Sony Music Entertainment Germany and non-profit artist association, Music Women* Germany (MWG), today announced the winners of the Female* Producer Prize. The prize aims to support and promote the careers of emerging female-identifying producers from across the country. This year, more than 150 applications were received, and the seven winners* were selected by a five-member jury of experts.

The winners* will receive a substantial 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. The Award ceremony and workshop day will take place in Berlin on 14th September 2023.

Following a workshop day for the winners at the Sony Circle Studios, the award ceremony will take place in Berlin.

In addition, the shortlist of the top 20 female music producers of the Female* Producer Prize will be included to Sony Music’s and Neubau’s roster and shared on to the networks as well as music companies.

Jovanka v. Wilsdorf, initiator of the Female* Producer Prize:

"The great response and the enormously high level of over 150 applications this year have not only shown how overdue the Female* Producer Prize was, but above all, how many highly competent and visionary female music producers there are out there. Visibility develops a radiance that creates measurable success."

Mona Yim - Finalist of the Female* Producer Prize 2023:

"The Female* Producer Prize is incredibly important in creating more visibility and a bigger platform for female and non-binary producers. There are so many talented female producers who have perfected the technical aspect of producing in addition to the creative skills, and they deserve to be heard and seen!"

Sarah Schneider Head of A&R, Sony Music Columbia Records Germany: "More female and non-binary producers means more perspectives! This is again demonstrated by the outstanding quality of the many applications received. As a record label, we want to apply industry-wide approaches and tools to actively move forward to effect a change in the status quo."

The Female* Producer Prize is supported by Reeperbahn Festival (sponsored by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media), and is sponsored by Thomann, Ableton, Neubau, Female* Producer Collective, Sony Music and Sony Music Publishing.

The female* winners in 2023 are:

Mimski

Mimski started producing in early 2022, first in Germany and then in England, where she received a warmer welcome as a female producer than in Germany. There she submitted a beat for the Novembars competition, which helped her breakthrough: her first track was played directly on radio shows. She is currently working on her first album, which will be released on the RUNTLIFE Records label and working on an EP with King Kashmere as well as a Female Force EP with several female rappers.

Evîn

EVÎN is a German/Kurdish singer and producer in Alternative R&B. Her music combines elements from different genres like Soul and Hip-Hop with her Kurdish roots, giving her a characteristic sound within the German scene. Emotions and experiences, as well as themes like escape, memory culture and belonging can be found in Evîn's songs, which she writes and produces in her home studio in Berlin. April 2022 saw the release of Evîn's debut EP, followed immediately by her second EP "It wasn't even for you" in November 2022.

Kota No Uta

Singer-songwriter and producer Kota No Uta (from ORT?) works mainly in the direction of jazz, soul and neo soul. In October 2022 she released her song "Autumn Leaves" in self-production. At the moment she is working on two releases with great collaborators and her own EP.

Mona Yim

Mona Yim is a Chinese-German music producer, singer and DJ from Hamburg, Germany. Her music combines emotional vocal hooks with her self-produced electronic productions inspired by UK Garage, House and Electronica as well as influences from her training as a classical violinist and performer. Her debut release in 2022 was followed by further releases on labels such as Ninja Tune and remixes for Glass Animals, DJ Seinfeld among others. She has played venues such as O2 Academy Brixton, DGTL Festival, Printworks, KOKO and Warehouse Project.

Aufmischen

The producer Aufmischen started her first steps in the music industry as a drummer, in her studies she wrote contemporary compositions for classical ensembles before she dedicated herself completely to pop music. In 2022 her productions can be heard on the album of poetry artist Dshamilja Roshani, the EP of pop singer Pieke and numerous singles of other artists. More releases are planned for this year, such as the album by artist Elay.

Sheyda Minia

Iranian-born artist Sheyda Minia began playing the harp at the age of 8 and became a junior student at the Musikhochschule in Cologne at 13. At 16, she used her first self-earned money to buy an interface microphone and Logic music software so she could finally produce her own beats. At the end of 2021 she was discovered by Mehrzad Marashi the CEO of Impulse-Records GmbH, where she has been working as a producer ever since.

Just Honest

Music has saved producer Just Honest many times, so she had no choice but to bring her songs to life and produce them herself. Hoping to touch, heal and inspire the hearts of others. Her debut single "Toxic Culture" has already reached over 1 million streams, and her debut album "No Love No Hate" is about to be released.

The 2023 Jury Panel consisted of:

1. Novaa, producer and finalist of last year
2. 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
3. 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
4. Moses Schneider, Musicproducer and songwriter
5. Jovanka v. Wilsdorf, consultant, songwriter, and initiator of the DIANA AI songcontest and the female* producer prize
6. Sarah Schneider, Head of A&R at Columbia Records Germany, Sony Music Entertainment