Dafydd Iwan & Ali Goolyad

A chance meeting between Dafydd Iwan and spoken word artist Ali Goolyad in central Cardiff during the lead up to the World Cup and a connection with the lyrics of ‘Yma o Hyd’ sparked an interest in the potential for a musical/spoken word collaboration between these two very different proud Welshmen. The video below (filmed by Orchard for S4C Lŵp)  shows Dafydd and Ali performing together for the first time, live from the National Slate Museum. This piece is a special festival collaboration commission for Dathliad Cymru-Affrica 2023.  The pair also performed at Neuadd Ogwen, Bethesda as part of the festival.

The piece is called Rwyt Ti Fel Tae’r Awyr Yn Gefnfor (You’re Like If The Sky Was An Ocean), which is based on Ali’s original poem. Dafydd saw similarities between the poem and one of his own songs, Ai Am Fod Haul Yn Machlud, which accompanies this piece.

Here’s two interviews with Dafydd and Ali about this collaboration.