Caitlin Whelan runs Cardiff-based independent music promoter and artist management CLW, championing the best new music from Wales and beyond. She is also co-director for the Rose Parade Recording Co record label.
Are you doing anything for Welsh Language Music Day 2022?
I’ll be listening to Miwsig’s fantastic Welsh language playlists as well as setting myself a personal challenge of tweeting as much as I can in Welsh about my favourite songs!
What is the first song in the Welsh language you remember, and what does it mean to you?
The first Welsh language song I remember is the classic Aderyn Melyn (Yellow Bird) which we’d often sing in primary school assemblies, especially around St David’s Day. The song is a massive nostalgia trip for me, whenever I talk about it I’m instantly taken back to the school hall where we’d belt the songs at the top of our lungs. Great times!
Why do you think the day is important, both inside and outside Wales?
Dydd Miwsig Cymru is such a wonderful celebration of Welsh language music and really helps people to discover what the wide range of music performed in the Welsh language has to offer. For people like myself, who haven’t necessarily been exposed much to contemporary Welsh language music growing up as a non-Welsh speaker, DMC has been an excellent educational tool in learning about the excellent music being made in Welsh today. I think having an event like DMC is immensly important for shouting about Welsh language music across the UK and further afield and I really hope it continues to grow, year on year.
What is the best venue welcoming Welsh music, and why?
Primarily because it’s the only place I’ve been to for a Welsh language gig but Clwb Ifor Bach in Cardiff! Twrw, the Welsh language gig night always has some great acts playing from really varied genres.
What are your top three Welsh Language songs, and why?
Chwyldro – Gwenno – I remember the first time I heard this live and was blown away by the growing intensity of it. I had a read of the lyrics when I got home and loved the relevancy of the opening line: “Byw’r gorffennol ar dy gyfrifiadur / ond sdim ar ôl o’r hen adeiladau / a’i dyma’r dechrau?” which translates approximately to “The past lives on your computer / But there’s nothing left of the old buildings / Is this the start?” It feels like an anthem of sorts to not losing hope when landlords are tearing your city’s cultural venues down!
Mywdryn – Melin Melyn – I absolutely love this band and their debut single Mywdryn is such a bop. I love their bilingual approach to songwriting and how they sandwich Welsh tracks in with their English ones. They’re always a great band to watch live and it’s wonderful to see the success they’re starting to get outside of Wales after being signed to Bingo Records. I’m really looking forward to seeing where they go next.
Mirores – Ani Glass – This song just makes me want to dance like no one’s watching and I couldn’t stop playing it when it first came out. I love Ani’s ethereal vocals in the chorus and her clever mixing of English, Welsh and Cornish lyrics. The album of the same name was one of my favourite releases of 2020 and helped me get through the first lockdown of the year!
Which Welsh albums are you most looking forward to hearing this year?
If Melin Melyn have an album in the pipeline for this year I am very excited to hear that! I’m also looking forward to hearing Bandicoot’s debut album Black After Dark as well as the release of Blue Amber’s debut album which is finally on its way this year!
What do you have coming up in 2022?
Now restrictions are easing up, I’m starting to plan some gigs for the coming year as well as working with the band I manage, Blue Amber on some exciting bits which we’re really looking forward to revealing soon. The label I co-run, Rose Parade Recording Co are also gearing up for our second full year as a label and we’ve got lots of plans in the pipeline as well as working with some fantastic new artists on releases! Stay tuned!
Follow Caitlin on Twitter here
