Sony Music Germany and Music Women* Germany announce the winners of the Female* Producer Prize 2025

Six winners in the categories Music Production and the newly launched category Songwriting

The prize includes a sponsoring package, masterclasses at Sony Music in Berlin, and a songwriting camp sponsored by Sony Music Publishing

Award ceremony on October 14 in Berlin

Sony Music Germany and Music Women* Germany announced the six winners of the fourth edition of the Female* Producer Prize. This year, the number of applications reached a new record high: a total of 280 people applied in 2025, bringing the total number of applications for the prize to almost 800.

Christoph Behm, CEO Sony Music GSA: “In recent years, the Female* Producer Prize has evolved into a significant platform that highlights underrepresented talent. Sony Music, in collaboration with our partner Music Women* Germany, is proud to present this prestigious award for the fourth consecutive year. Congratulations to all the winners!”

In addition to three producers, three songwriters are also being honored this year: Ylva Brandtsegg, Hanna Leess, and Nini Nutsubidze in the ‘Music Production’ category; and DEVADO, VAVUNETTHA, and Morea in the ‘Songwriting’ category. The winners were selected by a high-caliber jury drawn from the music industry.

On October 14, the winners were honored during an award ceremony in the ballroom of Fotografiska Berlin, hosted by Hadnet Tesfai.

Winners received various masterclasses at the Sony Music Circle Studios in Berlin, a comprehensive sponsorship package provided by Initiative Musik and SAE Institute as well as an invitation to a three-day songwriting camp hosted by Sony Music Publishing to compose new songs for successful artists. Winners will also be included in a roster for Sony Music Germany labels and artists, with the aim of fostering potential collaborations and reinforcing their visibility in the industry.

“The Female Producer Prize not only shines a spotlight on underrepresented talent, it actively opens doors,” said Philo Tsoungui, a winner of the Female* Producer Prize 2024 and now jury member for 2025. “Since receiving the award last year, I’ve been invited to contribute to more productions and, for the first time, truly feel recognized as a music creator. What started as a simple application turned into unimaginable opportunities. That’s why I’m thrilled to serve on this year’s jury and help open that same door for emerging talent.”

Since winning the Female* Producer Prize, several recipients from previous years have made remarkable strides in their careers. Mona Yim is now in demand internationally as a DJ and producer, Sheyda Minia produces for artists such as German rap star Samy Deluxe, EVÎN can be heard on Drake’s new track (‘What Did I Miss?’), Novaa has established herself as a producer and creative voice in the music industry, and Sera Kalo won the German Jazz Prize 2025.

The winners of the Female* Producer Prize 2025 in the category ‘Music Production’:

Ylva Brandtsegg: Ylva Brandtsegg is a Norwegian producer based in Berlin whose style encompasses pop, dance, and K-pop. She has composed and produced in studios across Europe and the US. Her successes include the viral techno track “Dornwald” and recent releases with Alok and Lavern.
Hanna Leess: As a self-taught singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist, Hanna Leess has made a name for herself with the album “Dirty Mouth Sweet Heart” (2016) and the EP “Invisible Moon” (2020). Her song ‘You Really Got Me’ was part of the soundtrack for “League Of Legends: Wild Rift” (2020). This year, she released her new album “innocent as a rose.” She has already toured with Damien Rice and José Gonzáles.
Nini Nutsubidze: The producer, songwriter, and singer from Georgia is currently completing her master’s degree in Creative Music Production. In her work, she combines Georgian cultural heritage with R&B, hip-hop, and electronic music. Her main artistic strengths are singing, production, and arrangement.

The winners of the Female* Producer Prize 2025 in the category ‘Songwriting’:

DEVADO: The German American writes and produces her feel-good urban pop songs herself, using only her voice and body sounds. With her energetic one-woman show, she stands for female empowerment through and through. Disney fans know her singing voice from the movie “Vaiana”.
VAVUNETTHA: The songwriter and producer creates pop music with hip-hop influences, addressing experiences shared by many with a migration background. She writes in German and Tamil and sees her music as a safe space for both personal and social issues.
Morea: The Berlin-based singer-songwriter and producer combines an intimate blend of folk, neo-soul, and indie in her music, characterized by emotional depth, personal honesty, and gentle, compelling lyrics. Morea is part of the Mamasweed Music Group, where she writes, produces, and records her music in a creative environment.

“It’s impressive how much talent and creativity exists within the German music market,” added Nico Rebscher, multi-platinum & gold producer/songwriter and jury member 2025. “Especially music production still lacks representation of women. Therefore, it’s amazing that the Female* Producer Prize has been showcasing excellence for several years now. Congratulations to this year’s outstanding winners!”

The jury for the Female* Producer Prize 2025:

Finja Nierth, Director Creative & Repertoire Sony Music Publishing
Jules Müller, A&R Manager Epic/Sony Music Entertainment
Nico Rebscher, Multi-Platinum & Gold producer/songwriter, credits include AURORA, Alice Merton, Louis Tomlinson, and Zoe Wees
Philo Tsoungui, Drummer, percussionist, and producer, winner of the Female* Producer Prize 2024
LINA, Gold-certified singer, songwriter, and actress. Several albums in the Top 10, sold-out GSA tour in 2023, multiple Echo nominations, named “Newcomer Songwriter of the Year” in 2013
2ir1n, Sirin Inci: Producer, Artist & DJ / credits include Wa22ermann, Babyjoy, Eli Preiss, Apsilon, DA TI

Jovanka v. Wilsdorf, initiator of the Female* Producer Prize: “The fact that this award continues to grow shows how well it has been received, but also how necessary it still is. We are very happy to have awarded outstanding winners for a fourth consecutive year. It is great to see how the support and visibility that the award brings has an impact on the careers of the winners.”