the entertainment industry".

Last year the 31-year-old had a string of hits including Give Me Everything, Shake Senora and Rain Over Me.

Previous recipients of the award include Taylor Swift, Gloria Estefan and Willie Nelson.

Born in Florida to Cuban parents, Pitbull's real name is Armando Christian Perez.

His music incorporates a wide range of genres, from reggae and hip-hop to dancehall and Miami bass.

Although his lyrics are often bilingual - in Spanish and English - he refuses to be pigeonholed by his background.

"I'm not a Latin rapper," he told one interviewer at the start of his career. "I'm a rapper that happens to be Latin, you feel me?"

Pitbull hit number one in the UK last April with Give Me Everything, which went on to become the sixth best-selling single of the year.

His album, Planet Pit, went to number 11 later in the year.

The BMI (Broadcast Music Inc) Latin Awards take place on 30 March at the Encore Wynn in Las Vegas.

Added 02/02/2012 by ronni

French honour for Shakira

Shakira has received the French culture medal in Cannes for her contribution to the world of fine arts.

The Colombian singer of hit single Hips Don't Lie was presented with the honour by French minister of culture, Frederic Mitterand, on Saturday.

"I am so humbled to receive this honour in a country like France that has shared an important cultural legacy with the rest of the world," she said.

Shakira was in Cannes to open the NRJ Music Awards.

She performed her hit, Je L'Aime A Mourir.

Previous recipients of the French cultural honour, titled Chevalier, De L'Order des Arts et des Lettres, are poet TS Eliot, director Clint Eastwood and actor George Clooney.

Shakira also won the NRJ award of honour, and Justin Bieber took home the male version of the prize.

Adele won two awards, taking home international revelation of the year and international song of the year for Someone Like You.

Rihanna was named best international female.

According to BBC

Added 31/01/2012 by ronni

Anna Hildur Takes On NOMEX Role

Nordic Music Export (NOMEX) has been granted 2 million Danish Kronas from Nordic Council of Ministers. This is following the presentation of the NOMEX strategy, Strength in Unity.

Anna Hildur Hildibrandsdottir, former MD of Iceland Music Export, has been hired to be the programme director of NOMEX and starts her job full time on February 1st.

Anna will be working alongside the Icelandic, Swedish, Finnish, Norwegian and Danish export offices and focusing on strengthening connections across the Nordic market, while establishing a Nordic brand for music.

Anna will also be developing collaborative relationships with companies in the travel industry to benefit artists, promoters and music fans alike, as well as working on Nordic music in the Nordic media, building awareness of original contemporary music from all the Nordic countries.

Gunnar Madsen, head of The Danish Rosa Rock Council, is the chairman of the NOMEX board: "It's exciting to have funding to strengthen the Nordic collaboration. We have been working together informally for years so this is a very pleasing development which compliments the work that we are doing at the export offices in all of the countries.”

“We welcome Anna in her new role. She has a great experience both from working as a music manager in the past and PR person and consultant for brands like Iceland Airwaves and countless projects as well as her latest job as an MD at Iceland Music Export. Her knowledge and insight into the Nordic music scene will be helpful in establishing this new programme which brings Nordic music a platform which Films and Games have had for years.”

Anna Hildur will be based in London where she has lived for over 20 years but is spending a lot of her time in the different Nordic capitals over the next few months.