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Welsh Music Prize 2025 shortlist unveiled

The shortlist for the 15th Welsh Music Prize 2025 has been announced, with 15 artists across genres from hip hop, rap and electronic music to folk, rock and punk pop in the running for the prestigious award and £10,000 prize money.

A clutch of debut albums make the list – alongside Panic Shack’s self-titled debut, which reached the number 1 spot on the Official Rock & Metal Album Chart; are Tai Haf Heb Drigolyn with Ein Albwm Cyntaf Ni, solo singer-songwriter Buddug with Rhwng Gwyll a Gwawr, Cardiff electro pop artists Siula with their cinematic debut, Night Falls on the World and psych-rock group Melin Melyn with Mill on The Hill.

Artists up for the prize also include twice previous winners Adwaith with their latest album, Solas as well as fellow previous prize winner, Gwenno with her latest album Utopia. 2017 winner, The Gentle Good is shortlisted with this year’s Elan as well as 2021 winner Kelly Lee Owens for her new album, Dreamstate.

Shortlisted albums in the Welsh language, or featuring Welsh language tracks, include Cardiff-based producer Don Leisure’s deep-dive into Welsh indie folk label  archives, Tyrchu Sain; rap artist Sage Todz with Stopia Cwyno and alt-rockers Breichiau Hir nominated with their distinctive Welsh language rock album, Y Dwylo Uwchben.

Cotton Crown, the second album from Welsh band, now based in London, The Tubs is nominated, as well as Acid Communism, the eight album from long-established band KEYS from Neath, who were shortlisted once previously, in 2020 and  harpist and composer Cerys Hafana’s instrumental album, Difrisg.

The winner of the 2025 Welsh Music Prize will be announced at a ceremony held at the Wales Millennium Centre on Monday October 6th hosted by Radio 1’s Sian Eleri. The event will be broadcast live on BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Cymru alongside a new TV highlights special for BBC One Wales, showcasing the best of the ceremony.

Founded in 2011, the Welsh Music Prize celebrates its 15th anniversary this year and to mark the milestone, BBC Cymru Wales has commissioned the special highlights programme of the 2025 event which will also explore the prize’s impact on the Welsh music scene over the past 15 years. The programme will air after this year’s ceremony on BBC One Wales and BBC iPlayer.

The prize is given for an album release within the preceding year by a Welsh artist, with the inaugural Welsh Music prize being awarded to Gruff Rhys for his third solo album, Hotel Shampoo.

Last year’s Welsh Music Prize winner was L E M F R E C K with his ambitious, deeply atmospheric three-part 2023 album Blood, Sweat & Fears. During his acceptance speech, the Newport-raised alt R&B and rap artist spoke about recognition from the Welsh Music Prize saying: “I’d like to talk about how important representation is. It’s not a box tick when artists like myself win awards like this – it’s a confirmation of art.”

Welsh Music Prize co-founder, Huw Stephens said: “For the 15th year running the Welsh Music Prize will celebrate these great albums in a special night. We’re very happy that everyone will get to see the night on BBC One Wales and Iplayer this year too. The longlist and subsequent shortlist of albums is a yearly reminder of the great music and albums from Wales.”

Culture Minister, Jack Sargeant, said: This year’s shortlist is a real reflection of the diversity in genres and the huge music talent coming out of Wales. It’s great to see everything from an all-female punk quartet,  to electronica, psychedelic pop and Welsh language rap getting shortlisted by the judges, and I don’t envy the task of picking an overall winner. It’s going to be a fantastic night where the industry and fans can join together and celebrate Welsh music. Llongyfarchiadau mawr!”

Cardiff Council Cabinet Member for Culture, Parks and Events, Cllr Jennifer Burke, said: “The Welsh Music Prize is such an important showcase for Wales’s music scene – it’s a great way for fans to discover the best new music coming out of Wales, and for Wales’s talented artists and musicians to broaden their audience – and has been for the last 15 years. That’s why we continue to support it, and why we’re so pleased that it will once again be part of the Cardiff Music City festival this autumn.”

 

This year’s judges are:

  • Sofia Ilyas, Chief Community Officer at Beatport Gallery.
  • Roisin O’Connor, music editor for The Independent and host of the Good Vibrations podcast.
  • DJ and BBC Radio Wales presenter, Molly Palmer,
  • BBC 6 Music presenter, DJ and writer, Zakia Sewell,
  • Natalia Quiros Edmunds, music journalist and artist manager at Arctic Monkeys and Fontaines DC management company, Wildlife Entertainment
  • The Guardian music critic and author, Jude Rogers.
  • Davie Morgan, writer and marketing manager at Welsh culture and music magazine, Radar.
  • Tim Jonze, associate editor, culture at the Guardian.
  • Caroline Cullen – Series Producer- Later…with Jools Holland / BBC Studios

 

 

Welsh Music Prize 2025 Shortlist:

  1. Adwaith – Solas
  2. Buddug – Rhwng Gwyll a Gwawr
  3. Breichiau Hir – Y Dwylo Uwchben
  4. Cerys Hafana – Difrisg
  5. Don Leisure – Tyrchu Sain
  6. Gwenno – Utopia
  7. Kelly Lee Owens- Dreamstate
  8. KEYS – Acid Communism
  9. Melin Melyn – Mill on the Hill
  10. Panic Shack – Panic Shack
  11. Sage Todz – Stopia Cwyno
  12. Siula – Night Falls on the World
  13. Tai Haf Heb Drigolyn – Ein Albwm Cyntaf Ni
  14. The Gentle Good – Elan
  15. The Tubs – Cotton Crown