Behind the Scene with Owain at Klust
Klust is an independent music website that champions artists from all across Wales. An emerging talent or an established name, a pop artist or an experimentalist, Klust promotes, supports and celebrates the growing Welsh music scene in the form of comprehensive reviews and exclusive publications. Klust aims to unite like-minded people to excite, experience and discover new Welsh music in an inclusive and progressive space.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH OWAIN AT KLUST
Can you tell us a bit about your involvement in the music scene here in Cardiff and further afield?
Hey, I’m Owain, and I run Klust music website, a multimedia platform that champions new Welsh artists and emergent scenes here in Wales. The website, magazine, and showcases are all rooted by the idea of promoting new Welsh music both bilingually and with confidence. Over recent years I’ve been fortunate enough to collaborate with a range of amazing creatives, working together to develop a platform that hopefully feels progressive, ambitious, and outward-looking.
How did you get into working in the music industry?
I’ve always had a love for music, design, and curation, so it felt natural to blend those ingredients together in creating Klust. Day to day, I also work for Welsh distributors PYST, working across a wide range of projects and campaigns with Welsh labels.
What do you love most about your role(s)? And what’s been a standout memory or achievement?
I think last year was somewhat of a benchmark for Klust as we collaborated with Wales’ oldest independent record label, Sain Records, in bringing together a ten-track compilation album to accompany our third print issue. Seeing the project come to life via a series of sold-out shows across London, Cardiff, and Caernarfon—along with the release of the vinyl itself—was a real proud moment. From a personal point of view, winning the Rising Star (Industry) Award at the Youth Music Awards 2023 is also a special memory of mine.
What has been able to work in your passion given you?
Fulfilment! The music industry, along with the world of print and journalism, is changing at such a rapid speed that it’s easy to get caught up in it all. However, I feel very fortunate to be working in music, particularly in Welsh music, and enjoy being a small piece in that jigsaw, working towards a more inclusive and accessible music landscape.
What’s so special about Cardiff’s music scene? Can you talk us through some great Welsh language bands to look out for too, across genres?
Some of my fondest memories have come at Clwb Ifor Bach. Seeing the likes of Sŵnami and Yr Ods play to a full house really shaped my passion for Welsh music, so Womanby St. will always have a place close to my heart. At the moment, I’m really enjoying seeing the Welsh language electronic music scene having a real moment, with artists such as Sywel Nyw and Tokomololo doing really exciting stuff. New names, IFAND, Lleucu Non, Betsan Lees, and SHINOBii are also ones to watch over the coming year.
Favourite memory from a gig you’ve promoted in Cardiff?
We held Klust’s tenth showcase event at Paradise Garden in Roath earlier in the year, celebrating the launch of the compilation album, ‘Stafell Sbâr Sain: Klust’. It felt good to put on a night with a shift towards electronic music, and I’m hopeful of doing more in that direction over the coming months.
What is live music to you?
For me, live music is all about experimentation and exploration. I love seeing an artist perform for the first time as it reinforces that initial connection. Showcase festivals tend to do that best and that’s why festivals like Sŵn are so important.
