A sound reaction
THE 12 acts chosen for this year’s prestigious Horizons music scheme have been announced.
The scheme, a collaboration between BBC Wales and Arts Council of Wales, is a unique showcase of new, independent contemporary music in Wales, supporting and promoting emerging Welsh music talent to wider audiences. Nearly 300 artists applied for a place on the project, which is now in its fourth year.
A diverse list of a dozen of the finest emerging acts from across Wales, this year’s Horizons intake is notable for featuring strong, unique female musicians with 10 of the 12 made up of female solo artists and acts featuring female members. All 12 artists have a unique contemporary sound covering musical genres from indie, reggae, rock, folk and blues.
The twelve selected Horizons artists are:
Adwaith – Carmarthen trio craft brilliant bilingual songwriting; their recent single ‘Fel i Fod’ has been streamed over 100,000 times on Spotify.
Aleighcia Scott – Cardiff based reggae singer with a unique style and vocals whose wowed crowds in Wales, UK and Jamaica.
Alffa – An exciting teenage two piece rock n roll band from Llanrug who are inspired by the blues.
Campfire Social – A Llangollen collective whose exquisite knack for vocal harmonies and catchy instrumental textures earned them a slot at a Korean festival with Focus Wales last year.
CHROMA – Fierce Pontypridd rock trio led by Katie Hall, one of the most charismatic frontwomen Wales has produced in quite some time and a band BBC Introducing booked for Reading and Leeds last summer.
Eadyth – A unique young Welsh language electronic producer from Merthyr, whose futuristic and empowering sound is influenced by urban, soul and electro.
Himalayas – An incendiary rock four-piece from Cardiff, they have been delighting crowds at This Feeling gigs across the UK, and showcased at SXSW for BBC Introducing this March.
I See Rivers – A Tenby adopted female trio hailing originally from Norway crafting their own brand of awe-inspiring float folk. Through a studio in West Wales they found themselves drawn to and embraced by Wales.
Marged – Welsh language cutting-edge pop star with evocative vocals and lyrics that chart self-discovery, she recently supported Katie B at a secret London show.
Nia Wyn – An incredible voice and songwriting talent from Conwy whose work encompasses folk, country and pop she recently worked with Paul Weller on new songs.
No Good Boyo – Cwmbran four-piece whose rousing Celtic folk-inspired sound has delighted crowds at the National Eisteddfod of Wales and Lorient Festival, France.
The Pitchforks – A young Tonypandy band whose floor-filling indie rock sound made them one of Radio One’s Huw Stephens’s ‘Ones to watch for 2018.’
The 12 artists will be offered a platform at events across Wales and on BBC Wales’ national radio services – BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio Wales.
Music fans can follow the Twitter account @horizonscymru and facebook.com/horizonscymru for all the latest news.