The first acts for this year’s highly anticipated Sŵn Festival have just been revealed — and it’s already shaping up to be one of the most exciting line-ups yet.
Taking over Cardiff from Thursday 16 October to Saturday 18 October 2025, the award-winning multi-venue festival will once again fill the city with boundary-pushing new music across three packed days, as part of the wider Cardiff Music City Festival.
Founded in 2007 by BBC DJ Huw Stephens and now run by the team at Clwb Ifor Bach, Sŵn has become a cornerstone of Wales’ live music scene, renowned for showcasing the very best emerging talent from Wales and beyond.
This year’s first wave of artists highlights that commitment to musical discovery and diversity. Among the names announced are Slate, known for their towering, poetic and gothic rock; Shale, who bring dancefloor-ready indie-pop anthems; and Morn, a ferocious family band endorsed by Speedy Wunderground, offering screeching post-punk chaos.
The Welsh talent continues with Georgia Ruth from Aberystwyth, Casual Smart from Cardiff, and rising Merthyr Tydfil indie-folk singer-songwriter Nancy Williams. 2023 Triskel Award winner Talulah is also on the bill, bringing her dreamy, jazz-infused harmonies to the stage.
Sŵn’s 2025 edition also welcomes globally celebrated names like Mykki Blanco, who is a trailblazer in the queer rap movement — alongside art-punk five-piece Man/Woman/Chainsaw, and Irish post-punk outfit Gurries, who are quickly gaining a reputation for their high-octane live shows.
In total, over 150 artists will perform across 10 venues, with much-loved spots like Tramshed, Clwb Ifor Bach, St John’s Church, Tiny Rebel, Jacobs Basement, Fuel, Porters, and The New Moon all taking part.
Adam Williams, Head of Music at Sŵn, said:
“We’re thrilled to unveil the first wave of artists for Sŵn Festival 2025! This year, the festival returns with three full days of new music in Cardiff’s grassroots venues. We’re proud to champion emerging talent — many of whom will be playing their biggest shows in Wales to date. There’s so much more to come, including special guests, stage takeovers, and the return of our artist development conference, Sŵn Connect. Stay tuned!”
The festival also continues to break down barriers by improving accessibility through payment plans, concession tickets, and new ways to get involved — from volunteer programmes to an Apply to Play scheme for unsigned artists.
With its unique mix of genre-hopping curation, and citywide energy, Sŵn Festival 2025 promises to be an unmissable celebration of what’s next in music.
