The Sámi Grand Prix, often abbreviated as SGP, is a Sámi yoik and song competition organized annually by the Sámi Music Festival organization (, ), featuring participants from all corners of Sápmi. While the majority of its participants have been from the Norwegian side of Sápmi, Sámi from the Swedish, Finnish, and Russian sides have been increasingly participating in recent years too.
Each participant submits an original piece to be performed live in an auditorium in Kautokeino during the Sámi Easter Festival. Originally broadcast on the radio in a limited area, they have started to be shown on TV and livestreamed as well and can be watched from anywhere in the world. Listeners and viewers can cast their vote for their favorites in two categories. A combined televoting and jury result is calculated for each participant. The televotes and the jury votes each currently count for 50% of the participant's scores. The participants who receive the most votes in the song category and in the yoik category are declared the winners of these respective categories.
History The first Sámi Grand Prix was held in 1990 with four participants in the yoik category and eight in the song category. All but one of the contestants was from the Norwegian side of Sápmi and most of these were from Kautokeino Municipality. Each contestant performed a single yoik or song. The winning yoik was Báktevári searat, performed by Johan Anders Eira. The winning song was Muital midjiide, performed by Ellen and Magnus Vuolab of the band Sáve.
In 1993, the Áillohaš Music Award was created. It has been awarded every year since then, including 2020, to a Sámi musician to honor their contributions to the diverse world of Sámi music. The first recipient of this award was Mari Boine.
Since 2001, a CD album has been made of the competitors' performances each year, except for in 2014. That year's album was not released until the following year, when it was published in conjunction with the 2015 competition as a double CD.
Sámi Grand Prix had been held every year until 2020, when the entire Sámi Easter Festival was cancelled due to the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the various restrictions imposed by the governments of the countries the participants live in. Even though the festival was cancelled, the 2020 Áillohaš Music Award was still awarded to an accomplished Sámi musician, this time to SlinCraze, a Sámi rapper who has spent more than 15 years so far pioneering new ways to use Northern Sámi in music.
The following year, the contestants from the cancelled contest were automatically entered into the 2021 edition of the Sámi Grand Prix. Due to the ongoing pandemic, the contest was held without a live show and the contestants' prerecorded performances were instead broadcast online.
Format The Sámi Grand Prix has two separate categories for competitors: a yoik category and a song category. Every year, participants compete in these two categories with unpublished, original pieces. At first, the number of yoikers and singers varied, but nowadays the contest is open to 10 individual yoikers and 6 singers or bands. The winner of each category receives a monetary prize of 20,000 Norwegian crowns, a diploma, and a stipend to be used for organizing and performing a concert on the main stage during the following year's Sámi Easter Festival.
In spite of its name, the yoik category is not limited to yoiks. Competitors in this category can also participate with other traditional vocal melodies such as the Inari Saami livđe, the Skolt Saami leuʹdd, and Southern Saami vuelie. As is traditional, these are unaccompanied by instrumental music. If the competitor wishes to use instrumental music, they must compete in the song category.
The song category is not restricted to a certain genre, but any lyrics in the songs must be in one of the Saami languages. Since 2006, the winner of this category has goes on to compete in what was then called Liet-Lávlut, a music competition for minority languages in Europe. Since the European competition has not been held every year, not every winner of the song category has been able to represent Sápmi in the competition.
Sámi Grand Prix winners Winners of the yoik category Year Country Artist(s) Yoik 1990 Norway Johan Anders Eira Báktevári searat 1991 Norway Anders Nils J. Eira Anders Nils Eira 1992 Norway Anders Nils J. Eira Johan M. Kemi 1993 Norway Marit Gaup Eira Mihkkal Juhán 1994 Norway Anders Aslak N. Eira Mathis Rasmus 1995 Norway Anders Aslak N. Eira Nils Lars 1996 Norway Anders P. Bongo Mikkel Ánná 1997 Norway Marit Gaup Eira Hilbon Májjáš 1998 Norway Nils Jørgen Utsi John Máhtte 1999 Norway Berit Anne Oskal Kemi Dovnnas luohtái 2000 Sweden Lars-Ánte Kuhmunen Gabna duottar 2001 Russia Anfissa Agueva Meleš 2002 Norway Ellen Oskal Ellen Sara Oskal Gaup 2003 Norway Marit Gaup Eira John Martin 2004 Norway John Mathis Utsi Issát Ánte 2005 Norway Anne Berit Peltoperä and Solveig Skum Solbakken Áinnut 2006 Finland Anna-Reetta Niemelä Golleeatnama mánná 2007 Norway Anne Berit Peltoperä Helene 2008 Norway Ánte Niillas N. Bongo Sara Inga 2009 Norway Inga Biret Márjá Triumf and Ann Caroline Eira Johan Martin Eira 2010 Norway John Mathis A. Utsi Rásttoš Jovnna 2011 Norway Jan Ole Hermansen Inga Karita 2012 Norway Marit Kristine H Sara Máhtte Ánte 2013 Norway Per Bueng Kate Heidi 2014 Sweden Jörgen Stenberg Nejla 2015 Norway Johan Anders Bær Skomáhkár Ánde 2016 Norway Johan Ivvár Gaup Mikkel Andreas 2017 Norway John-André Eira Svein Egil Hætta 2018 Norway Hans Ole Eira Mina Helene 2019 Norway Kim Hallgeir Berg John Heandarat 2020 No winners. Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic 2021 Norway Máhtte Ánte J. Sara Karen Marianne 2022 Sweden Jörgen Stenberg Skilgget 2023 Sweden Saara Hermansson Goeksege 2024 Sweden Nils-Ove Kuorak Njealječalmmát 2025 Norway Oscaal Sávrrimus2026 NorwayÁnte Niillas BongoNášša álddut
Winners of the song contest Year Country Artist(s) Song 1990 Norway Sáve "Muital midjiide" 1991 Norway Marit Elisabeth Hætta Øverli "Jáddá go beaivi?" 1992 Norway Audhild Valkeinen "Máná eallinmokta" 1993 Norway Ann-Mari Andersen "Ráhkisvuohta seamma lea" 1994 Norway/ Finland Inger Marie Gaino Nilut and Niko Valkeapää "Duinna gávnnadit" 1995 Finland Niko Valkeapää "Vádjolus" 1996 Norway Nils Henrik Buljo "Go beaivváš badjána" 1997 Norway Anne Inger and Marit Elisabeth Eira "Don" 1997 Norway Berit Sara "Min duoddarat" 1998 Norway Anja Vesterheim "Guorus váibmu" 1999 Norway Anja Vesterheim "Boares muitu" 2000 Norway Marit Susanne Utsi "Duinna" 2001 Sweden Sofia och Anna "Meahci mánná" 2002 Russia Elvira Galkina "Immel agk" 2003 Sweden Sofia Jannok "Liekkas" 2004 Sweden Johan Kitti "Eŋgelat lávllodit" 2005 Finland Poppoo "Giella ii leat jáddan" 2006 Norway/ Sweden Johan Kitti and Ellen Sara Bæhr "Luđiin muitalan" 2007 Sweden Ola Stinnerbom "Snowflow" 2008 Norway Elin Kåven "Áibbas jaska" 2009 Finland SomBy "Ii iđida" 2010 Sweden Pia-Maria Holmgren "Geaidnu" 2011 Norway Rolffa "Gulatgo Mu?" 2012 Norway Inger Karoline Gaup "Oainnát go?" 2013 Sweden Melina Kuhmunen "Árran" 2014 Finland Aila-duo "Naharij kandâ" 2015 Norway Nils Henrik Buljo "1+1" 2016 Norway Ella Marie Hætta Isaksen "Luoddaearru" 2017 Norway Inger Marie Gaino Nilut "Min duovdagat" 2018 Norway Inger Karoline Gaup "Oahppan lean" 2019 Sweden Saara Hermansson "Mov laavlome" 2020 No winners. Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic 2021 Norway/ Finland Lávre & Hilda "Jođi" 2022 Finland "Dovdameahttumii" 2023 Norway Mihka and Andreas "Ále guođe mu" 2024 Norway Bycecilia "Mannem åajaldahteme" 2025 Norway Piera Eira feat. Máijá "Dálkkiid čađa"2026 NorwayELLINOR"Du Dušsi"
The Áillohaš Music Award The Áillohaš Music Award is an annual Sámi music award created to commerorate Nils-Aslak Áillohaš Valkeapää's 50th birthday in 1993. The winner of the award is announced on Holy Saturday during the Sámi Easter Festival. It is conferred by Kautokeino Municipality, and the Kautokeino Sámi Association. The winner receives a monetary prize of 20,000 Norwegian crowns, a diploma, a piece of art, and a two-week stay at Lásságámmi.
References
External links Hvem-Hva-Når om Sámi Grand Prix (Who-What-When at the Sámi Grand Prix) at NRK