Nelly Furtado, German rock singer Herbert Gronemeyer and Berlin pop duo Ich+Ich have each received three nominations for the German record industry’s 17th Echo Awards, which will be presented Feb. 15 in Berlin.
Furtado is nominated in the international female artist category alongside Avril Lavigne, Katie Melua, Rihanna and Amy Winehouse. Furtado’s album “Loose” has been nominated in the album of the year award, while her single “Say It Right” has been nominated in the international hit of the year category.
Gronemeyer is nominated in three categories: rock/pop national artist, album of the year and most successful music DVD production (national). The duo Ich+Ich have been nominated in the national rock/pop group, hit of the year and best national video categories.
The nominees in the international rock/pop artist category are James Blunt, Michael Buble, Mika, Bruce Springsteen and Timbaland. The international rock/pop group nominees are Bon Jovi, Eagles, Linkin Park, Snow Patrol and Sunrise Avenue.
The awards executive producer Gerd Gebhardt says James Blunt, German pop duo Ich+Ich and Alisha Keys would be performing live at the ceremony in the International Congress Center in Berlin. TV broadcaster RTL will transmit the ceremony on a delayed basis on the same evening in a two-hour program, starting at 8:15 pm.
The Echo awards is “one of the world’s most important music awards [ceremonies],” said Dieter Gorny, chairman of Echo organizer the German Phonographic Association and of labels body BPW in Berlin today. “Each year, it impressively documents the successes of the German music industry.”
The Echo has been awarded in 23 categories since 1992. The majority of awards are voted by an industry panel.
