:Mared Williams
{{Short description|Welsh singer-songwriter}}{{Infobox person
| name = Mared Williams
| image = Mared Williams.jpg
| birth_place = Llannefydd, Conwy Wales
| nationality = Welsh
| education = Royal Academy of Music
| occupation = Singer-songwriter, Actress
}}
Mared Williams, known professionally as Mared, is a Welsh singer-songwriter from Llannefydd, north Wales. She won the 2021 Welsh Language Album Award and has won two Y Selar Awards.
Life
Although she considered studying law,{{Cite news |date=2022-12-05 |title=Ateb y Galw: Mared Williams |language=cy |work=BBC Cymru Fyw |url=https://www.bbc.com/cymrufyw/63866733 |access-date=2023-02-28}} Mared studied music at the University of Leeds until 2018 and then a master's in musical theatre performance at the Royal Academy Of Music. She had ensemble and understudy Eponine roles in Les Misérables in the West End in 2019. Mared joined the Welsh of the West End group during the covid pandemic that has performed in concerts including at the Royal Albert Hall.{{Cite web |last=Howkins |first=Jane |date=2022-06-24 |title=Mared Williams Announces Leeds Date & EP |url=https://yorkcalling.co.uk/2022/06/24/mared-williams-announces-leeds-date-ep/ |access-date=2023-02-28 |website=York Calling |language=en-US}} In a Britain's Got Talent performance with the group, Mared's vocals impressed the judges, with Simon Cowell saying that the group's performance was "exceptional".{{Cite web |last=Owen |first=Annie |date=2022-05-22 |title=Britain's Got Talent judges wowed by 'pitch perfect' North Wales singers |url=https://www.dailypost.co.uk/whats-on/britains-talent-judges-wowed-north-24030025 |access-date=2023-02-28 |website=North Wales Live |language=en}}
In 2018, Mared won the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod’s International Voice of Musical Theatre.{{Cite web |last=marketing |date=2018-07-05 |title=Mared Williams Named International Voice of Musical Theatre 2018 |url=https://international-eisteddfod.co.uk/mared-williams-named-international-voice-of-musical-theatre-2018/ |access-date=2023-03-05 |website=Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod |language=en-GB}} She then travelled to Australia to perform in the Gold Coast Eisteddfod's Musicale.{{Cite web |title=Llanefydd singing sensation Mared Williams wows crowds 'Down Under' |url=https://www.denbighshirefreepress.co.uk/news/17202248.llanefydd-singing-sensation-mared-williams-wows-crowds-down-under/ |access-date=2023-03-05 |website=Denbighshire Free Press |date=5 November 2018 |language=en}} In the same year, she came second in the "Can i Gymru" "song for Wales") competition, coming second with the song "Byw a Bod" ("living and being").{{Cite web |last=Trewyn |first=Hywel |date=2018-03-05 |title=Victory's a family affair for father and son in Cân i Gymru 2018 |url=https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/victorys-family-affair-father-son-14369253 |access-date=2023-03-05 |website=North Wales Live |language=en}}
In 2020, Mared appeared in the "Dwylo Dros y Môr" ("hands across the sea") song which reached 15 on the iTunes chart.{{Cite web |title=Press {{!}} S4C |url=https://www.s4c.cymru/en/press/post/41189/dwylo-dros-y-mr-2020-hits-the-uk-itunes-charts/ |access-date=2023-03-05 |website=www.s4c.cymru}} In 2021, Mared had re-joine the cast of Les Misérables (musical) in London's west end.{{Cite news |date=2021-10-20 |title=3 Llun: Lluniau pwysicaf Mared Williams |language=cy |work=BBC Cymru Fyw |url=https://www.bbc.com/newyddion/58970698 |access-date=2023-03-05}}
Mared won the 2021 Albwm Cymraeg y Flwyddyn ("Welsh Language Album Awards") for the album, Y Drefn ("The Order"), with I KA CHING Records label, announced live on BBC Radio Cymru.{{Cite web|title=Mared wins this year's Welsh Language Album of the Year Award {{!}} National Eisteddfod|url=https://eisteddfod.wales/mared-wins-years-welsh-language-album-year-award|website=eisteddfod.wales|access-date=2023-02-28}} The album is bilingual and includes live sessions with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. In response to her winning the award, Mared said “My heart is full! Thank you so much for making my year a thousand times better." “This album means the world to me and getting this response has been so special.”{{Cite web |date=2021-08-07 |title=Mared's 'Y Drefn' wins Welsh Language Album of the Year Award |url=https://nation.cymru/culture/mareds-y-drefn-wins-welsh-language-album-of-the-year-award/ |access-date=2023-02-28 |website=Nation.Cymru |language=en-GB}}
In 2021, Mared won Y Selar's Award for Seren y Sîn ("star of the scene") award.{{Cite news |date=2021-02-12 |title=Pwy oedd yn fuddugol yng Ngwobrau'r Selar 2021? |language=cy |work=BBC Cymru Fyw |url=https://www.bbc.com/cymrufyw/56000690 |access-date=2023-02-28}} In the same year Mared performed in the Online covid version National Eisteddfod of Wales, "Eisteddfod AmGen".{{Cite news |date=2021-08-06 |title=Albwm y Flwyddyn: 'Profiad bythgofiadwy' Mared Williams |language=cy |work=BBC Cymru Fyw |url=https://www.bbc.com/cymrufyw/58070173 |access-date=2023-02-28}} She also appeared in an S4C episode of "Curadur".{{Cite web |title=S4C - Curadur, Cyfres 2, Mared Williams |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p097gccw |access-date=2023-03-05 |website=BBC |language=cy}} In 2021, she also appeared in the launch of the online Urdd National Eisteddfod, Esteddfod T.{{Cite web |date=2021-05-07 |title=Mared Williams ac Arwel Lloyd yn lansio Eisteddfod T yr Urdd eleni |url=https://golwg.360.cymru/newyddion/cymru/2049477-cantorion-ifanc-ddinbych-lansio-eisteddfod-eleni |access-date=2023-03-05 |website=Golwg360 |language=cy}} In the same year she appeared on Scott Quinnell's BBC Radio Wales Sunday programme to discuss her debut album.{{Cite web |title=BBC Radio Wales - Sunday Morning with Scott Quinnell & Co, George North, David Gray, Matt Dawson & Mared Williams join Scott |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000tlq2 |access-date=2023-03-05 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}}
'“So I'm really proud that we can share the Welsh language and be able to create a different partnership here in New York.”{{Cite web |date=2022-11-14 |title=S4C to host Wales v USA concert on New York's Times Square tonight and hand Rob and Ryan national award |url=https://nation.cymru/culture/s4c-to-host-wales-v-usa-concert-on-new-yorks-times-square-tonight-and-hand-rob-and-ryan-national-award/ |access-date=2023-02-28 |website=Nation.Cymru |language=en-GB}}
In February 2023, Mared was announced as Y Selar's best solo artist of the year.{{Cite news |date=2023-02-24 |title=Enillwyr Gwobrau'r Selar 2022 |language=cy |work=BBC Cymru Fyw |url=https://www.bbc.com/cymrufyw/64731104 |access-date=2023-02-28}}
Personal life
Discography
= Singles =
| class="wikitable"
!Year !Title !Label !Album/ EP |
| 2019
|"Dal ar y Teimlad" |I KA CHING |Y Drefn |
| 2019
|"Y Reddf" |I KA CHING |Y Drefn |
| 2020
|"Over Again" |I KA CHING |Y Drefn |
| 2020
|"Pontydd" |I KA CHING |Y Drefn |
| 2020
| |Côsh Records | |
| 2021
| |I KA CHING | |
| 2021
| | |Something Worth Losing |
| 2022
| | |Something Worth Losing |
| 2022
| | |Something Worth Losing |
= Albums and EP =
| class="wikitable"
!Year !Title !Label |
| 2020
|Y Drefn |I KA CHING |
| 2022
|Something Worth Losing | |
Theatre
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Year !Title !Role |
| 2018
|Hwn yw fy mrawd |Ensemble |
| 2019-2020, 2021-2022
|Les Misérables |Ensemble and understudy Eponine |
| rowspan="2" |2023
|For Tonight |Mrs Lewis/ Landlady |
| Branwen/ Dadeni
|Branwen |