Folk singer Mari Mathias shares new single, Aderyn Pur

A sense of belonging, change and a closeness to the land and foremothers inspire Mari Mathias’ new single, Aderyn Pur, which has been released today.

The artist’s mystical compositions, which have been described as ‘alternative folk’ are driven by nature, landscape and tradition.

Singing in her native Welsh tongue, she puts her own contemporary take on traditional folk melodies, many of which originate in west Wales and Pembrokeshire.

She grew up in the rural village of Talgarreg, a stone’s throw away from the Ceredigion coastline.

Mathias is releasing her second single, ‘Aderyn Pur’ (Pure Bird), on 20 March, alongside ‘Y Morgen’. Aderyn Pur is a live performance of a traditional folk song, recorded at Studio Owz, a renovated church in the Preseli Mountains, Pembrokeshire. In this recording, she sings and plays nylon-string guitar with her dear friend Jac Kelshaw on a second acoustic guitar, creating a gentle and natural sound.

The song sits in a quiet, tranquil space, exploring themes of transformation and the fleeting nature of life, touching on love, loss, the breeze, and the Awen – a source of inspiration and a call toward new flight and new places.

About the track, Mari said: “Aderyn Pur is a song that comes straight from the heart. It’s hard for me to listen back to this track without getting a little teary.

“We spent most of the day recording it as a full live performance in the church. My voice was quite tired after a week of recording the album, but in a way the fatigue adds to the innocence and tenderness of the song, which feels connected to the ‘pure bird’.”

Previous single, ‘Y Morgen’ is an original song by Mathias that draws on folklore from the Welsh coast and the legend of the Morgen, a magical sea being found in Welsh and wider Celtic mythology.

The song weaves together feminine themes, reclaiming stories and folklore from her homeland in west Wales and from the land of her Celtic ancestors in the Preseli Hills.

Y Morgen reflects on our lost connection with the sea and its creatures, ancient traditions, and the need to reconnect with the earth and water, imagining a future where we live alongside older ways of creating, with crafts that bind us to the land and our ancestors, gathering food, stones, and stories from the coast.

The new music comes ahead of a tour alongside Angharad Jenkins and Patrick Rimes which kicks off next month.

Listen to Mathias on all streaming platforms now. ‘Aderyn Pur‘ (Pure Bird), is streaming now, alongside ‘Y Morgen’