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The prize, endowed with 20,000 francs, was presented to the metal / gospel formation on Thursday evening, November 19, 2020, in a YouTube broadcast. The band surrounding the American-Swiss Manuel Gagneux received the award in the open air in front of his band’s bar. For the first time, only four bands were nominated: Anna Rossinelli, Klaus Johann Grobe, Mehmet Aslan and Zeal & Ardor.
“Great international appeal even stronger”
The winning band launched in 2013. Zeal & Ardor caused a stir with the album Devil is Fine. Meanwhile, the band with its sound between Black Metal and Gospel has sold out concert tickets in several European countries and also in the USA. With the powerful sound of rock, the band has found an unmistakable style that also hits the nerve of the time in terms of content, for example with musical statements against racism and police violence.
(The Telebasel News article from April 15, 2017)
“In the last two years the band has even been able to strengthen its international splendor. The extraordinary independence and high quality promise an investment in the future also in 2020 ”, the jury explains their decision. If you want to win the Basler Pop award twice, you have to do it as Zeal & Ardor continues.
The expert jury chose four nominations for the award winner from an extensive catalog of suggestions, which music fans were able to bring up for the first time. 900 contributors contributed more than 250 names to the decision-making process, announced the Basel Rock Funding Association (RFV) as the responsible institution.
Recognition Award and “Spotlight”
In addition to the Basler Pop Award, two other awards were presented on Thursday. The award of recognition, worth 6,000 Swiss francs, went to the founder of the garage rock band The Lombego Surfers, Anthony Thomas, which has been around for decades. And the networker, booker, manager and club operator Steffi Klär received the first Spotlight Award from the RFV, worth 2,000 francs. This award is intended to recognize behind-the-scenes work on the pop stages.
The Basler Pop Award, created in 2009, honors bands and musicians from the pop / rock sector who reach prominent national and international levels and are relevant to the pop scene in the Basel region. After a hiatus last year, it is awarded every two years by the RFV, which has promoted regional pop music on behalf of the two Basle since 1994.
Previous winners of the Basel Pop Award:
2018: Audio Dope
2017: zeal and ardor
2016: Klaus Johann Grobe
2015: Serafyn
2014: James Gruntz
2013: Sheila loves you
2012: scum in cullet
2011: Anna Aaron
2010: Bianca’s Story
2009: navel
