Earlier this month we wrote about a Welsh-language folk song recorded in 1983, Yma O Hyd, topping the iTunes chart in the UK after a campaign by Welsh-independent campaigners. Now we have some news about a streaming service created specifically for Welsh-language music. It’s called Apton, it was set up by label Sain Records, and it has 3,000 users – tiny in the Spotify scale of things, but an interesting start in the Welsh government’s goal to nearly double the amount of Welsh speakers to one million by 2050.
However, Sain Records, which has invested £100k in Apton so far, told the BBC that it needs more funding to continue growing. “Developing an app of this kind is an expensive process in terms of the technology and programming, and in terms of updates and maintenance,” said its boss Dafydd Roberts in evidence to the Welsh assembly’s culture committee. “It is highly unlikely that Apton can continue without further investment in its development.” Perhaps some music-industry companies reading this story might have an interest in helping.
Tools: platforms to help you reach new audiences
Tools: Kaiber
In the year or so since its launch, AI startup Kaiber has been making waves,…