The nominations for the 2020 Welsh Music Prize have been revealed ahead of the 10th annual awards ceremony on Thursday 19th November. The prize is awarded to the best album released by a Welsh performer or group as adjudged by a panel of industry professionals.
Music promoter John Rostron, who co-founded the Welsh Music Prize with Radio 1 DJ Huw Stephens, told BBC Wales that the award feels more relevant than ever in a year when the music industry has been jolted by the pandemic. He said “Covid-19 hasn’t quashed our appetite for listening to and discovering new music. Streaming and buying new records has been a lifeline for performers to reach audiences, and for us all to stay in good health with a daily dose of great new songs.”
The nominees for the 2020 prize showcase a diverse range of genres, including rap; indie; electropop and folk in both the Welsh and English languages. The 15 nominated acts will hope to succeed Camarthen post-punk outfit Adwaith, who secured the honours in 2019 with their debut album Melyn.
Here’s this years Welsh Music Prize short list. Congratulations to everyone nominated. What a list!#WMP2020 pic.twitter.com/rTjWo1KIOx
— Welsh Music Prize (@welshmusicprize) October 29, 2020
The nominees for the prize this year are as follows:
Ani Glass, Mirores – Ani Saunders (aka Ani Glass) will aim follow in the footsteps of her sister Gwenno, who won the prize in 2015. Like her sibling, the Cardiff electro artist performs in Welsh and Cornish. A win here would cap a successful year for the singer-songwriter, who has already scooped the album of the year award at the National Eisteddfod.
Colorama, Chaos Wonderland – The 10th album released by Colorama; the psychedelic indie-folk project initiated by Anglesey product Carwyn Ellis. The prolific Ellis, who has previously worked with Nicky Wire, The Pretenders, Saint Etienne, and Orange Juice’s Edwyn Collins, was pipped to the prize last year with his album Joia!, recorded under the moniker Carwyn Ellis & Rio 18.
Cotton Wolf, Ofni – Electronic duo Cotton Wolf fuse the production credentials of Llion Robertson and classically-trained composer Seb Goldfinch. The Cardiff-based two-piece were also nominated in 2017 for their debut album Life In Analogue.
Deyah, Care City – Deyah’s latest album, which features elements of soul, rap and spoken word, was hailed as a ‘conceptual masterpiece‘ by I Am Hip Hop magazine. This will be the second year running the Welsh-born, Berkshire-based performer has nominated for the Welsh Music Prize, with her acclaimed Lover Loner EP featuring on the 2019 shortlist.
Don Leisure, Steel Zakuski – Cardiff producer Don Leisure, formerly known as Jamal during his early days on the Welsh noughties drum ‘n’ bass scene, is up for the Prize with his latest album. The Wales Arts Review described Steel Zakuski “as a delicate collage of musical moments and samples from a discovered series of rock, pop, rare groove and disco records from the U.S.S.R.”
Georgia Ruth, Mai - Georgia Ruth Williams (aka Georgia Ruth) told her Twitter followers that she was “chuffed” to receive a nomination for her third album Mai, which has been praised for its personal focus on the theme of new motherhood. The Aberystwyth product, a distinguished singer-songwriter and harpist, previously featured as a guest on Divine Youth, a hidden gem on Manic Street Preachers’ 2014 album Futurology.
Gruff Rhys, Pang! - Super Furry Animals frontman Gruff Rhys, a previous Welsh Music Prize winner with his 2011 solo album Hotel Shampoo, is back on the shortlist for his Welsh language album Pang!, which he described in NME as “a pop album with a couple of verses of Zulu and an English title.” Rhys is set to release his musical memoirs next year.
Islet, Eyelet – Experimental pop trio Islet get the nod for their third studio album Eyelet. The eccentric Powys outfit, who are described by their label Fire Records as “hypnotic, exhilarating and defiantly unique“, were previously nominated for the prize in 2012 for Illuminated People.
Keys, Bring Me The Head of Jerry Garcia – Cardiff-based group Keys’ latest album, Bring Me The Head of Jerry Garcia, has been described by Wales Arts Review as “40 odd minute wild ride“. This LP represents a comeback release after a five year hiatus for the band, who were formerly known as Murry The Hump after Al Capone’s Welsh sidekick Morris “Murray The Hump” Humphries.
Kidsmoke, A Vision In The Dark – The debut album from Wrexham indie fourpiece Kidsmoke, who first rose to prominence when their song Take Me To The River featured in 2017 Black Mirror episode Arkangel, directed by Hollywood legend Jodie Foster. On Twitter the band said they were “overwhelmed” with the Welsh Music Prize nomination.
Los Blancos, Sbwriel Gwyn – Carmarthen rockers Los Blancos are shortlisted for their album Sbwriel Gwyn, which translates as ‘White Trash’ in English. Louder Than War describe the record as “…an album that manages to eschew boorish lad culture and lazy tropes and instead convey the complexities of life when you are a young man in a country that happens to be one of the poorest in Europe.”
Luke RV, Valley Boy – Rapper Luke RV is shortlisted for his deeply personal album Valley Boy, which focuses on the challenging themes of drug addiction and mental health. The Neath product first emerged on the scene with 2o18 single Lost.
Right Hand Left Hand, Zone Rouge – Right Hand Left Hand (along with Georgia Ruth and Cotton Wolf) are one of three acts signed under the Bubblewrap Collective label to earn a nomination for the 2020 prize. Bubblewrap describe the Cardiff duo’s latest environmentally-conscious release Zone Rouge as a “story of humanity’s contempt for the earth beneath us, the air above us and the people around us.”
Silent Forum, Everything Solved At Once – South Walian ‘indie-noir’ act Silent Forum receive a nomination for their debut Everything Solved At Once, described by Wales Arts Review as “a black-comedy concept album about life on the fringes of the Welsh music industry.” The band told Twitter followers this week that they are currently at work on a second album.
Yr Ods, Iaith y Nefoedd - North Walian band Yr Ods’ receive a first Welsh Music Prize nomination for their fifth album Iaith y Nefoedd, which translates in English as ‘Language of Heaven’. This concept album from the five-piece, created in partnership with Rhiwbina author Llywd Owen, centres around a dystopian vision of Wales.
