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Good evening, dear Estonian music industry!

It is truly incredible that we are here tonight at Unibet Arena, our valued member’s venue — the result of a production of this scale and outstanding teamwork. My heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed to making this evening possible, and especially to our member and partner Live Nation Estonia, thanks to whom all of this can happen. The reason was simple: our music industry deserves this — and we must show it ourselves. Thank you, Eva and Live Nation Estonia! A big round of applause to you all!

For the Estonian music industry, 2025 has been a successful, meaningful, and internationally vibrant year — from Arvo Pärt’s 90th anniversary to A-class stars performing in Estonia. We have every reason to be truly proud of our field. Teams of nearly fifty people were managed, activities expanded across the Baltics, and multi-genre concerts were organised from small venues to major halls. Hundreds of performances were facilitated in Estonia and abroad, world-class artists were brought here, and collaborations took place with renowned record labels, publishers, and agencies. Internationally, the first music releases reached Asian markets, and our Estonian national choir performed 77 concerts across four continents. We have over one hundred nominees from among our companies and professionals who deserve recognition tonight.

At the same time, the challenges our companies highlight remain consistent — the economic climate, a changing world order, support structures that are still developing, and shifts in audience habits. Culture is a matter of values and, in today’s world, one of the key ways to remain resilient and sustainable. This could be our shared message for the coming years. To ensure that success is lasting and not merely apparent, many countries are paying closer attention to how their music sectors truly function: how the domestic ecosystem is built, whether export and import develop in balance, whether there are opportunities for both large and small players, and how strong the sector’s support networks and foundations are. When we organised a Baltic focus in Ireland last year, three key themes stood out from observing their music sector: long-term thinking, a clear multi-year vision, and a systematic approach to building the field.

This morning, the Estonian Music Market Focus Day took place for the sixth time, bringing together perspectives from the state, the city, young people, and international development. Among many valuable ideas, what resonated most with me was the importance of national readiness for change and the ability to respond to it rapidly, developing infrastructure based on different stages of development, and the political awareness and engagement of the sector itself. In terms of internationalisation, one phrase stood out: strategic positioning in a field of chance — the ability to be in the right place at the right time — thank you Virgo! My sincere thanks to our good partner Tallinn Music Week and the entire team for once again leading this day, and to all the speakers.

Returning to tonight — nearly 400 people gathered here at Unibet Arena is a clear sign that our sector wants to celebrate, to support one another’s achievements, and of course to be seen and recognised. It gives us a reason to come together, to truly engage in dialogue, and to develop new ideas for collaboration going forward.

Thank you once again, dear companies, organisations, and artists — for your contribution, passion, and dedication. Thank you to the jury members — more than fifty in total — for your thoughtful discussions and committed evaluation.

Thank you for making it possible to hold this recognition event. Our deep gratitude goes to our valued supporters: our main sponsor and member Sviby; the Estonian Association of Phonogram Producers; the Estonian Authors’ Society; the Estonian Performers’ Union; Music City Tallinn; the Cultural Endowment of Estonia; and the Estonian Business and Innovation Agency. Also, thank you to everyone involved in tonight’s production and its many aspects: AdGorilla and AdExpo, Eventech, Ledzep, Forus, Liviko, Saku, Nordic Catering, and of course Unibet Arena and Live Nation Estonia.

For this entire evening, my sincere thanks go to the wonderful EMEA team — project manager Taavi Esperk, Ann Mäekivi, Deelia Kurg, Keidi Järvemägi, Jaan Pavliuk, Oliver Udeküll, and all the volunteers. Also to my own Music Estonia team for one of the busiest years in 2025, during which a record number of activities were delivered. Thank you! And to the exactly one hundred companies who contribute as our members — there is strength in unity.

May you enjoy a wonderful celebration of awards and a fantastic evening!