HMA 2021 - PHASE 2: 9 NOMINEES

We are thrilled to announce the 9 International Finalists for the HEMI Music Awards 2022! These 9 exceptional European artists will now have access to mentoring and training activities targeted towards developing their skills and competencies in communication and revenue streams, with the aim to help propel their international career! Embarking on this promising HEMIsphere adventure, each of the nominees earns a total prize value of € 2,000!  

Along with the training program, the 9 finalists will be performing and presenting a song of their choice during the HMA Live Music Session, an online event that will give the opportunity to both audiences and Jury members to discover them live on stage! 

We present you below the HMA 2022 Phase 2 finalists in alphabetical order by country of origin! Discover all the beautiful and diverse sounds from our HEMIsphere!

AIKO_CZ
Czech Republic (CZ)
Moscow-born, Czech republic raised and London-based, Aiko is an artist with a unique blend of cultures and influences who explores subjects such as love, solitude, and understanding of self with her music – and isn’t that just something society needs right now?

AIKO_CZ
Czech Republic (CZ)
Alfah-Femmes_PL
Poland (PL)
Alfah Femmes is a seven-person band from Gdansk, Poland. Their music takes from new wave, no wave, and cold wave, but also from art-pop, synth-pop, art-punk, post-punk, post-grunge, as well as general indie and classical genres.

Alfah-Femmes_PL
Poland (PL)
Estonia (EE)
Though their music is often tied to traditions of Americana roots music, Holy Motors hail from Tallinn, Estonia, an incongruence that adds to this band’s endless allure. Their critically acclaimed debut album Slow Sundown put them on the map as an unignorable group of post-Soviet cowgirl/boys making music “that sounds like the old American West” (Fader).

Estonia (EE)
Republic of Serbia (RS)
KOIKOI is a fresh name from the vibrant and ever-evolving Belgrade (Serbia) music scene that first made the rounds in 2019 with the song on a compilation by Hali Gali, a platform that brings together new generations of musicians and audience, unencumbered by genres and prejudices.

Republic of Serbia (RS)
Slovenia (Sl)
Pantaloons trio is a community of three “clumsy fellows” as they like to call themselves. Luka Belič (saxophone), Aljaž Markežič (sousaphone), and David Nik Lipovac (drums) first emerged as part of the Chilli Brass Band in 2016 where they started experimenting with musical melodies and rhythms in a jam session form.

Slovenia (Sl)
Greece (GR)
Whereswilder is a rock quartet hailing from Athens, Greece. Athenian rockers started out in 2014 with their trippy/psychedelic LP, “Yearling”. The record was one of the first European attempts of neo-psychedelic rock music and was critically acclaimed by fans of old-school 60s music.

Greece (GR)
Romania (RO)
Zimbru is an indie / art-rock band from Cluj-Napoca, Romania comprised of Teodora Retegan, Paul Bucovesan, Andrei Bobiș and Oana Pop. Their sound can be described as a wild mix of raspy synthesizers, angular guitar riffs, and lively percussion all topped off by stories of dancing, lost pets, real love, and nostalgia for never experienced past decades.

Romania (RO)
North Macedonia (MK)
Zulu 3.4 is a contemporary band from Skopje, founded in March 2018 by Damjan Danevsi with the idea to bring together young jazz enthusiasts, whose goal was is create a unique sound through the fusion of different styles and bring new musical experience to the Macedonian stage.

North Macedonia (MK)
Hungary (HU)
Дeva is a fully DIY solo project by the 21-year-old Budapest-based musician, Dorina Takács. She writes and produces her own tracks, and also sings and designs her artworks. Дeva’s music features are atmospheric smooth sounds, pulsating bass, and polyphonic mantras inspired by magical Hungarian folk songs.

Hungary (HU)