Agnes Obel scoops IMPALA European Independent Album of the Year Award with Citizen of Glass

21 March 2017 - Press release

Danish singer-songwriter Agnes Obel is the winner of this year's IMPALA European Independent album of the year award with her album Citizen of Glass. She succeeds artists such as Caribou, José Gonzalez, Adele or The xx.

Released in October 2016 by Play It Again Sam, Citizen of Glass is the third album of the Berlin-based artist. Obel has formed a strong and successful relationship with Play It Again Sam since the release of her first album, Philarmonics, back in 2010.
 
On the mysterious title of her album, Citizen of Glass, Agnes Obel explained: "The title comes from the German concept of the gläserner bürger, the human or glass citizen. It's actually a legal term about the level of privacy the individual has in a state, and in health it's become a term about how much we know about a person's body or biology or history – if they're completely made of glass we know everything."
 
Agnes Obel has recently embarked on a North American tour and will be back in Europe in May. The European Independent Album of the Year Award will be handed over in person on Saturday 13th May prior to her concert at the Philarmonie de Paris (Cité de la Musique).
 
Agnes Obel was shortlisted together with 24 other artists, showcasing the musical talent and diversity of releases by independent record labels across Europe. The shortlist included, among many others, Radiohead, Dubioza Kollektiv, Highasakite, Klaus Johann Grobe, Sara Renar, Lost Frequencies and Kase.O.
 
Quotes
Play It Again Sam Managing Director Peter Thompson: "How wonderful for Agnes' new album to be acknowledged in this way. She's a successful and well respected artist in many countries across Europe so seeing her receive the IMPALA award is a wonderful recognition of Agnes' widespread popularity and the sheer quality of the "Citizen of Glass" album. Totally deserved. »
 
IMPALA Executive Chair Helen Smith also commented: "This year's shortlist was once again a set of great albums. This year's deserved winner is a Danish artist, living in Germany and signed to a British label first launched in Belgium. That really sums up the European independent music sector today".
 
Kristoffer Rom, co-chairman of DUP, the Danish association of independent record labels, added: "DUP is thrilled that this year's award goes to a Danish artist – especially when it's to an artist as gifted as Agnes Obel. Citizen of Glass is a brave, creative and delicate record that keeps on opening doors to new worlds on every listen. It's been among the most played records in my collection since its release and I suspect it'll be so for a while".