Gwenno wins Welsh Music Prize 2015

Gwenno receiving the award

The fifth Welsh Music Prize has been won by singer Gwenno.

Her critically-acclaimed debut album Y Dydd Olaf was picked from a shortlist of 15 from an original selection of 60 albums produced in Wales.

She said: "These albums don't happen without loads of people around you."

The awards were launched by BBC Radio 1 DJ Huw Stephens and music promoter John Rostron, who called it "the best of a brilliant bunch."

He added: "It's a bold, brave and wonderful record that also shows Wales at it's creative best. A deserved win."

Keyboard player and singer Gwenno Saunders, from Cardiff - who is also a DJ and radio presenter - won the Welsh Language Album of the Year Award in the summer.

Saunders, 34, a fluent Welsh and Cornish speaker, sings in both languages on the album, which is inspired by a 1970s Welsh sci-fi novel written by nuclear scientist Owain Owain.

Accepting the award in Cardiff, Saunders paid tribute to the other shortlisted albums and added: "I haven't slept - I've just had a baby!"

It was first released on Cardiff-based Peski Records before being taken up by indie label Heavenly, who included a CD of remixes in the re-release.

"I think, in some way, that reflects the story of this record, which has grown in following and stature and adoration through it's journey this year," said Rostron.

Saunders added about the novel she was inspired by: "It's written by a scientist predicting how we'd be controlled by technology and the media - it's a timely album and I was so excited to discover something like that."

Last year's winners Joanna Gruesome were nominated again for the follow-up to Weird Sister.

The album includes one track sung in Cornish

The ceremony was held in Cardiff

The first winner was Gruff Rhys for Hotel Shampoo in 2011 and this year a fellow Super Furry Animals member Cian Ciaran was shortlisted for his side-project with Zefur Wolves.

Others on the shortlist included Welsh language veteran Geraint Jarman and Catfish and The Bottlemen.

Judge Griff Lynch Jones said the competition bridged the gap between English and Welsh language music.

"There's a lot of separation usually," he said.

"It sends message out it doesn't matter what genre it's in or what language it's in."

"There was a bit of argument but in the end we were all agreed on the winner."

The shortlist:

Calan are now a mainstay of folk festivals with music and Welsh clog dancing. Nominated for their album Dinas

Rockers Catfish and The Bottlemen, from Llandudno, have been a hit in the United States. Their album is The Balcony

Geraint Jarman, nominated for Dwyn yr Hogyn Nol, is a veteran on the Welsh language music scene

The winner: Y Dydd Olaf from Cardiff singer and keyboardist Gwenno, with her Welsh and Cornish language music crossing over with English audiences

Huw Evans aka HHawkline on In The Pink Of Condition brings a psychedelic feel

Hippies vs Ghost's Droogs is a side project by guitarist Owain Ginsberg of We//Are//Animal

Houdini Dax, one of the BBC Wales' Horizons acts, are shortlisted for Naughty Nation

Last year's Welsh Music Prize winners. A follow-up album, Peanut Butter, for Cardiff's Joanna Gruseome - spreading the punky noise on thick

Indie rockers Keys - originally formed in Aberystwyth 15 years ago but re-emerged under a new name - are nominated for Ring The Changes

Richard Llewellyn and Sarah Howells alias Paper Aeroplanes were shortlisted for their fourth album Joy

Singer-songwriter Richard James, ex-Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, was nominated for his fourth solo album All The New Highways

Tender Prey - led by Laura Bryon's energetic guitar sound - is listed for Organ Calzone

Trwbador's atmospheric electro-pop was nominated for Several Wolves although the duo have now split

Zarelli (Carwyn Ellis of Colorama) was nominated for Soft Rains, a sci-fi soundscape which features the voice of the late Star Trek actor Leonard Nimoy

Zefur Wolves - led by Super Furry Animals keyboardist Cian Ciaran and singer Estelle Ios - are nominated for their self-titled debut