Deyah has been announced as the winner of the Welsh Music Prize 2020 with her album Care City. For the first time in the new music prize’s 10-year history, the winner was announced via a digital ceremony.
A panel of music industry experts selected the winner from a shortlist of 15 albums, showcasing the range of creative talent in and from Wales. The winner, Care City by Deyah, was chosen as a powerful self-produced and self-released album which fuses laid-back beats, lyrical flow and occasional song from the Cardiff MC who tackles subjects such as addiction, isolation and healing. Deyah’s previous album Lover Loner was also shortlisted for the Welsh Music Prize in 2019, in the same year that she was added to BBC Introducing’s Hot List for International Women’s Day.
In her acceptance speech, Deyah said: “Winning the Welsh Music Prize for Care City is a total surprise but a complete honour. It’s a body of work that documents the hardest season I’ve ever gone through and for it to be nominated let alone win is so humbling, I’m so grateful! With this album I want to educate people to live life without pressure of expectation”.
The 15 shortlisted Welsh Music Prize 2020 albums were:
- Mirores – Ani Glass
- Chaos Wonderland – Colorama
- Ofni – Cotton Wolf
- Care City – Deyah
- Steel Zakuski – Don Leisure
- Mai – Georgia Ruth
- Pang! – Gruff Rhys
- Eyelet – Islet
- Bring Me The Head of Jerry Garcia – Keys
- A Vision In The Dark – Kidsmoke
- Sbwriel Gwyn – Los Blancos
- Valley Boy – Luke RV
- Zone Rouge – Right Hand Left Hand
- Everything Solved At Once – Silent Forum
- Iaith Y Nefoedd – Yr Ods
Deyah now joins a list of winners that includes Adwaith (2019), Boy Azooga (2018), The Gentle Good (2017), Meilyr Jones (2016), Gwenno (2015), Joanna Grusome (2014), Georgia Ruth (2013), Future of the Left (2012), Gruff Rhys (2011).
The Welsh Music Prize ceremony also revealed Eädyth, Mace The Great and Malan as this year’s winners of the Triskel Award. The Triskel Award was created by the Welsh Music Prize team in 2019 to celebrate and support three emerging artists that offer a bright future for music in Wales. With the support of Help Musicians, the artists each receive an industry support package including a creative development award of £500, free access to the Musicians Hearing Health Scheme (MHHS) and two hours of business planning with a music industry expert.
The judging panel for this year’s Welsh Music Prize included: Angharad Jenkins (musician/composer), Daniel Minty (Minty’s Gig Guide), Emma Zilmann (Bluedot/Kendal Calling), Ffion Wyn (Ladies of Rage), Gemma Cairney (BBC Radio/author), Mark Sutherland (Music Week), Polly James (Radio X), Sian Eleri Evans (BBC Radio Cymru/Folded Wing).
The 10th Welsh Music Prize is funded by Welsh Government through Creative Wales, with support from Help Musicians.
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