The Teosto prize for 2017 was awarded to Mikko Joensuu for his compositions, lyrics, and arrangements on the albums Amen 1 and Amen 2. Since its beginnings in 2003, the Teosto Prize has established itself as one of the largest art prizes in the Nordic countries. When there is only one winner, the prize money is EUR 25,000.

“Music that draws stylishly on the Americana tradition, and that has been created with devotion and without compromises,” the jury noted in its decision, and continued: “This highly personal pair of works grows and develops its multi-faceted range of elements into an entity that is greater than the sum of its parts. A soulful redemption.”

The winning work was selected by a three-member jury, from a shortlist of six candidates that was chosen by a preliminary jury. The jury was chaired by commercial radio emerita, Senior Advisor Leena Puntila. Her fellow jury members were Flow Festival Managing Director Suvi Kallio, and Henri “Paperi T” Pulkkinen, the winner of last year's Teosto Prize for his album Malarian pelko (“Fear of Malaria”).