Gruff Rhys Wins Inaugural Welsh Music Prize

Gruff Rhys has been revealed as the winner of the first Welsh Music Prize.

Taking the award for his album ‘Hotel Shampoo’, the Super Furry Animals frontman beat off competition from acts including Manic Street Preachers, Funeral For A Friend and The Joy Formidable.

‘Everyone on the list deserved to win, so I am very grateful,’ Rhys said on accepting the prize. ‘I really didn’t expect to win, so I didn’t prepare anything.’

He later commented: ‘Its a huge honour to win the inaugural WMP for Hotel Shampoo, the shortlist was so strong, it could have deservedly gone to anyone. Its a beautiful award, shaped like an old VHS video tape (but is made of metal). Let’s hope it goes to a load of great albums in the future.’

The full list of nominated albums read:

Al Lewis – ‘In The Wake’
Colorama – ‘Box’
Funeral For A Friend – ‘Welcome Home Armageddon’
Gruff Rhys – ‘Hotel Shampoo’
Lleuwen – ‘Tan’
Manic Street Preachers – ‘Postcards From A Young Man’
Stagga – ‘The Warm Air Room’
Sweet Baboo – ‘I’m a Dancer/Songs About Sleepin”
The Blackout – ‘Hope’
The Gentle Good – ‘Tethered for the Storm’
The Joy Formidable – ‘The Big Roar’
Y Niwl – ‘Y Niwl’