A 15-album strong shortlist for Welsh Music Prize 2022 has been revealed. The award celebrates and highlights the best new music in Wales and is sponsored by Welsh Government and PPL, and supported by Help Musicians.
This year’s list – whittled down from a 130 strong shortlist by the Welsh Music Prize jury – is a combination of the more established like Manic Street Preachers and Cate Le Bon, previous winners Gwenno and Adwaith, along with eight debuts from Art School Girlfriend, Breichiau Hir, Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard, Dead Method, Danielle Lewis, L E M F R E C K, Papur Wal, and Sywel Nyw.
Gwenno’s ‘Tresor‘ album, her third, is also nominated for this year’s Mercury Music Prize.
Previous editions have also seen albums by Gruff Rhys, Meilyr Jones, and Boy Azooga win, and last year’s award was given to ‘Inner Song‘ by Kelly Lee Owens, from Flintshire.
This year is the second to carry a £10,000 prize. Kelly Lee Owens was the first recipient of the monetary prize.
This years’ ceremony at Wales Millennium Centre will be presented by BBC Radio 1 presenter Sian Eleri. For the very first time, the event will welcome a live public audience.
The charity Help Musicians will also support three Triskel Awardees to grow further with financial and practical support and guidance towards their music and careers of up to £5,000 each. The three Triskel Award winners this year are Aderyn, Minas, and Sage Todz.
The Welsh Music Prize was created in 2011 by radio presenter Huw Stephens and music industry expert John Rostron.
Huw Stephens said: “This year’s shortlist is a great collection of albums, a huge congratulations to all the shortlisted artists. We are very happy that Creative Wales are supporting the Prize again this year, and it’s exciting to be part of Llais at the Wales Millennium Centre.
“We’re also delighted and grateful that Help Musicians have significantly raised their investment to support the three Triskel Awardees with an amazing package to build their careers”
“Creativity in Wales doesn’t stop; music is at the beating heart of Wales and it’s great to see another excellent selection of albums highlighted this year.”
Caroline Hansell, Head of Musicians’ Development at Help Musicians, said: “We’re delighted to be there at the start of the Triskell Awardees’ journey for the fourth year. We understand how challenging financial barriers are to overcome for emerging musicians, especially in current circumstances, which is why we are providing even more support for this year’s winners.
“Funding has become increasingly needed for musicians at all stages, but we know applying for it can be a hurdle in itself, so we’re here to help Aderyn, Minas and Sage Todz build skills that will help them create sustainable careers in music. Congratulations to all the nominees and awardees who contribute so much to Welsh music and beyond.”
The Welsh Music 2022 finalists are:
Adwaith – Bato Mato (Libertino Records)
Art School Girlfriend – Is It Light Where You Are (Fiction)
Bryde – Still (Easy Life Records)
Breichiau Hir – Hir Oes I’r Cof (Libertino Records)
Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard – Backhand Deals (Communion)
Cate Le Bon – Pompeii (Mexican Summer)
Carwyn Ellis & Rio 18 and The National Orchestra of Wales – Yn Rio (Legere Recordings)
Dead Method – Future Femme (Future Femme Records)
Danielle Lewis – Dreaming In Slow Motion (Red Robin Records)
Don Leisure – Shaboo Strikes Back (First World Records)
Gwenno – Tresor (Heavenly Recordings)
L E M F R E C K – The Pursuit (Noctown)
Manic Street Preachers – The Ultra Vivid Lament (Sony Music)
Papur Wal – Amser Mynd Adra (Libertino Records)
Sywel Nyw – Deuddeg (LWCUS T)
Previous Welsh Music Prize winners are: Kelly Lee Owens (2021), Deyah (2020), Adwaith (2019), Boy Azooga (2018), The Gentle Good (2017), Meilyr Jones (2016), Gwenno (2015), Joanna Gruesome (2014), Georgia Ruth (2013), Future of the Left (2012), Gruff Rhys (2011).
The judges for Welsh Music Prize 2022 are:
Aoife Woodlock – Other Voices, Matt Wilkinson – Apple Music, Nest Jenkins – Backstage, ITV Cymru Wales, Sizwe – Artist/Beacons Cymru. Sophie Williams – NME, Tegwen Bruce Deans – Journalist, Daniel Minty (Minty’s Gig Guide)
