Aleighcia Scott shares song of the summer with new Cymraeg single, Diolch

Stephen Price

Star judge of Y Llais and a celebrated singer-songwriter in her own right, Aleighcia Scott has followed the runaway success of her iTunes Reggae Chart number one with feel-good second Welsh language single, ‘Diolch’.

Cardiff-born, Jamaican-rooted reggae star Aleighcia Scott shared her highly anticipated second Welsh language single, ‘Diolch’ (Welsh for “Thank You”), on Recordiau Côsh Records this Friday, ahead of her highly anticipated set at this weekend’s Tafwyl.

Following her ground-breaking #1 iTunes Reggae Chart hit, ‘Dod o’r Galon’, the first Welsh reggae song to top the charts, ‘Diolch’ is a heartfelt tribute to a beloved family member.

“This song is really special for me,” Aleighcia shares. “It’s written about a very loved and missed family member who I wanted to celebrate, and for anyone else who wants to do the same.”

Celebration

Produced by PenDub, ‘Diolch’ kicks off with a soulful organ riff, inspired by a melody Aleighcia shared to honour her late uncle.

PenDub explained: “I built the chords and laid down a bassline that just felt right, channelling the infectious energy of classic ’80s Rub-a-Dub.

“Mikey nailed the vibe with a punchy kick drum and crisp snare, while hi-hats and authentic percussion set the groove.

“Killer horns, muted guitar picks, and a bubbling organ bring it all together, blending that old-school soul with a fresh, modern edge.”

Accompanied by a stunning video shot in Cardiff Market by Prestigeous Pictures, ‘Diolch’ weaves themes of love, loss, and enduring memories with lyrics like, “I hope you’re proud of me / Thanks for the love / You’re still here.”

The single showcases Aleighcia’s signature genre-blending style, merging deep reggae grooves with soulful, bilingual lyricism, solidifying her as a trailblazer in Welsh and Jamaican musical fusion.

And that voice! Y Llais indeed.

Y Llais

Aleighcia has been busy after starring in Y Llais, a Welsh-language version of the popular global television series, The Voice, which began on 9 February 2025.

The series is one of the most iconic singing competitions in the world, where some of the country’s best voices face the red chairs and compete for the prestigious title of Y Llais 2025.

Just like The Voice, the talent take part in blind auditions, with the Coaches deciding if they want to turn their chairs by simply listening to the voices.

Joining Aleighcia were world renowned opera singer Sir Bryn Terfel, musician and owner of Côsh record label Yws Gwynedd, and singer and songwriter Bronwen Lewis, who also previously competed on The Voice.

Welsh language journey

A new Welsh speaker, Aleighcia has worked hard over the past few years to learn the language, bravely doing so under the spotlight of camera crews and now one of S4C’s flagship and most-watched programmes.

Aran Jones from SaySomethinginWelsh wrote: “When we first met, she was still nervous that the Welsh language didn’t really feel as though it could belong to her. It already mattered to her – she cared about it – but despite being a Rumney girl through and through, she’d already heard too many people telling her she didn’t get to be Welsh.

“I pointed her at the SaySomethinginWelsh app and told her to start suffering.

“Then she went on holiday. I’m used to that – I’ve heard some variety of ‘sorry, I haven’t started yet because I’ve been on holiday’ about a million times. That’s not Aleighcia, though.

“When we next spoke, she said ‘I’m sorry, I’ve been on holiday in Jamaica, so I’ve only done about two hours a day.’ That was when I knew she was going to be a Welsh speaker.”

As well as Tafwyl, Aleighcia is set to perform at Bristol’s Reggae Resonance on 21 June.

Listen to Diolch on your preferred platform here.