Czeching 2021 knows its winner. International jury bets on Amelie Siba
The ninth edition of Radio Wave project, presenting Czech music to foreign audience, called Czeching culminated on 3 September in Prague's Fuchs2 club. Four of this year's nominees performed as part of Radio Wave's 15th birthday celebration. Amelie Siba emerged as the winner from the voting of an international jury of radio experts.
"With the Czeching project, Radio Wave has been supporting promising Czech musicians on their way to international audiences and listeners of youth radio since 2013. The collaboration with the artists does not end with the announcement of this year's winner. The winning project will gain six months of cooperation and support from Czech Radio," says Iva Jonášová, editor-in-chief of Radio Wave.
This year, Radio Wave's music editorial team nominated the genre-defying band Bert & Friends, whose distinctive synth poetics are dazzling an ever-growing audience, the internationally acclaimed electronic producer dné, and the singer Giudi, a genre-fluid artist presenting an authentic domestic pop statement. However, the international jury was most impressed by singer-songwriter Amelie Siba, who is celebrating success as one of the biggest hopefuls of the Prague guitar scene with her debut album Dye My Hair.
"I'm so happy, I really enjoyed my set after a long time, I played exactly the way I needed to. Combined with the feedback from the Czeching judges, it's the best feeling ever," said Amelie Siba immediately after the announcement. She now gets the opportunity to record a single and a music video and her music will be offered to the European Broadcasting Union's music exchange. In the autumn she will attend a workshop with a professional coach and in January 2022 she will perform at the Europe's biggest showcase festival Eurosonic Noorderslag in Groningen, the Netherlands.
The winner was chosen by a jury consisting of 16 experts from 13 countries, mainly from radio stations such as the BBC, Puls and Radio France, but also from the music festivals, such as Eurosonic Noorderslag and Budapest Showcase Hub.
"I came across Amelie back in May as part of the Liveurope initiative. I think she has a real potential," commented Laurent Marceau from the European Broadcasting Union on his choice. "A wonderful selection of nominations again this year, I really enjoyed listening to all of them, but Amelie Siba stood out – especially her amazing clear voice. I'd definitely like to see her live," says BBC presenter Bethan Elfyn on how she felt about this year's nominations.
In the past, bands such as Wild Tides, VR/NOBODY and Himalayan Dalai Lama, singers and producers Never Sol, Zagami Jericho, Hellwana, and the winners of the last two editions, Viah and Tea Sofia, have performed beyond the borders thanks to their wins at the Czeching.
More information about the project can be found at wave.cz/czeching.