First Black Welsh Music Awards shine spotlight on artists shaping sounds of Wales

This October marks a significant milestone for the Welsh music scene with the launch of the very first Black Welsh Music Awards (BWMA).

The landmark event, patronised by Dame Shirley Bassey, Levi Roots, and Sir Nick Young, will celebrate the talent, influence, and contribution of Black artists in Wales.

Taking place on Saturday 4 October 2025, the BWMAs will shine a long-overdue spotlight on the Black musicians shaping the sound of Wales today, across genres from drill and soul to reggae and alt-R&B.

Artists

Some of the artists helping define this new era include:

• Sage Todz– A pioneering voice in bilingual Welsh drill and hip-hop, whose viral hit Rownd a Rownd put him on the map as a cultural force.
• Lily Beau– Soulful, cinematic, and authentic, Lily’s vocals have resonated nationally, including on the BAFTA-winning Y Sŵn.
• Aleighcia Scott– A reggae-soul artist and BBC Radio Wales presenter with growing global recognition.
• Adjua– A genre-blending alt-R&B artist and producer whose music is both experimental and deeply introspective.

Categories include Best New Artist, Best Welsh Language Track, and a plethora of genre-specific awards. The awards received 281 nominations for 150 unique artists.

The BWMAs come at a time of rising momentum across Welsh music, with Creative Wales supporting a wave of initiatives to foster a more inclusive and thriving industry.

Inclusivity

Committed to fostering inclusive communities and addressing historical imbalances, the awards were founded by Professor Uzo Iwobi CBE, a gospel singer, vice president of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, and a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and Ify Iwobi, a pianist, composer, producer, and Radio Wales A-List artist.

Set up in line with the Welsh Government’s Anti-Racist Action Plan, the awards aim to amplify Black voices across arts, culture and heritage in Wales.

With the Welsh music industry now valued at £262 million, and Creative Wales investing over £700k in grassroots spaces through its Music Capital Fund, the launch of the BWMAs reflects a bold and necessary step forward – recognising the artists and stories that have too often gone unheard.

Just two days later, the 15th Welsh Music Prize (Monday 6 October) will celebrate broader achievements in Welsh music, with performances from Gwenno, Melin Melyn, and 2024 winner Lemfreck.

For more information, visit the BWMA’s site here.