A fun filled event promoting and celebrating the musical talents in Wales has yet again proved that the Welsh indie scene is one to watch. As part of Llais Festival, the awards ceremony for the ÔÇÿWelsh Music PrizeÔÇÖ was presented for the second time in front of a live audience presented by BBC Radio 1ÔÇÖs Sian Eleri on October 10th, at the Millennium Centre in Cardiff Bay. We had the pleasure of attending this Welsh event thanks to Cowshed and the Millennium Centre.
From 130 long-listed artists, the judges had the hard decision of whittling down the list to just 15. Those shortlisted included Maes the Great, Minnas, CVC, Swnami, and Hyll. The ceremony had an array of live performances from previous award winners, Triskle winners, and current nominees.
The ÔÇÿTriskle AwardÔÇÖ is a separate sponsorship from Help Musicians, a charitable organisation that offers mental health services to any level of artist in Wales 24/7. The winners, Half Happy, Dom & Lloyd, and Talulah, will receive up to ┬ú5,000 worth of support in their careers.
My favourite performances of the night had to be from Half Happy, Cerys Havana, and Minnas. Cerys Havana offered the audience something new and innovative. Her sound being almost trance-like and ethereal from her choice of instrument, a harp. The singer’s unique voice and musicianship felt as though I was walking through a fairy-tale forest. Although Minnas creates music that isnÔÇÖt typically my go-to, I found his stage presence extremely engaging. He definitely had the biggest reaction from the crowd with his big personality, surprising performance, and thought-provoking lyrics.
Before the final act of the night, the national treasure Dafydd Iwan was welcomed onto the stage to receive the 2023 ÔÇÿWelsh Inspiration AwardÔÇÖ. Iwan is known for his 1983 song ÔÇÿYma o HydÔÇÖ, which is arguably one of the most popular and inspirational Welsh songs to date. If this sounds familiar to you, then youÔÇÖll know that the tune is now the anthem of the Welsh Rugby team. ItÔÇÖs also sung by most English and Welsh language schools across Wales and is a key song to be played in the pub during a Rugby match.
The event came to its climax when Rogue Jones was announced as the 2023 winners. The Welsh duoÔÇÖs second album ÔÇÿDos Beb├®sÔÇÖ, provided the Carmarthenshire husband and wife to continue pursuing their love for Welsh language lyricism with the ┬ú10,000 prize fund. When speaking to BBC Radio Wales, Bethan Mai of Rogue Jones said: “I’m a bit speechless but absolutely chuffed, it means the world and we can’t really put it into words.
“Sitting here tonight, seeing the shortlist and seeing the others perform, we feel truly humbled.”
She continued: “As everyone knows, making a living as an artist in this climate isn’t the easiest thing, especially when you have a young family.
“This money will mean we can carry on doing what we love.”
In Conversation With Hyll
Ahead of their nomination at the Welsh Music Prize for their debut album ÔÇÿS┼Án oÔÇÖr Stafell ArallÔÇÖ – released back at the end of July – we sat down with Jac Evans and Gruff Parry of Hyll and discussed the disbelief of their nomination, thievery in the press tent, and the importance of the Welsh language in mainstream media.┬á
Tell us a bit about yourself then
Jac: WeÔÇÖre Hyll, a band from Cardiff; we started nine or ten years ago now, in sixth-form. IÔÇÖm surprised we made it this far!
Gruff: WeÔÇÖve had quite a busy summer – we released our first album this year – I canÔÇÖt remember when.
Jac: July 28th.
Gruff: July 28th! So we did an album release gig, then immediately went into hiding after that because we didnÔÇÖt want to do anymore gigs.
Kath: You played at Tafwyl last year, didnÔÇÖt you?
Gruff: Was that last year? God, we were all definitely hung over – it was so bad [laughs]. We got loads of people on stage and they started singing the words and we were like, ÔÇÿwhat the hell is happeningÔÇÖ!
Jac: Do you remember those two guys we got on stage to sing the last song for us? They knew, uh, half of the words which is a good amount considering!
What Welsh artists have and are you taking inspiration from?
Jac: Ysgol Sul would be a massive one! We all loved Ysgol Sul; we listened to them in our formative years and were a key music influence for me and probably for Iwan, the lead singer, as well! Big ones are Los Blancos and Mellt as well; Los Blancos are like our band dads in a way [laughs]. Brechiau Hir as well have been there from our first first gig ÔÇÿtil now; amazing people to know and a great band! Oh, and Rogue Jones as well! We probably share very similar musical vibes.
Gruff: We share a band member as well!
Jac: Oh yeah, our drummer, he drums for them as well.
Gruff: HeÔÇÖs actually got two nominations today, but heÔÇÖs not here – heÔÇÖs stuck in Vancouver or something!
Onto the nominated album then, S┼Án o’r Stafell Arall! Tell us a bit about it! What was the creative process like?
Jac: So the album was sort of IwanÔÇÖs [vocalist] brainchild.
Gruff: But we all kind of enjoyed pitching in creatively during recording and figuring out the songs.
Jac: Iwan does all the thinking and we do all the doing! I like it – it saves me all the thinking! I donÔÇÖt think Iwan likes it [laughs]. ItÔÇÖs obviously difficult to get your head around. For Iwan itÔÇÖs taken years to develop his songs to a point where heÔÇÖs happy to share them with us and develop them with us.
Gruff: It does cross quite a lot of genres – the album – which is quite nice. I only started playing with the band two years ago, and our drummer Owen started about five, six years ago. So I feel like weÔÇÖre just starting to figure out this sound for now, which is different from how it was at the beginning. The genres weÔÇÖre going through, weÔÇÖre touching on a bunch of different things, weÔÇÖre testing it out to see whether we enjoy it. WeÔÇÖll hopefully go down these avenues in the next few albums – possibly – we all have different tastes in music so itÔÇÖs nice to have it all mesh into an album.
So itÔÇÖs pretty special being nominated for a Welsh Music Prize – did you celebrate being shortlisted? What were your thoughts when you were nominated?
Gruff: Very confused.
Jac: We thought it was a joke! We found out through a Whatsapp message from Huw Stephens. He sent it to Owen and he was like ÔÇÿHey Owen, itÔÇÖs Huw Stephens hereÔÇÖ, and Owen was like ÔÇÿHi Huw, howÔÇÖs it going?ÔÇÖ. Honestly, it felt like some sort of scam!
Gruff: We were super surprised by the nomination and all the albums that have been nominated weÔÇÖre huge fans of as well! Like Stella Donnely, weÔÇÖve been to her gigs, so itÔÇÖs really bizarre being alongside them.
I read that you had a bucket list moment back in August – you played Green Man didnÔÇÖt you? Was it a dream come true?
Jac: It was great to play at Green Man, because weÔÇÖve gone together for the past few years. We love that festival and the artist perks were amazing. We got to ride in the Green Man buggy!
Gruff: They had a bowl of mixed fruits which I thought was a myth, a joke, but they actually give that to artists who are not small time [laughs]. But yeah, everything Jac said. WeÔÇÖve been going for years and weÔÇÖve been listening to the artists shortlisted for years, so weÔÇÖre just fans of the scene but now weÔÇÖre part of that scene
Kath: What would you say was your dream venue to go to next?
Gruff: I think a higher stage at Green Man next. Melin Melyn went from Rising to Walled Garden to Mainstage – they started at 2PM mainstage this year which was amazing!
The Welsh music scene is really thriving at the moment and itÔÇÖs in the mainstream media – whatÔÇÖs your opinion on it and has opportunity improved?
Jac: A variety has changed massively.
Gruff: When we were growing up, obviously I wasnÔÇÖt in the band then, but we just saw the same bands coming through,and now youÔÇÖve got Sage Todz, and Dom and Lloyd doing their Welsh rapping – itÔÇÖs fucking sick! ItÔÇÖs nice to not just have indie rock as the main thing – even if we are a bit of an indie rock band [laughs].
WhatÔÇÖs next for Hyll?
Jac: Probably an album. I actually think we were all quite surprised how much hard work making an album is. Not just the practising and recording; when we actually got to mixing it, getting everything right, merch, and setting up gigs, itÔÇÖs quite tiring – especially when itÔÇÖs alongside your full time jobs. WeÔÇÖll take it easy for a while I think. But Iwan is always writing, so something soon I suspect.
Gruff: It would be nice to get another album out in the next few years.
Jac: It took us nine years to release our first one, so maybe less than nine years the next one will be out.
Gruff: WeÔÇÖll go for five years .
Jac: Maybe seven.
You can listen to ÔÇÿS┼Án oÔÇÖr Stafell ArallÔÇÖ here.
In Conversation With CVC
With elements of 60s and 70s rock, soul and a hint of charm, CVC are a band to keep your eyes on. The indie psych-rock band is an example of the talent offered within Wales, so itÔÇÖs no surprise they were nominated for the Welsh Music Prize this year. A personal favourite of mine from their 2023 album ÔÇÿGet RealÔÇÖ which was shortlisted for the prize, has to be the opening song ÔÇÿHail MaryÔÇÖ.┬á
Tate: Tell us a bit about yourselves?
We are CVC, we are a band, and we make music. CVC stands for Church Village Collection.
Tate: How did you guys feel and what were your thoughts about being shortlisted for the Welsh Music Prize award this year?
We thought ÔÇÿwow this is fantasicÔÇÖ! But seriously, weÔÇÖve been in the game for a while now and have seen this award going on so to be nominated is great news. WeÔÇÖre very thankful to whoever gets to choose, we donÔÇÖt know who that is, but thanks to the big Man up in the sky, thank you God.
ItÔÇÖs great to be nominated with such great acts, especially ÔÇÿMace the GreatÔÇÖ which is my personal favourite. Fingers crossed to everyone at home, toes crossed too.
Kath: So, do you have any other Welsh artists you look up to that are currently in the Welsh music scene?
Definitely ÔÇÿMace the GreatÔÇÖ. All the classics; Tom Jones, Shirley Bassey, youÔÇÖve got to put some respect on Stereophonics, Manic Street Preachers ÔÇô they paved the way for grass roots bands like us coming out of the Valleys. WeÔÇÖre hoping to follow in their footsteps and hopefully tonight is the first step in that.
Have to put some respect on Duffy, we canÔÇÖt forget Duffy. ThatÔÇÖs an obvious one though, we donÔÇÖt even have to say that it goes without saying.
Tate: WhatÔÇÖs the creative process like for you guys writing your lyrics and for the album nominated?
*Jokingly* Well weÔÇÖll get told what to do or we get kicked out the band. WeÔÇÖre told ÔÇ£boys play this or your out of the bandÔÇØ.
But nah, we only write songs individually, and play them to the crew, and if they like them, itÔÇÖs pretty much it.
ItÔÇÖs not much more exciting than that, no magic formula, its either good or bad ÔÇô we then give the bad ones a shot.
Kath: Do you guys speak Welsh then?
Unfortunately, not. We come from a part of Wales where itÔÇÖs not really pushed hard in schools, but I think it is now but when we were just leaving school. I think when we were in school, even the Welsh teachers hated speaking Welsh. So, IÔÇÖm blaming them, and any responsibility is their fault.
Kath: ThatÔÇÖs mad, because I wasnÔÇÖt even allowed to speak English in school.
Really?! So, like the role reversal of the Welsh knot.
Kath: Yeah, we got in big trouble if we did speak English.
Tate: So, you guys have been quite busy this year then.
Yes, we have indeed, weÔÇÖve been touring a lot. Think itÔÇÖs something like, how many? Maybe over 50 gigs this year, something like that. When we were counting the other day, itÔÇÖll be over 60 by the end of the year. ItÔÇÖs been relentless, really fun.
Tate: What would you say has been the highlight this year then?
Probably ÔÇÿBonnaroo FestivalÔÇÖ we played in Tennessee as part of the tour. The whole tour was sublime, but we finished in Tennessee and had this amazing crowd out there for us. It was a big spectacle for us.
Since then, the adrenaline hasnÔÇÖt worn off and weÔÇÖve kept going.
WeÔÇÖre looking forward to the tours ahead, weÔÇÖve got Texas tomorrow (October 11th) and then December our ÔÇÿHail Mary TourÔÇÖ. WeÔÇÖve got a couple of big gigs coming up. ThereÔÇÖs one in the Tramshed (Cardiff) thatÔÇÖs pretty much sold out, only four tickets left. But yeah, we canÔÇÖt wait for them.
Kath: What would you say is your dream venue to play?
Wembley, yeah definitely Wembley.
Ever since weÔÇÖve known Dave, a young child, heÔÇÖs had a sort of dream to play at Wembley stadium. Before every Gig, even when he wakes up in the morning, heÔÇÖs like ÔÇÿTHANK YOU WEMBLEYÔÇÖ!
One day we will though, we love it.
Probably the Principality too, gotta tick that one from the bucket [list].
Maybe even the five thousand cap venue, the CIA? The one that changes their name constantly, once was the Motorpoint Arena.
Tate: I work there, so
*Jokingly* Oh really?! Wanna to get us a gig.
Tate: IÔÇÖll try. IÔÇÖll have to drop a word in.
Kath: *Jokingly* Lastly, a random one, but how often do you think about the Roman Empire?
IÔÇÖve had this one a lot. The first time I answered this I got laughed at by my answer. So, a lot.
Well, I was actually thinking not long ago about going up to the ruins in Carilion. The ones we used to go to as a kid, theyÔÇÖve got like the dress up as a Roman Solider stuff there *make intangible sound mimicking fighting* I think I might do that after this.
My girlfriend laughed me out of the bedroom when I answered (how often he thinks about the Roman Empire) 
*A few bandmates at once* Not the first time thatÔÇÖs happened. BOOM!
I set myself up for that one
You can listen to CVCÔÇÖs recent album ÔÇÿGet RealÔÇÖ here! Why not check out their upcoming ÔÇÿHail Mary TourÔÇÖ? Tickets are on general sale now!
Interviews: Tate Powell and Katherine Witts
Words: Katherine Witts
Photography: Katherine Witts
Huge thank you to Cowshed for providing Quench with the opportunity to cover this fantastic event!