Dydd Miwsig Cymru Hapus!
Klust founder, Owain, speaks on the importance of Welsh Language Music Day and the current Welsh musical landscape.
A first language Welsh speaker from North East Wales, Owain set up independent music website Klust with support from the Youth Music NextGen Fund.
Publishing in both Welsh and English, Klust is a platform to help support, promote, and champion the best new music and artists from Wales.
We spoke to Owain about the important role Welsh Language Music Day plays in the discovery and platforming of Welsh artists, the country's strong DIY scene, and how the music industries can be more inclusive of Welsh artists.
Owain's answers have been translated in both English and Welsh.
What is the importance of Welsh Language Music Day to you?
WLMD presents Welsh artists with a platform and an opportunity for the wider audience, who are not necessarily familiar with Welsh music, to dive in and discover the plethora of artists who create in the Welsh language. It's a chance for others to dip their toes in and discover the vibrant, dynamic, and diverse Welsh language music scene of today. Every year since it was first celebrated in 2015, WLMD has gone from strength to strength and for me personally, it’s a great way to promote Welsh identity beyond native Welsh language speakers. Dydd Miwsig Cymru hapus!
Mae DMC yn rhoi llwyfan i artistiaid Cymraeg ac yn gyfle i’r gynulleidfa ehangach, cynulleidfa sy’ ddim o reidrwydd yn gyfarwydd â cherddoriaeth Cymraeg, ddarganfod y llu o artistiaid sy’n creu yn yr iaith Gymraeg. Mae’n gyfle i bwysleisio bywiogrwydd y sin heddiw. Dydd Miwsig Cymru hapus!
What is the current landscape of the Welsh music scene?
The Welsh music scene is always growing, always developing inner circles, and having a rich variety in both genre and sound is vital for any scene. Since the pandemic, there seems to be much more of a readiness to collaborate and experiment with different sounds and there’s no better example of that than Sywel Nyw’s award-winning concept album ‘Deuddeg’ which was co-written with twelve different musicians across Wales. As a whole, there’s a much wider representation and greater diversity within the Welsh music scene today, so seeing the likes of Dom Lloyd, Lloyd Lewis, and Sage Todz break new ground in Welsh music is amazing. Other artists who are busy making waves within the Welsh music scene are Sachasom, Alaw, Gillie, Parisa Fouladi, and Daniel Suge, so I can’t wait to track their next steps this year. Playing a small role in the background, promoting some of the music via Klust, is a really exciting place to be!
Mae’r sin gerddoriaeth yng Nghymru wastad yn tyfu, wastad yn datblygu cylchoedd cerddorol newydd. Ers y pandemig, mae ‘na lot fwy o gydweithio, lot fwy o arbrofi — a does dim enghraifft well o hynny nag albwm cysyniadol Sywel Nyw ‘Deuddeg’ (Albwm Cymraeg y Flwyddyn 2022) a gafodd ei gyd-ysgrifennu gyda deuddeg cerddor gwahanol dros Gymru. Mae ‘na gymaint o amrywiaeth yn perthyn i’r sin heddiw felly mae’n wych gweld pobl fel Dom Lloyd, Lloyd Lewis, a Sage Todz yn torri tir newydd yn y Gymraeg. Mae gen ti hefyd artistiaid fel Sachasom, Alaw, Gillie, Parisa Fouladi a Daniel Suge sy’n prysur gwneud enw i’w hunain o fewn cylchoedd cerddorol Cymraeg, felly dwi’n edrych ymlaen at ddilyn eu camau nhw eleni. Mae chwarae rhan fach yn y cefndir, yn hyrwyddo’r gerddoriaeth drwy Klust, yn gyffrous iawn!
How can the music industry be more inclusive of Welsh music and artists?
Welsh music is in a great place at the moment with lots of different artists enjoying a fruitful period in terms of releasing and performing live—both in Wales and around Europe. You can always point towards Wales’ lack of natural infrastructure within the music industry as a challenge but there seems to be a real sense of momentum and confidence within the scene currently. Increasingly, Welsh language music is seeing broader recognition—from all parts of the world—and a lot of that is down to the hard work of independent labels such as Libertino, INOIS and Côsh as they package and promote the music to new audiences. Alffa’s record-breaking single ‘Gwenwyn’ in 2018 could be regarded as a ‘breakthrough’ in Welsh music as since then, the likes of Sŵnami, Adwaith and Gwenno have all gone on to enjoy success on streaming services, which broadens horizons in terms of what’s possible through the Welsh language. I’d like to think that there’s a far greater acceptance in music and culture, in general, today, and Welsh language music should not be regarded as any different from that!
Mae’r sin gerddoriaeth yng Nghymru mewn lle da ar y funud, gyda lot o artistiaid yn rhyddhau ac yn perfformio’n fyw — yng Nghymru ac o gwmpas Ewrop — felly mae wir ymdeimlad o fomentwm a hyder yn perthyn i’r sin heddiw. Mae’r gerddoriaeth i weld yn derbyn cydnabyddiaeth ehangach — ac mae lot o hynny i lawr i waith caled labeli annibynnol fel Libertino, INOIS a Côsh sy’n gwthio’r gerddoriaeth i gynulleidfaoedd newydd. Gellid ystyried sengl Alffa ‘Gwenwyn’ yn 2018 fel ‘carreg filltir’ yn llwybr cerddoriaeth Cymraeg oherwydd ers hynny, mae artistiaid fel Sŵnami, Adwaith a Gwenno i gyd wedi profi llwyddiant ar y gwasanaethau ffrydio, gan wthio ffiniau o ran be’ sy’n bosib drwy’r iaith Gymraeg. Yn gyffredinol, mae gen ti fwy o bobl yn agored i synau newydd ac ieithoedd lleiafrifol heddiw, felly pam ddim gwneud hynny drwy gerddoriaeth Cymraeg!
What would you like to see more of in the Welsh music scene over the next 5 years? Or what would you like to see change?
The DIY music scene in Wales is in a strong position at the moment so securing those pillars must be a priority. Unfortunately, Wales also mirrors the state that independent music venues across the country find themselves in today — under constant threat — so seeing more live spaces being developed (especially in North Wales) alongside the nurturing of promoters would be great. Exploring the concept of having bilingual line-ups would also be a welcomed prospect. On the other hand, Welsh music industry panels and conferences have come a long way in recent years so long may that continue!
Mae’r sin annibynnol yng Nghymru mewn lle cry’ ar y funud felly mae'n bwysig sicrhau fod hynny’n parhau. Er, mae lleoliadau gigs i weld ‘dan fygythiad cyson felly mi fysa gweld mwy o venues yn cael eu datblygu (yn enwedig yng Ngogledd Cymru) yn wych. Yn yr un modd, mae’r syniad o roi lein-yps dwyieithog ymlaen yn gyffrous iawn felly heb ddweud gormod, mi fysa’n grêt gallu trefnu ambell i ddigwyddiad ‘dan enw Klustl! Ar y llaw arall, mae conferences cerddoriaeth Cymraeg wedi datblygu’n fawr dros y blynyddoedd diwethaf felly dwi'n edrych ymlaen at gynhadledd Summit (Beacons) fis Mawrth yn Gaerdydd!
The Youth Music NextGen Fund has been made possible thanks to generous support from TikTok, Turtle Bay, Dr. Marten's Foundation and players of People's Postcode Lottery. We are also grateful for our vital support from the National Lottery via Arts Council England.