As part of Welsh Music Day, BBC Radio Cymru unveiled the Sounds of Music 2025 – a list of Welsh artists to watch in the coming year. The three artists that were named as standout Welsh musicians are Buddug, Taran, and Talulah.
The singer-songwriter Buddug (pronounced Bith-ig) is an emerging artist from Brenrefail, North West Wales. At just 18, she released her second single ‘Unfan’ in 2024, following the success of her debut track ‘Dal Dig’.
Her emotionally rich songwriting has already made waves in the Welsh-language music scene, seeing her perform at major Welsh events, including Yr Eisteddfod, Tafwyl, and Maes B. She is also one of the 34 artists who received money from the Gronfa Lansio Gorwelion – an initiative supported by BBC Cymru Wales and the Arts Council of Wales to develop musical talent in Wales by offering funding and platforms for emerging artists.
Taran (pronounced Ta-r-an), a dynamic rock band from Cardiff, blend diverse influences into a unique sound. Formed through the Tafwyl/Menter Caerdydd ‘Introducing’ project, they released their debut single ‘Pan Ddaw’r Nos’ in April 2024 which featured on their debut EP ‘Dyweda, Wyt Ti…’
Active in the Welsh music scene, they have performed at several venues and festivals – with an upcoming gig at Gig Lansiad Tafwyl 2025 at the London Welsh Centre on February 28, 2025.
The final artist, Talulah, is a bilingual Welsh artist from North Wales known for her genre-blending music that fuses percussive elements with jazz-infused melodies and hypnotic harmonies. Her debut EP ‘Solas’ explored themes of power dynamics, language revival, and identity and includes songs both in Welsh and English.
The EP has earned Talulah recognition, including the Triskel Award at the Welsh Music Prize in 2023 and BBC Radio Cymru’s Artist of the Week. She is next set to perform at The Lower Third in London for a St. David’s Day showcase. ethereal vocals and combines soft, dreamy sounds with jazz and percussive textures.
These Welsh artists not only represent the creativity of the Welsh music scene but also reflect the resilience of the Welsh language – one of the oldest languages in Europe. Although excluded from public life by the English government, efforts such as the Bible translation into Welsh in 1588 and the Welsh Language Act of 1967 helped preserve the language.By 1993, Welsh had equal status with English in public services.
Today, around 538,000 speak welsh, and the number continues to rise particularly by recent increases in exposure in the media. One recent example is Elen’s appearance on The Traitors, which led to a 223% increase in google searches for Welsh lessons. As well as the ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ documentary following Ryan Reynolds’ and Rob McElhenney’s purchase of the North Wales football club.
Traitors contestant Elen has declared her backing for independence while also causing a spike in searches for Welsh language courseshttps://t.co/gKSG81ktih
— Nation.Cymru (@NationCymru) January 10, 2025
Artists like Buddug, Taran, and Tallulah are at the forefront of promoting the Welsh language through their contemporary music. Their recognition in BBC Radio Cymru’s Sounds of Music 2025 not only celebrates their individual achievements but also highlights the growing influence of Welsh-language music on a national stage.
