2024-05-09 14:32:45
The album of the year at the Apollo Czech music critics’ awards was Pozdravy z polepšovna, recorded by Berlin-based musician Anna Vaverková. The statuette was received this Thursday evening in Prague’s Lucerna Music Bar, the attendance was rather symbolic.
“Statistically, I didn’t count on that. All the nominated albums are very good, so I really appreciate it. Listen to them all. Congratulations to everyone for releasing great music,” said Vaverková, who was chosen by the judges from seven nominees. In addition to the statuette from the designers Maxim Velčovský and Jan Jaroš, she received a check for 20,000 crowns. In the single of the year category, the virtual project Nivva won with the song Sirens. The recording of the broadcast can be viewed retrospectively in Czech Television’s iVyslínia.
“Congratulations to all the winners. As a girl, I am very happy that female voices won this year,” said Saša Langošová, singer of the rock band November 2nd. She performed live at the Apollo awards, as well as the electronic group Ohm Square and singer-songwriter Jáchym Kovář alias Yasha 96.
Anna Vaverková named her award-winning debut album, on which she mixes authentic lyrics with a pop sound and catchy melodies, after a memory. She said she always heard the call to “get better” when saying goodbye to her father. “Neither I nor my brother know why he said that, they say it’s simply a greeting that his dad used to say to him. That’s why it’s also open in that song,” she said.
Vaverková, a native of Prague, is better known abroad than at home, with the Berlin band The Flavians she performed at England’s Glastonbury festival in 2019. This year, for a change, she performed at the South by Southwest show in Austin, Texas. For the album Pozdravy z polepšovna, she already received the Anděl award in the alternative and electronica category in March, and was also nominated for the Vinyla award.
The winner of the single of the year, Nivva, is a Prague-based audiovisual project led by a digital avatar that allows the creators to remain anonymous. The introverted singer, composer and 3D graphic artist who lent Nivva her voice was inspired by her own face when creating her graphic form. The Nivva project received a check for 10,000 crowns for winning the single of the year category.
This year, the organizers awarded the Apollo Awards for the thirteenth time. Last year, they honored guitarist and producer Lazer Viking for the recording Tunnel Vision, and the ten-member jury declared the composition 7teen by the musician Mata213 as the single of the year.
Video: Anna Vaverková sings Polepšovna
The single Polepšovna from Anna Vaverková’s award-winning debut album. | Video: Kabinet Records