When the Danish Music Awards Jazz 2025 takes over Store VEGA on Tuesday, December 2, it will once again feature an exceptionally strong lineup. The Danish jazz scene has flourished over the past year – no fewer than 193 albums have been submitted for this year’s album awards, along with 103 singles for the Single of the Year category.

After an intensive listening process, the main academy has assembled a field of nominees that showcases the diversity, innovation, and quality of contemporary Danish jazz. For the second year in a row, a live academy will also celebrate the scene’s musicians and venues in two dedicated live categories. The nominees across eight categories are now official — and ticket sales are already open.

Debutant nominated in four categories, and a strong showing from the Jazz Competition

Ronja Rose Andersson has had a meteoric rise within DMA Jazz. As vocalist and saxophonist in MUSViT, she is nominated both as Jazz Composer of the Year and New Jazz Artist of the Year. She also earns nods for Musician of the Year for her work on the band’s self-titled album, and for Single of the Year for her feature on Buster Isitt’s Kan Jag Glömma?

Since MUSViT won the Jazz Competition 2024, Andersson’s career has truly taken off. In the Musician of the Year category, she joins another past winner, Viktoria Søndergaard, who won in 2022 with the band Baryl. Veronika Rud, a finalist in this year’s competition, is nominated for New Jazz Artist of the Year. The talent development program thus makes a strong showing among this year’s nominees.

Familiar veterans and rising stars

While new talents make their mark, the list also includes well-established names. Jesper Zeuthen, Anders “AC” Christensen, and Marilyn Mazur are nominated for Jazz Album of the Year for their collaboration Sound Flower. AC also receives a personal nomination as Musician of the Year.

Søren Ulrik Thomsen & Det Glemte Kvarter are no strangers to DMA Jazz — they won Vocal Jazz Album of the Year back in 2013 and performed at the ceremony the following year. This year, they are nominated for Jazz Album of the Year with Aarhus Jazz Orchestra, which has itself been behind — and featured on — many previous DMA-winning and -nominated releases. Mikkel B. Grevsen earns a nomination as Jazz Composer of the Year for his compositions on the album.

The younger generation also stands out. ALAWARI, winners of New Jazz Artist of the Year 2022, are now nominated in the prestigious Jazz Album of the Year category, while the band’s Michaela Turcerová is up for Musician of the Year. Ida Duelund, previously nominated with Lueenas, is this year nominated under her own name — and impressively in three categories: Jazz Album of the Year, Jazz Composer of the Year, and Single of the Year.

A strong year for big bands and saxophonists

The Danish big band tradition is alive and well at this year’s DMA Jazz. Aarhus Jazz Orchestra, Odense Jazz Orchestra, and DR Big Band all appear among the album nominees, while Blood Sweat Drum + Bass are in the running for Live Act of the Year.

Th many saxophonists of the Danish scene also make a strong showing this year: Maria Faust, Mette Rasmussen (ØKSE), Michaela Turcerová (ALAWARI), and Ronja Rose Andersson amongst others all leave their mark on the 2025 nominations.

Nominees

Jazz Album of the Year

• ALAWARI – Leviathan (April Records)

• Jakob Dinesen – Slow Flow (April Records)

• Ida Duelund – Sibo (Initiated Records)

• Søren Ulrik Thomsen & Det Glemte Kvarter x Aarhus Jazz Orchestra – Hvor Alting Altid Er (Blue Blitz Music)

• Simon Toldam Trio – Alt Er Luft (ILK Music)

• Jesper Zeuthen, Anders Christensen, Marilyn Mazur – Sound Flower (Loveland Music)

• Winther / Andersson / Watts – Steep Steps (Hobby Horse Records)

• ØKSE – ØKSE (Backwoodz Studioz)

Jazz Composer of the Year

• Michael Bladt – Shapeshifter (Jaeger Community)

• Matt Choboter – Nagual (Kairos Music)

• Ida Duelund – Sibo (Initiated Records)

• Maria Faust – Marches Rewound & Rewritten (Stunt Records / Sundance Music)

• Jeppe Gram – Ghost of a City (Gateway Music)

• MUSViT – MUSViT (Self-released)

• Mark Solborg – TUNGEMÅL: Confluencia (ILK Music)

• Mikkel B. Grevsen – Hvor Alting Altid Er (Blue Blitz Music)

Alternative Jazz Album of the Year

• BISSESVINET – Blodager (Showbisse)

• Adrian Christensen – Narva (Gateway Music)

• DR Big Band – XL-LX (Storyville Records)

• Anne Efternøler & Lige Børn – Brugskunst (Hobby Horse Records)

• ØKSE – ØKSE (Backwoodz Studioz)

New Jazz Artist of the Year

• Adrian Christensen – Narva (Gateway Music)

• Gamelan Salukat x Jan Kadereit – Áshira (One World Records)

• The Mighty Tiny & The Many Few – Be The Good People (ÅND&)

• MUSViT – MUSViT (Self-released)

• Veronika Rud – Mens Jeg Venter (Blikflak Records)

Musician of the Year

• Ronja Rose Andersson – MUSViT (Self-released)

• Anders Christensen – Sound Flower (Loveland Music)

• Anne Efternøler – Brugskunst (Hobby Horse Records)

• Mikkel Ploug – Lento (Klein)

• Viktoria Søndergaard – Call Me A Princess (Ma Records)

• Michaela Turcerová – Leviathan (April Records)

• Claus Waidtløw – Summer Night (Waidtløw Music)

• Jesper Zeuthen – New Morning (Loveland Music)

Single of the Year

• Ida Duelund – Misi Miamo (Initiated Records)

• Buster Isitt feat. Ronja Rose Andersson – Kan Jag Glömma? (Buster Isitt Records)

• Johanna Linnea Jakobsson – Time (Zack’s Music)

• Sidste Nattog – Godnat (DiGiDi)

• Rasmus Sørensen – Perennial Youth (April Records)

Live Act of the Year

• Blood Sweat Drum + Bass

• Hvalfugl

• ilinx

Venue of the Year

• KLEIN / Karens Minde Kulturhus

• Sommerladen

• Struer Jazzklub

Join the Celebration of Danish Jazz

On December 2, Store VEGA will transform into the heart of Danish jazz as DMA Jazz 2025 celebrates the year’s musical highlights and award winners. Tickets are already on sale.

The evening’s host is Alice Carreri, who will guide the audience through the awards and live performances by Tabloid, Lotte Anker, Sophisticated Ladies & Kaare Munkholm, and Casper Hejlesen — along with passionate speeches for jazz by Marilyn Mazur, Kasper Tranberg, and Thorbjørn Øllgaard.

Read more about DMA Jazz, the categories, and the academy’s work here.

Top photo: Ida Duelund. Photo by Dennis Morton.