Emma Awards were launched in 1983 and they are the Finnish equivalent of the Grammy Awards. The 21st Emma Gaala will be held in Helsinki�s Kulttuuritalo on 10th March. This year the list of nominees features a record number of Euroviisut related artists and songs. The public can vote for the best Finnish and foreign acts but the rest of the awards will be awarded by a jury. Emma Award was launched in 1983 to be the Finnish Grammy award.

The awards have been given ever since 1983 except a short break in 1988-1990 when it was on hold. The categories have varied over the years but the main ones (female and male singer of the year, group of the year, song and album of the year) have of course stayed on. This year there are 20 categories.

In 2007, there are more artists more artists related to Euroviisut, the Finnish national final, who are nominated in various categories than ever before: Lordi (winner in 2006 with Hard rock hallelujah)havefive (or seven if you count in Ratzz and the producer award) nominations, Vesa-Matti Loiri (Finland 1980 with Huilumies, last place) three. From Euroviisut 2007 finalists Jani & Jetsetters have two and Lovex three nominations, and two songs from Euroviisut 2006 have been nominated for the best song: Hard rock hallelujah for obvious reasons and Shanghain valot that came third. Also Rajaton, an accapella group that has recently covered both Finnish Eurovision songs and ABBA together with the Lahti Symphony Orchestraare nominatedfor'best group'.

All inall, Euroviisut artists are nominated in ten categories out of 20 with a total of 17 nominations.

EMMA GAALA 2007 nominations:

Song of the year:

Hard rock hallelujah – Lordi

Shanghain valot – Annika Eklund

Male solist of the year:

Vesa-Matti Loiri

Group of the year:

Lordi

Rajaton

New band of the year:

Jani & Jetsetters

LovexAlbum of the year:

Arockalypse – Lordi

Ivalo – Vesa-Matti Loiri

Debut album of the year:

Uusi aalto – Jani & Jetsetters

Producer of the year:

Jyrki Tuovinen (Lordi and others)

Album of the year for kids:

Hard ratzz hallelujah – Ratzz

e-Emma (for digital music):

Hard rock hallelujah – Lordi

Guardian angel – Lovex

Finnish artist of the year:

Lordi

Lovex

Vesa-Matti Loiri

Finnish Eurovision artists have collected a nice amount of Emmas over the years: Vesa-Matti Loiri, Kirka (1984, 9th with Hengaillaan) and Jari Sillanpää (2004, 14th in the semi final with Takes 2 to tango) have three, Katri Helena (1979, 1993) and Laura Voutilainen (2002, 20th with Addicted to you) have two, Marion (1962, 1973), Anneli Saaristo (1989, 7th with La dolce vita), Pave Maijanen (1992, last with Yamma-yamma) and Lordihave one. The most Emmas have been won by Nightwish (Euroviisut 2000, third with Sleepwalker) with seven awards between 2002 and 2005.