Don Leisure Wins Welsh Music Prize 2025 For 'Tyrchu Sain'
Monday, 06 October 2025
Written by Laura Johnson
Don Leisure has won the Welsh Music Prize for 'Tyrchu Sain'.
The Cardiff-based producer saw off competition from Adwaith, Buddug, Breichiau Hir, Cerys Hafana, Panic Shack, Gwenno, Kelly Lee Owens, KEYS, Melin Melyn, Sage Todz, Siula, Tai Haf Heb Drigolyn, The Gentle Good, and The Tubs. Listen to the winning album here.
Returning for its 15th year with a shortlist of 15 albums, the award recognises the best in creativity from the growing Welsh music scene, as well as music made by Welsh people around the world, across genres ranging from hip hop, rap and electronic music to folk, rock, punk and pop.
Pino Palladino received the Welsh Music Inspiration Award, "an annual award that recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the Welsh music scene."
The judges for this year's prize were Caroline Cullen (Series Producer – Later…with Jools Holland/BBC Studios), Davie Morgan (Writer and marketing manager at Welsh culture and music magazine Radar), Jude Rogers (The Guardian music critic and author), Molly Palmer (DJ and BBC Radio Wales presenter), Natalia Quiros Edmunds (Music journalist and artist manager at Arctic Monkeys and Fontaines D.C.'s management company, Wildlife Entertainment), Roisin O’Connor (Music editor for The Independent and host of the Good Vibrations podcast), Sofia Ilyas (Chief Community Officer at Beatport), Tim Jonze (Associate editor, culture at the Guardian) and Zakia Sewell (BBC 6 Music presenter, DJ and writer).
The winner of the £10,000 prize money was announced at a ceremony hosted by Radio 1's Sian Eleri at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff. The event was broadcast live on BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Cymru, with a new TV highlights special airing on BBC One Wales to show off the best bits of the night.
Supported by the Welsh Government via Creative Wales, the ceremony forms part of Cardiff City Music Festival supported by the Welsh Government and Cardiff Council.
Past winners include Kelly Lee Owens, Boy Azooga, Deyah, Gruff Rhys, and Gwenno. The 2024 prize went to Newport-born rapper and producer L E M F R E C K for his album 'Blood, Sweat & Fears'.
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