November 11, 2009

By By Aymeric Pichevin, Paris

Emily Loizeau has won France's Prix Constantin music prize, presented during a ceremony at the Olympia venue in Paris.

The 34-year-old singer-songwriter won for her second album "Pays Sauvage" (Polydor/Universal). Loizeau was born of a French father and a British mother; she is the granddaughter of U.K. actress Peggy Ashcroft.

The prize jury was comprised of 19 media and retail professionals and chaired by French diamond artist Olivia Ruiz.

The award was created in 2002 with the support of French labels trade bodies Snep and Upfi; it was named after the late industry figure Philippe Constantin who died in 1996. It is designed to highlight new talents produced in France who have released an album between November 2008 and November 2009. Under the qualification criteria, nominated artists must not have received a gold certification in their career, except for their current album.

Loizeau had already been nominated for the Constantin Prize in 2006 for her first album, "A l'Autre Bout du Monde," issued on indie label Fargo.

Ten nominees were shortlisted including Loizeau: Babx (Karbaoui Records/Warner), Birdy Nam Nam (Has Been/Jive Epic/Sony Music), Diving With Andy (Summertime/Universal), Dominique A (Cinq 7/Wagram), Fredo Viola (Because), Hugh Coltman (Mercury/Universal), Orelsan (3eme Bureau/Wagram), Piers Faccini (T?t ou Tard), Yodelice (Mercury/Universal). Seven of them were singing in English, Coltman being from the U.K. and Viola from the U.S.

Those records where chosen from almost 150 albums submitted from their respective record companies.

All then acts performed during the Olympia show, which will receive coverage from state-owned radio channel France Inter and TV channels France 2 and France 4.

Subscribe to Billboard magazine today!