Dragons Break Borders

Having come out best in this year’s European Talent Exchange Program, it’s hardly surprising that Estonian indie-rock band Ewert & The Two Dragons has also picked up one of this year’s European Border Breaker Awards.

The gongs, which have previously gone to the likes of Adele, The Dø, KT Tunstall, Tokio Hotel, The Ting Tings, Lykke Li, The Script, Milow, Katie Melua, Mumford and Sons, Swedish House Mafia and Caro Emerald, are funded by the European Union Culture Programme and organized by Eurosonic Noorderslag, in partnership with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). 

 
They’re given in recognition of the success certain acts have achieved outside their own country.
 
To be eligible for the awards, artists must have enjoyed border-breaking success with their first international release in Europe between Aug. 1, 2011, and July 31, 2012. 
 
Winners are selected by music market analyst Nielsen Music Control on the basis of record sales and broadcast frequency and according to votes by European Broadcasting Union (EBU) radio stations and festivals participating in the European Talent Exchange Program (ETEP).
 
In Ewert’s case, the success also includes securing – through ETEP – slots on such major European outdoors as Lowlands Festival in The Netherlands, Austria’s Frequency Festival and Sweden’s Hultsfred Festival, among others.
The other Border Breaker winners are Nabiha from Denmark, French Films (Finland), C2C (France), Emeli Sandé (UK), Of Monsters and Men (Iceland), Dope D.O.D. (The Netherlands), Amor Electro (Portugal), Juan Zelada (Spain) and Niki and the Dove (Sweden).
 
The winners will receive their awards in a televised ceremony hosted by UK TV personality and musician Jools Holland at Eurosonic Noorderslag in Groningen, The Netherlands, Jan. 9.
 
The ceremony – including performances by most of the winning acts – will be broadcast by Dutch National Television (NTR) and also receive European coverage through TV and radio stations.
 
One of the winners will also receive a Public Choice Award. From Nov. 1 until Dec. 21, the public can vote for their favourite artist at www.ebba-awards.eu.