Welsh Language Hit on Spotify

A rock duo song becomes the first Welsh language song to score one million plays on Spotify.

14:01 06 December 2018

Alffa has released its song entitled ‘Gwenwyn’ in July and it has become the first Welsh language song to be streamed more than one million times on Spotify.

 

The duo, who described the milestone as “nuts”, has been chosen to be one of BBC Wales’ Horizons artists for 2018 – promoting new music from Wales.

 

Guitarist and lead singer Dion Jones said: "We weren't expecting anything like this.” He and drummer Sion Land were sixth-form students at Ysgol Brynrefail in Llanrug. They just finished school in the summer.

 

Welsh singer-songwriter Yws Gwynedd, the label's founder, said that Alffa's success had shown that "language barriers are being blown wide open".

 

"The most exciting thing to come out of this is how it reflects the output, work ethic and abundance of Welsh labels and artists in Wales," he added.

 

"This is just the beginning."