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Huw Stephens has just released a new documentary on Welsh-language music

05 April 2019, 11:25 | Written by Cerys Kenneally
(News)

BBC Radio DJ Huw Stephens has revealed his new Anorac documentary on Welsh-language music.

Stephens started the documentary back in 2015, and in a piece with The Guardian last year, he said the documentary is "a celebration of the language and of the work people have done to maintain its relevance."

He worked on the film with director Gruff Davies, and says, "In the film, we show that the music has no boundaries; as long as it is wonderful, there are no limits to where Welsh-language music can go. There’s no "us" and "them" when it comes to language. You don’t have to sing in Welsh to be a Welsh band."

Welsh-language music has become more popular over recent years. Gwenno released her critically-acclaimed Y Dadd Olaf album in 2015, and other bands such as The Joy Formidable, and Super Furry Animals have also created a large fanbase from singing in Welsh and English.

The Welsh-speaking radio DJ has been a huge supporter of the Welsh music scene, regardless of whether the artist sings in Welsh or English. In The Guardian piece, Stephens writes, "I’ll always love Welsh-language music, and I’m optimistic about its future. The creativity and the infrastructure to support that creativity is getting stronger all the time in Wales. There’s a real appetite here to support our musicians in both English and Welsh, and it’s an exciting period for young bands because it’s a level playing field. We want this film to travel around the world because, although we’re a small country, we’re very proud of our music. We are the "Land of Song", after all."

Anorac is out now via the S4C channel on BBC iPlayer. It is in Welsh, but there is an option to turn on E`nglish subtitles.
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