| Sŵnami | |
| Background: | group_or_band |
| Origin: | Dolgellau, Gwynedd, Wales |
| Genre: | Indie Rock |
| Years Active: | 2011–present |
| Label: | Rasal (2012–14) I Ka Ching (2014–2021) CÔSH (2021–present) |
| Associated Acts: | Candelas, Yws Gwynedd, Yr Eira,Gerwyn Rhys a'r Band, Y Creaduriaid, One Man Down, Al Lewis, Crash.Disco! |
| Current Members: | Ifan Davies Ifan Ywain Gruff Jones Gerwyn Murray Lewis Williams |
| Past Members: | Huw Ynyr Tom Ayres |
Sŵnami (in Welsh pronounced as /suːˈnaːmi/) are a Welsh indie rock group from Dolgellau, north-west Wales, who sing predominantly in Welsh. They won the Welsh Language Album of the Year prize at the 2016 National Eisteddfod of Wales. Their name is a play on the word "tsunami" and the Welsh word for sound, "sŵn", to convey the idea of a wave of sound.
Sŵnami was formed around the beginning of 2011. The band's lead singer is Bangor University graduate Ifan Davies, who is from outside Llanegryn, Gwynedd.[1] The other members of the band are Ifan Ywain (guitar), Gerwyn Murray (bass), Lewis Williams (drums), Gruff Jones (synth).[2] They describe their style as "rocky with a bit of synth".[3]
The band won the Brwydr Y Bandiau (Battle of the Bands) at the 2011 National Eisteddfod in Wrexham. In 2012 they beat nine other bands to win Wakestock Battle of the Bands and secure a place on the line up of that year's Wakestock festival.
In 2015 Sŵnami won awards for Best EP or Single (for their single "Cynnydd" / "Gwenwyn") and Best Video (for "Gwenwyn") at the Welsh Y Selar music awards.[4]
The band's first album, Sŵnami, was nominated for the Welsh Music Prize in 2016[5] and was the winner of Welsh-Language Album of the Year at the 2016 National Eisteddfod held in Abergavenny.[6]
Ifan Davies (lead singer) also plays guitar for Yws Gwynedd and Yr Eira, and Lewis Williams plays the drums for Candelas.
| Release | Title | English translation | Label | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | "Mynd a Dod" | Come and go | Rasal Miwsig | |
| 2012 | "Eira" | Snow | Rasal Miwsig | |
| 2014 | "Gwenwyn" | Poison | Recordiau I Ka Ching | |
| 2014 | "Cynnydd" | Growth/Progress | Recordiau I Ka Ching | |
| 2017 | "Dihoeni" | Pining | Recordiau Tp[7] | |
| 2021 | "Theatr" | Theatre | Recordiau Côsh | |
| 2021 | "Uno, Cydio, Tanio" | Unite, Embrace, Ignite | Recordiau Côsh | |
| 2022 | "Be Bynnag Fydd" | Whatever Will Be | Recordiau Côsh | |
| 2022 | "Paradis Disparu" | Lost Paradise | Recordiau Côsh | |
| 2022 | "Wyt Ti'n Clywed?" | Do you Hear? | Recordiau Côsh |
| Release | Title | English translation | Type | Label | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Du a Gwyn | Black and White | EP | Rasal Miwsig | |
| 2015 | Sŵnami | Album | Recordiau I Ka Ching | ||
| 2022 | Sŵnamii[8] | Album | Recordiau Côsh |