RIHANNA vs. RUSSIA – ryska flickfavoriten Dima Bilan utmanar megastjärnan om ”Worldwide Act” på MTV-gala

Pressmeddelande 30 oktober 2012

Idag kan MTV berätta vilka artister som fans har röstat fram som sina favoriter i respektive världsdel. Rihanna är Nordamerikas val medan Dima Bilan är Europas val. Övriga vinnare, som tävlar om titeln ”Worldwide Act” är Han Geng (Asien); Ahmed Soultan (Afrika/Indien/Mellanöstern) och Restart (Latinamerika). Vem eller vilka som vinner avslöjas på galan 2012 MTV EMA som hålls live från Frankfurt av Heidi Klum söndagen den 11 november klockan 21.00.

Under galan kommer artister som Gangnam Style-Psy, Taylor Swift, Muse, No Doubt, Carly Rae Jepsen, fun., Rita Ora, Alicia Keys, Pitbull och The Killers att uppträda.

Fansen kan rösta fram vinnaren till “Worldwide Act” på www.mtvema.com eller http://m.mtvema.com på mobilen. Omröstningen avslutas den 9 november.

Dima Bilan blev känd när han vann Eurovisionsfestivalen 2008, som första ryska artist någonsin. Med 70 olika utmärkelser och sex stycken ”Best Russian Act EMA”-vinster och en gigantisk fanclub, utmanar han nu USA:s storstjärna; Rihanna.

För foton på artisterna, se här.

Kontakt Ellen Jurell, 070-555 3136, [email protected]

Om de nominerade

Dima Bilan (Europe) In 2008, Dima Bilan became the first Russian artist ever to win the international Eurovision song contest, with the song “Believe.” His songs are always topping Russian and foreign charts. Dima Bilan is supported by a huge army of fans and friends, and he has received more than 70 awards in the music sphere. Dima Bilan is the only artist who has won the Best Russian Act EMA six times.

Rihanna (North America) The Barbados-born R&B singer is an international megastar who has sold more than 25 million albums worldwide.

Han Geng (Asia Pacific) Known as “the most influential male celebrity in China,” Chinese Mando-pop singer and actor Han Geng debuted in South Korea in 2005 as the only Chinese member of Super Junior but left to focus on a solo career in 2009. His first solo album sold over 1 million copies, and tickets to his first concert sold out in a record-breaking 37 minutes. To date, he has received more than 20 awards for his solo works, including Best Artist of The Year and Most Popular Artist in Asia in 2011. Han Geng’s second album “Hope in the Darkness” was released in July 2012.

Ahmed Soultan (Africa/India/MiddleEast) With the success of his first single "Ya Salam," Ahmed Soultan reveals himself as the precursor of a new style he likes to call Afrobian Soul, for Afro-Arabian. His album “Tolerance” has been so greatly welcomed, and given such wide media coverage, that Ahmed Soultan has soon become one of the figureheads of the "Nayda," the new Moroccan scene. After a second album, released in 2009, in which he definitely asserts himself, his popularity in and over the Maghreb got confirmed. Singing in four languages (Amazigh, Arabic, English and French), he has been part of many international musical events, among them the Kora Awards in South Africa, the opening of a Tiken Jah Fakoli concert in Dakar, his contribution to the People Power song (with Talib Kweli, Angelique Kidjo and Zap Mama), Fez's Sacred Musics Festival, Marrakech's Moonfest, Casablanca Music Festival, and many other European scenes (Barcelona, Amsterdam, Paris). He collaborated with the famous American singer Ne-Yo on a song called "Amazing You." In 2011, his song "Jokko" was nominated as best North African song and best African reggae song of the year. He's now working on his third album (planned for spring 2013), for which he promises amazing and unexpected collaborations.

Restart (Latin America) Restart is a favorite band of fans and a huge success, and was last year’s Worldwide Act nominee for Latin America. They have many stories to tell, especially when it comes to the VMB, the annual award show for MTV Brasil. In 2010, the group was left with five statuettes – but was booed on stage. Thomas, Koba, Pe Lu and Pe Lanza formed the band in 2008 and since then, they have released three albums. Their latest release was “Geração Z” in 2011. Thanks to their international success, the group recently recorded their songs in Spanish, once again demonstrating their success both in Brazil and abroad.