Wales puts forward Eurovision entry: Campaign for Wales to compete as a nation begins

Wales’ first Eurovision entry, Anfonaf Angel by Sara Davies, has been released today as part of a campaign for the country to compete in the celebrated competition as a nation.

What if Wales, the land of song, was able to compete in the Eurovision Song Contest? What if we could select one of the many talented singers our nation has to offer to compete and perform on this this international stage?

Well, this is exactly what Welsh record label Coco & Cwtsh and one of its artists, Sara Davies is imagining, and hopefully manifesting this year they launch a campaign to get Wales to compete as a nation in future. 

As part of the campaign, the winner of this year’s ‘Can i Gymru’ (Song for Wales) competition and Pan Celtic international festival, Sara Davies today releases her new track ‘Anfonaf Angel’ (I send an Angel).

The song is a reworked production of Robat Arwyn & Hywel Gwynfryn’s popular song as an example of the wealth of song writing talent and vocalists we have in Wales,  and what Wales would be capable of presenting if entering the competition was possible. 

From today, 'Anfonaf Angel’ (I Send an Angel) will be available to stream and purchase on all major platforms with a spectacular video to coincide with its release on YouTube @saradaviesmusic.

[mid-content-banner]

“Natural"

Ahead of the release Sara Davies, who is originally from Old Colwyn and lives in Llandysul said: “This is incredibly exciting. As this year’s Can I Gymru winner, it’s natural for me to wonder what if we could take things further and compete on such an international stage?

"It really doesn’t make much sense to me that we’re not. It’s a privilege to be part of a campaign that shows what we could look and sound like up there, that will hopefully drive the idea forward and get people talking about it up and down the county.

"We had so much fun making it too and I hope people get on board with the campaign while they also enjoy the music. With four costume changes, dancers, glitter cannons & a key change – it doesn’t get more Eurovision than this!”

Along with the release of ‘Anfonaf Angel’, on the evening of the Eurovision song contest final on May 11, a live event will be held at Coco & Cwtsh studios & venue where guests will be treated to a very special performance by Sara Davies along with a live screening of the Eurovision Song Contest from Sweden.

[lower-mid-content-banner]

Contender

In short, the campaign will look, feel, and behave as if Sara was a contender at this year’s Eurovision song contest in Sweden.

Coco & Cwtsh Chief Executive, Ffion Gruffudd said: “You can absolutely see this type of song representing Wales at the Eurovision where everybody would be dancing along and completely embracing the music.

"The song is an example of  the wealth of song writing and production talent we have here in Wales, along with Sara’s amazing vocals brilliantly demonstrating what we can produce. 

"Coco & Cwtsh strongly believe that we as a nation have something special to offer this wonderful competition and that we shouldn’t be restricted  from having a voice on this important stage because of broadcasting technicalities.

"We hope the whole of Wales gets behind Sara’s song this year and it gets people talking, imagining, and campaigning with us.”

 “Reminder"

The re-worked version of ‘Anfonaf Angel’ was originally produced for the BAFTA Cymru Awards opening ceremony last year in collaboration with Coco & Cwtsh as annual supporters where the ceremony’s host and BBC’s The One Show presenter, Alex Jones said immediately after the performance: “Yet another reminder of why Wales should be allowed to enter Eurovision under our own steam”,  by adding  “We should start a campaign”.

Rebecca Hardy, Interim Head of Bafta Cymru said: “When the beats to ‘Anfonaf Angel’ reverberated through the auditorium during last year’s Awards, it just had ‘Eurovision’ written all over it and we are thrilled that Coco & Cwtsh have used this song as part of their campaign.”

With the requirements to compete at Eurovision being that a country needs to be an active member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and considering that S4C is already an active member that has already taken part in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest, Cymru competing is not an entirely nul point situation.

Ffion Gruffudd added: “The aim is to build on this next year and maybe open it out into an actual competition where artists and musicians can enter their songs before deciding on what the Welsh entry would be and doing this year on year, along with an event, until we get to compete in the Eurovision as a nation in our own right.

As a signed artist to Coco & Cwtsh who won Can I Gymru this year, Sara was the natural choice, but who knows where this might take us. We would certainly welcome songs in Welsh and English and would not be restricted to Can i Gymru winners alone.” 

You can follow the campaign and all the content around It on Sara Davies and Coco & Cwtsh social media accounts @cococwtsh @saradaviesmusic and by using the hashtags #Wales4Eurovison #CymruEurovision