Hungarian artist Mónika Lakatos is the recipient of the WOMEX 2020 Artist Award. Within Hungary, the Olah Roma (Gypsies) are a minority of a minority, with only around 30,000 people still practicing their language and way of life. Mónika has her roots in Nagyecsed, a village at the center of the Olah community in northeastern Hungary, well-known for its music. With music and songs all around her, she has been singing for as long as she can remember, allowing her to infuse her own work with profound emotion.
It is for her commitment to the Olah people and their music, for her mission to ensure that female Roma voices can be heard on the world stage and for her highest personal artistry as a performer that Mónika Lakatos is presented with the WOMEX 20 Artist Award.
On receiving the prestigious award at the 26th edition of WOMEX, Mónika Lakatos stated: “Receiving the WOMEX 20 Artist Award, of course, is a big honor. It is an enormous joy to know that WOMEX thought of me, of us, because this Award represents all of us. Our work is a joint work! People do not see how much work goes behind what we do and how many people are working on this cause. This Award is ours – including my husband Mazsi and all of the bands and the community – together!“
[headline image: Mónika Lakatos and the Gipsy Voices – Photo by Andras Farkas]
Author: World Music Central News Room
World music news from the editors at World Music Central