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Sŵnami aiming for Triple Crown

Dolgellau based act, Sŵnami have been shortlisted for this year’s esteemed Welsh Music Prize, and are now hoping their debut album will secure a unique Welsh triple crown.

The five piece indie-pop outfit who formed circa 2011 were one of the 12 acts chosen as part of the inaugural BBC Wales led ‘Horizons’ project  in 2014, and were nominated to perform at Eurosonic showcase festival in Groningen in January 2015. Later on in August 2015 they released their debut self titled album.

The album has had a fantastic response and was voted ‘Album of the Year’ by the public in Welsh music magazine Y Selar’s annual awards in February this year.

Having won over the public, the album was recently given a critical seal of approval in being named ‘Welsh Language Album of the Year’ by a panel of Welsh music industry experts at Augusts National Eisteddfod (Wales’ biggest cultural event).

Now the band are hoping their album can beat off the 10/12 other Welsh LP’s shortlisted for this year’s Welsh Music Prize to claim a unique hattrick of awards.

First awarded in 2011, the Welsh Music Prize is the brainchild of Radio 1’s Huw Stephens, and has become a highly respected award with former winners including Future of the Left, Joanna Gruesome, Georgia Ruth Williams and Gruff Rhys.

The award was last year won by a Welsh language album, Y Dydd Olaf by Gwenno, who also won the Eisteddfod’s Welsh language version, but not Y Selar’s public vote.

“We knew we had a good record but you never know what people’s reaction is going to be like” said Sŵnami frontman, Ifan Davies.

“We were really chuffed to win the Selar award as it’s voted for by the people who go to gigs, and actually go out and buy records. I suppose the Eisteddfod prize on the other hand gives the record critical acclaim, and we’re in really good company with previous winners The Gentle Good and Gwenno.”

“It’s great to be shortlisted for the Welsh Music Prize, and to win that as well would be the absolute cherry on top, but there are some really good records up against us.”

The Welsh Music Prize 2016 winner will be announced on Thursday 24th November.