in-cyprus 22 January 2020 -Edited by Josephine Koumettou
Multi-award-winning Cypriot band Monsieur Doumani have posted on their social media account a video of their performance at the Songlines Music Awards 2019 that took place in London last month, where they were crowned Best Group for the year.
Songlines is a British magazine with a 20-year history that covers world music and is popular among traditional and root music fans around the globe.
The 11th edition of the magazine’s annual Songlines Music Awards ceremony took place last month at London’s Earth Hall. According to the magazine, the awards aim “to showcase some of the remarkable artists from around the world that we’ve covered in the magazine.”
The shortlisting of nominees is conducted by a selection committee comprising world music journalists, the magazine’s readers as well as the general public.
Monsieur Doumani, who had been nominated twice in the past at the same event, went home with the Best Group award for 2019.
Watch the video of the band’s performance at the London awards ceremony:
The winners in full:
Best Artist – Gaye Su Akyol (Turkey)
Best Group – Monsieur Doumani (Cyprus)
Africa & Middle East – Fatoumata Diawara (Mali)
Americas – Orquesta Akokan (Cuba)
Asia & Pacific – Small Island Big Song (Pacific & Indian Ocean Islands)
Europe – Mariza (Portugal)
Fusion – Catrin Finch & Seckou Keita (Wales/Senegal)
Americas – Orquesta Akokan (Cuba)
Asia & Pacific – Small Island Big Song (Pacific & Indian Ocean Islands)
Europe – Mariza (Portugal)
Fusion – Catrin Finch & Seckou Keita (Wales/Senegal)
Monsieur Doumani were formed in 2012 in Nicosia, Cyprus. Coming from different musical backgrounds, but influenced by the Cypriot tradition at various levels, Monsieur Doumani compose Cypriot songs that draw inspiration from contemporary Cypriot society as well as from the shaky conditions of our era. The original identity of the project was determined by the adaptation of Cypriot traditional pieces, with a special contemporary colour in sound and mood, forming a style distinctively their own. The group have released 3 studio albums which gained them worldwide recognition. For more information, you can visit the group’s website www.monsieurdoumani.com