Today, Horizons Launchpad Fund have announced awards totalling £60,000 to 34 emerging artists and labels across Wales.
This year’s cohort of supported artists includes Marged, a member of Self Esteem, known for her captivating vocals and mesmerising stage presence; LUVLY, a multi-instrumentalist creating immersive soundscapes blending Afrocentric rhythms with contemporary beats; Monet, an experimental post-punk quartet; Brynrefail-based singer-songwriter Buddug; and Korrupted, a leading figure in Wrexham’s rap community.
During the past ten years, Horizons has provided direct support to over 450 artists, significantly investing in the Welsh music ecosystem. Notable artists supported over the years include Adwaith, L E M F R E C K, Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard, Sage Todz, Panic Shack and Melin Melyn. This vital funding has empowered artists to develop their careers, enabling them to spend time in studios, promote releases, purchase equipment and produce music videos.
Bethan Elfyn, Project Manager with Horizons said: “After celebrating a decade of Horizons recently, it’s wonderful to start this new year celebrating and discovering a whole host of new talent. It feels like an incredibly exciting time for music in Wales and we’re delighted to be able to support this group of artists this year in a practical, tangible way. As always our gratitude to our partners at BBC Cymru Wales and the Arts Council of Wales who encourage such early stages of creativity in the arts through this fund, and have supported Horizons for the last incredible 10 years of talent development.”
The funds for Horizons Launchpad are made possible through the National Lottery, allocated
by Arts Council of Wales.
Lisa Matthews, Portfolio Manager with Arts Council of Wales said: “It’s been a privilege to continue to collaborate with BBC Cymru Wales to support such a strong, diverse, and exciting range of music creators in Wales this year through Launchpad and the broader work of Horizons. This has been made possible thanks to the funding received from the National Lottery. We look forward to seeing and hearing the results of this investment in new creative talent.”
Llinos Emanuel from Carmarthen, one of this year’s funding recipients, said: “I’m over the moon to have been selected as one of the Launchpad awardees for 2025. This is going to be such a game changer for the trajectory of my career, I can’t wait to get into the studio and record my new project. Thank you so much Horizons.”
Another artist to receive funding, LUVLY, said: “With the Horizons Launchpad Fund, I’m excited to bring Cardiff’s creative community together for a collaborative project that amplifies local talent, celebrates culture, and shapes the next big sound from the UK.” Independent music website, Klust said, “The Launchpad Fund will enable us to further develop UNTRO as a concept and support new Welsh language artists to record, produce and release their very first tracks. I’m looking forward to seeing the system grow in 2025 and being able to support the next wave of artists taking their first steps in releasing music in Wales.”
The 34 recipients of the Horizons Launchpad 2025 fund are:
Bau Cat: Prestatyn, Denbighshire
Ben Ellis: Llanishen, Cardiff
Blue Amber: Cardiff
Bruna Garcia: Cardiff
Buddug: Brynrefail, Gwynedd
Charlie J: Bridgend
Cyn Cwsg: Cardiff
Dan’s People: Cardiff
em koko: Cardiff
Freyja Elsy: Cardiff
Guilty Party: Bedwas, Caerphilly
Jessika kay: Cardiff
Klust / UNTRO: Cardiff
Korrupted: Wrexham
lemongel: Cardiff
LICO: Merthyr Tydfil
Llinos Emanuel: Carmarthen
LOYD: Barry
LUVLY: Cardiff
Małgola, No: Cardiff
Malika blu: Cardiff
Marged: Cardiff
Moletrap: Beulah, Powys
Monet: Cardiff
Nancy Williams: Merthyr Tydfil
Nathan Misra: Barry
Ofnus: Cardiff
Plastic Estate: Cardiff
Pseudo Cool: Cardiff
Shale: Cardiff
SHLUG: Cardiff
Sleep Outside: Cardiff
Source: Cardiff
Talulah: Llangollen, Denbighshire
As Horizons enters its second decade, the programme remains committed to
supporting and championing music from Wales. The focus will continue to be on
discovering and nurturing new talent, providing a platform for artists to thrive, and
showcasing the very best of Wales to the world. The support will enable artists to
advance their careers through skill development, new music recording, and touring
opportunities.
Horizons/ Gorwelion is a scheme delivered by BBC Cymru Wales in partnership with Arts
Council Wales to develop new, independent contemporary music in Wales.
