Lleuwen Steffan Deuawdau Rhys Meirion

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-I'm in the studio at Sain,

-as you can see.

-I'm excited because I'm meeting

-Lleuwen Steffan for the first time.

-Our voices are very different,

-but Lleuwen does sing lyrically...

-..especially on Duw A Wyr,

-God Only Knows, her album of hymns.

-God also knows how it'll go today.

-I'm used to singing harmonies.

-But classical singing

-is another matter.

-You have to reproduce

-what's on the paper.

-We'll see...

-What am I doing?

-# The extremist of the year

-downing gin #

-Lleuwen Steffan

-first came to prominence...

-..as a member

-of the jazz band Acoustique.

-She hails from Rhiwlas near Bangor

-and has sung since her schooldays.

-# His head spinning, in a quandary #

-Lleuwen's three albums

-demonstrate many influences...

-..such as jazz, Welsh hymns

-and Brittany...

-..the latter

-in her latest album - Tan.

-She's not like anyone else.

-Her voice is like

-a palette of colours.

-She can colour every word she sings.

-Listening to Lleuwen

-is a pure pleasure.

-She has worked with many artists,

-some of them easier than others.

-I just hope Rhys isn't a diva.

-I've worked

-with classical singers...

-..and the odd diva,

-especially tenors.

-But I saw the first series

-and he seems alright...

-..or I wouldn't be here.

-Here he is!

-Alright?

-How are you?

-Don't address me formally!

-It's nice to meet you.

-It's nice to meet you.

-

-And you.

-You're taller than I expected.

-You're taller than I expected.

-

-Heels!

-I've made an effort!

-Do you like honey?

-Do you like honey?

-

-Yes. Have you got some?

-Honey from Brittany.

-You'll never catch a cold again.

-Thank you.

-I don't have a gift for you.

-I don't have a gift for you.

-

-Oh, right. I'm going...

-Before Lleuwen left...

-..I wanted to present

-my choice of duet to her.

-An aria by Handel,

-Laschia Ch'io Pianga.

-Let's go to the piano.

-I want to try this too.

-It's also a chance

-to tell the story behind the song.

-You're a princess...

-..who has been kidnapped

-and imprisoned by a witch.

-You're in chains...

-..in a cave,

-like a dungeon in a castle.

-Right.

-So, you're not happy...

-So, you're not happy...

-

-No, I can see that.

-I'm sure she'll he happy eventually.

-But one place

-certainly makes Lleuwen happy.

-Brittany.

-Lleuwen has lived there

-for eight years...

-..with her husband Lan

-and two children.

-As Lleuwen does

-between Wales and Brittany...

-..I predict lots of toing and froing

-during this programme as well.

-Degemer mat. Welcome.

-Welcome in Breton.

-You're a good one.

-I'm looking forward to this.

-I'm looking forward to this.

-

-I've arranged a gig for you tonight.

-Is that OK?

-Is that OK?

-

-Yes, great.

-Are you willing to sing in Breton?

-Are you willing to sing in Breton?

-

-Yes, yes.

-You can teach me on the way.

-You can teach me on the way.

-

-OK, I'll do that.

-Show me the words.

-Singing in Breton?

-Anything can happen

-when Lleuwen's around.

-I wanted to know how an Ogwen Valley

-girl came to be here in Brittany.

-I hadn't intended staying here.

-I came here to play a gig

-and to work on my music.

-Is that when you met Lan?

-No, I'd been here a while

-before I met him.

-I got a chance to appear in a show.

-A sort of musical.

-The woman who was playing the part

-fell ill.

-They said,

-oh, she happens to be here.

-Would I do it?

-OK, but I don't speak Breton.

-I didn't then.

-I had to learn my part phonetically.

-I saw a video of it a while ago,

-and I wanted to die!

-I decided to learn Breton,

-and Lan was the one who taught me.

-Oh, I see. That's how you met.

-When I want to learn something,

-I'm serious about it!

-That's the way.

-So, we're singing tonight, are we?

-So, we're singing tonight, are we?

-

-Well, Rhys. Yes, we are.

-It's a song called Plac'h Landelo.

-Right.

-Believe it or not, there's a place

-called Landelo here, Llandeilo.

-Plac'h means girl.

-Llandeilo girl.

-I'd better get started,

-with a mobile Breton lesson.

-HE SINGS IN BRETON

-That "n" with the tilde...

-..the mark above it, is silent.

-You say ma, not man.

-Sorry, I have to look at the road.

-Sorry, I have to look at the road.

-

-Yes, you do that!

-Or we won't get to the gig!

-Before the gig, I met some important

-people in Lleuwen's life...

-..at her home in rural Brittany.

-The neighbours had called

-to prepare a traditional lunch.

-Crepes - lovely!

-Anyone home?

-Are you alright?

-Hello.

-Are you alright?

-This is Rhys, Mam's mate from Wales.

-Lan.

-Lan.

-

-Nice to meet you.

-Welcome.

-These are our neighbours.

-In the company of Caradog,

-Eira, Lan and the neighbours...

-..I got the honour

-of sampling the first crepe.

-Mmm! Lovely.

-Very nice.

-Although I offered to wash up,

-they preferred to hear a Welsh hymn.

-It's not the first time

-I've had to sing for my supper.

-# I hear Thy welcome voice

-# That calls me, Lord, to Thee

-# For cleansing

-in Thy precious blood

-# That flowed on Calvary

-# I am coming Lord

-# Coming now to Thee

-# Wash me, cleanse me in the blood

-# That flowed on Calvary #

-From singing in Welsh

-to talking in Breton...

-..Lleuwen is fluent

-in both languages.

-Have you eaten already?

-No. Well, a little.

-As well as speaking it, she also

-sings and writes songs in Breton.

-I asked her about that challenge.

-Speaking Breton is one thing.

-How difficult was going from

-talking and conversing in Breton...

-..to writing songs and verse?

-Did that come naturally to you?

-On the last record I released...

-..I'm not happy with what I wrote

-in Breton, to be honest.

-At the time, I knew all I knew.

-But looking back...

-..I can write a lot better now,

-put it like that.

-I'm sure you're the type of person

-who's very self-critical.

-I am, but I feel I'm right

-when I do so.

-I don't feel I'm overly harsh.

-Of every song I release,

-four just aren't good enough.

-Do you leave them

-and go back to them?

-Bin.

-Bin.

-

-And start again from scratch.

-If they aren't good enough,

-so be it.

-Back in the studio,

-we've turned to Italian.

-# Lascia ch'io pianga

-# Mia cruda sorte #

-We need to sing "Mia" together.

-How did you say it?

-It needs more emphasis.

-# Lascia ch'io pianga

-# Mia cruda sorte #

-I sang this song

-when I was at school.

-That was years ago...

-..but it's still

-in the memory somewhere...

-..but not as a duet!

-Lovely.

-Beautiful.

-A good start...

-..but even the most experienced

-feel the pressure sometimes.

-I'm nervous now.

-I'm nervous now.

-

-Don't be silly.

-Slowly, slowly.

-I don't know what I'm doing.

-Don't think about singing it like

-someone else, sing it as yourself.

-A whisky would be nice!

-We'll have one afterwards.

-# Lascia ch'io pianga

-# Mia cruda sorte

-# E che sospiri la liberta?

-Wow! That was good.

-Wow! That was good.

-

-That was OK. It felt right.

-Nice.

-With the Italian coming along,

-it was my turn to sing in Breton...

-..in front of an audience

-of fluent speakers, so, no pressure.

-Bernez, Lleuwen's brother-in-law,

-had already started the gig...

-..but my watch

-was still on Welsh time.

-I'm here, and it's a lovely place.

-I have the Breton song.

-I've been practising

-with Lleuwen in the car.

-I hope to get it right,

-and here's Lleuwen.

-I'm alright, but we're late.

-Where have you been?

-I got lost!

-Have you learnt your lines?

-I've got them on paper.

-But Lleuwen was on first, giving me

-a bit more time to learn my words.

-SHE SINGS IN BRETON

-Here we go!

-My Breton singing debut...

-..in front of an audience

-in a former convent in Brittany.

-Before I could blink, we'd started.

-HE SINGS IN BRETON

-That went OK.

-Yes. Did you enjoy it?

-Yes. Did you enjoy it?

-

-Yes, very much.

-I was nervous, mind,

-singing in Breton to an audience.

-Shall we have...

-Shall we have...

-

-A pint?

-A pint. Come on then.

-From the convent,

-we go to the pub.

-Yec'hed mat.

-Yec'hed mat.

-

-Yec'hed mat!

-My duet starts to take shape...

-..and we hear

-a viral hit by Lleuwen.

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-So far, Lleuwen Steffan has

-welcomed me to her home in Brittany.

-Next, I was going to Ty Anna,

-Lleuwen's local pub...

-..a few miles from her home.

-# I see someone there

-outside the pub

-# Striking a match #

-Hello. OK?

-Hello. OK?

-

-Are you alright?

-What a nice little place.

-What a nice little place.

-

-Welcome to Ty Anna.

-I saw the sign, Tavarn Ty Anna.

-Do you come here

-to socialize and to chat?

-I like to come here when I can.

-I like the village.

-I used to come here...

-..when a Welshman called Bun Walters

-ran another pub down the road.

-I went there

-when I first came to Brittany.

-I'd been told about a pub

-run by this man from Merthyr Tydfil.

-That he'd give me a Welsh welcome,

-that I'd feel as if I was at home.

-I arrived and asked

-where the nearest campsite was.

-He took me into his garden.

-That's where I was

-for a few months, camping.

-Camping for months? Lleuwen

-is clearly a very determined person.

-I couldn't play the guitar.

-I was 26

-when I learnt to play the guitar.

-Did you teach yourself?

-Did you teach yourself?

-

-Yes.

-I was starting to get fed up

-of being in bands...

-..with people, men...

-..telling me what to do.

-When you're a singer,

-especially a jazz singer...

-..you're dressed

-in a nice frock on stage.

-You then play a kind of role.

-I didn't want to do that,

-so I started to learn...

-..and I'm still learning.

-How do you start writing a new song?

-Do you get inspired first

-or do you decide to write a song?

-The songs that work

-are the ones I don't think about.

-Five minutes later,

-I wonder if I'll remember it.

-Something happens...

-..when it works.

-When it doesn't,

-you have to work at it.

-I heard you on Twitter, was it?

-You performed Bendigeidfran.

-It's a lovely song.

-Would you sing it now?

-Have you got your guitar?

-Have you got your guitar?

-

-Yes.

-They won't mind, will they?

-They won't mind, will they?

-

-No, they probably won't listen!

-What inspired you to write it?

-I was travelling last year...

-..with the children,

-and we were in Philadelphia...

-..at the time of the Brexit vote.

-I was emotional

-and the children wanted to know why.

-I wasn't sure how to explain it...

-..to a three-year-old

-and a two-year-old.

-At the time, we were reading

-the Mabinogi tales for children.

-A simplified version of the tales.

-I tried to explain it to them

-in that way.

-Look at Bendigeidfran,

-making a bridge of himself.

-That's a good thing, understand?

-Then she played Bendigeidfran,

-the song that had over 30,000 hits.

-# Sometimes I see you

-with my eyes closed

-# Standing over a scenic mountain

-above a bay

-# Asking me to listen

-to beautiful secrets

-# But I can't hear

-your voice in my sleep

-# Bendigeidfran

-# This country is sick

-# Your old island waves its hand

-# To keep them out

-and to keep us in

-# We need magnificent bridges

-# Bendigeidfran

-# Bendigeidfran

-# Lay down over the waters,

-lay down over the waves

-# Talking of bridges

-# People like you,

-uniting yesterday and today

-# The right and left

-# The space between the space

-# That widens every day

-# Bendigeidfran

-# Only a giant can bridge

-the sea of emptiness

-# Between two strangers

-# Between two brothers

-# We need magnificent bridges

-# Bendigeidfran

-# This country is sick

-# Your old island

-is building a wall

-# The island of the mighty

-# The island of the weak

-# We need magnificent bridges

-# Bendigeidfran

-# Bendigeidfran

-# Bendigeidfran #

-Ooh, lovely. Yec'hed mat.

-Ooh, lovely. Yec'hed mat.

-

-Yec'hed mat!

-# De' miei martiri sol per pieta?

-Those notes...

-Those notes...

-

-Am I too strict with it?

-Focus on phrasing.

-Instead of focusing on the notes.

-Yes, spot on.

-Right.

-Take two.

-# De' miei martiri sol per pieta?

-# De' miei martiri #

-Much better. Ideal.

-It's been a lot of fun,

-fair play to Rhys.

-He's very generous, he helps a lot,

-and he offers lots of ideas.

-He's a 100% kind of chap,

-which is always nice.

-Thanks for telling me to redo that.

-Thanks for telling me to redo that.

-

-No problem. I think we're there.

-Well done. You came to my side.

-I'm coming to yours now,

-so look out!

-We've just finished mixing

-and cutting Lascia Ch'io Pianga.

-I think we've hit the jackpot.

-Both voices blend well together.

-Lleuwen has captured

-the feeling of the piece.

-There was an innocence

-in the way she sang it.

-On the quiet,

-I think she's pleased as well.

-# Lascia ch'io pianga

-# Mia cruda sorte

-# E che sospiri la liberta?

-# E che sospiri

-# E che sospiri la liberta?

-# Lascia ch'io pianga

-# Mia cruda sorte

-# E che sospiri la liberta?

-# Il duolo infranga

-queste ritorte

-# De' miei martiri sol per pieta?

-# De' miei martiri sol per pieta?

-# Lascia ch'io pianga

-# Mia cruda sorte

-# E che sospiri la liberta? #

-After the break,

-we hear Lleuwen's unlikely choice...

-I thought you'd be scared.

-..and an exclusive performance

-of Lleuwen Steffan's new song.

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-I'm at Theatr Felinfach.

-If you listen carefully...

-..Lleuwen's doing her soundcheck.

-I'm here to listen to her live,

-and I'm looking forward to it.

-I've heard so much praise

-for her live performances.

-Having recorded with her,

-I can't wait.

-She's playing an acoustic gig

-with double bassist Owen Evans.

-Hello.

-Look who's here. Are you OK?

-Look who's here. Are you OK?

-

-Very well, thank you.

-Are you ready?

-Are you ready?

-

-Yes.

-How long is your set

-for a gig like this?

-Tonight, I'll play

-two 50-minute sets.

-Most of them are new songs.

-The singing's fine,

-no need to bother with that.

-But the guitar isn't quite there,

-so they're guinea pigs.

-I'll be a guinea pig as well.

-No problem.

-Lleuwen clearly appeals

-to a cross section of people.

-Once a fan, always a fan, I'd say.

-There's a closeness there,

-great honesty.

-She's an artist, a true artist.

-I'm not a keen follower of Lleuwen,

-I just happen to have come tonight.

-I've come to sample her music.

-We've got all her albums.

-We've got all her albums.

-

-Yes, every one.

-If I hear about a new album coming,

-I find out the exact release date...

-..then buy it straight away.

-I'm a big fan.

-I consider myself

-a member of the fan club as well.

-But it's the first time

-I've heard her sing live in Wales.

-I can't wait.

-# Take me to chapel

-# Take me back to four-part harmony

-# I'm sitting in the pub

-# Waiting for some tenor to give me

-harmony and a new hallelujah

-# Give my regards

-# To Jesus Christ

-# Give my regards

-# Give my regards

-# Remember me as I was

-# Give me your blessing

-on my journey

-# Remember me as a hymn

-# In your heart, on your lips

-# And at your fingertips

-# Give my regards

-# To Jesus Christ

-# Remember me

-# Remember me #

-Remember Me by Lleuwen Steffan.

-A performance

-that I'll remember for a long time.

-It was now time to turn

-to Lleuwen's duet.

-It seemed an unlikely choice.

-# I was once lost without redemption

-# There was no-one

-more impure than me #

-I love this hymn.

-I imagined Rhys singing it...

-..while I listened to the old

-version by Richie Thomas.

-Then I thought,

-why not make a duet of it?

-Yr Hen Rebel is my choice.

-I've listened a lot to the version

-sung by Richie Thomas.

-The words are quite old-fashioned.

-Why did you think of me

-and pick this?

-Do you know something..?

-Do you know something..?

-

-I could just hear you singing it.

-Nothing to do with the title?

-Nothing to do with the title?

-

-The old rebel?

-I suspected that Lleuwen

-had a surprise in store for me.

-What's this drum?

-Oh, look out.

-You'd better cover it.

-I thought you'd be scared.

-That's why I wanted you

-to play the drum.

-It's payback time for getting me

-to sing something out of an opera.

-It shows you didn't know me.

-It shows you didn't know me.

-

-Indeed.

-Because of his

-classical background...

-..I thought Rhys would be

-classical by nature too.

-I didn't think he'd love the idea

-of playing the drum.

-He doesn't fit into the box

-of a classical singer at all.

-At primary school in Tremadog,

-I always wanted to play drums.

-But I always got

-a tambourine or a triangle.

-I've waited a long time

-to finally get this opportunity.

-But we'll get the song right first.

-Hurry, I want to play the drum.

-Yes, I wanted to start drumming,

-but the singing came first.

-# Then, despite such darkness,

-a kind, tender voice #

-I'm meant to be singing.

-I was far away!

-You were thinking of the drum!

-# Saturday morning,

-and the train's late, late, late #

-Lleuwen grew up in Rhiwlas,

-between Caernarfon and Bangor.

-While she was back in Wales,

-she took me up Moelyci mountain.

-You must have played a lot here.

-It was like a garden to us.

-I can see the school.

-I can see the school.

-

-I went to Rhiwlas school, yes.

-Did you enjoy primary school?

-Did you enjoy primary school?

-

-I did.

-Was there singing?

-Was there singing?

-

-Yes, and Mrs Parry played guitar.

-I thought she was cool.

-She wore high heels as well.

-She kept the beat going,

-banging her foot on the floor.

-Who were the musical influences

-in the early days?

-Which pop groups

-or singers did you listen to?

-I liked Caryl Parry Jones.

-I liked the Shampw record.

-That was by Bando.

-I also liked Tiffany,

-Mel and Kim and Kylie Minogue.

-People like that.

-Lleuwen has ploughed her own

-musical furrow by now, of course.

-You had a song with a number...

-You had a song with a number...

-

-The catchy title? 346,000.

-That one. What's it about?

-It's about a lot of my friends

-who have moved to Cardiff.

-I felt unlucky

-because my friends had moved away.

-The traffic of modern life.

-# If you try your best

-to hide all the time

-# I know every street, don't forget

-# In your mind

-# I know the city,

-its dust and its debris

-# I know the narrow paths

-# The lovely gardens

-# Your skin in your sleep

-# There are 346,000 people living

-# In the city of Cardiff

-# Not one

-# Of those people, no one at all

-# Has found the road

-# The road to you

-# 346,000

-# If you try your best

-to hide all the time

-# I know every street, don't forget

-# In your mind #

-After the break, I hear more

-about Lleuwen's musical influences.

-I'm ashamed to say

-that I like Dad's songs.

-And how will I get on

-with my ambition to play the drums?

-You feel it!

-You feel it!

-

-I feel like a Roman!

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-As I got to know Lleuwen,

-I sensed the rebel within her too.

-As such, her choice of duet -

-the hymn Yr Hen Rebel - is very apt.

-# To save an old rebel like me #

-There's one part...

-There's one part...

-

-Go on.

-I can't remember...

-# Calling out that He

-was the biggest sinner #

-Just to change it a little bit.

-Just to go off the beat.

-# Calling out

-that I was the biggest sinner #

-I want to sound more rebellious!

-# I listened to dearest Jesus

-# As He spoke so tenderly to me

-# I called out

-that I was the biggest sinner

-# So can he save

-an old rebel like me #

-Well done.

-Well done, Rhys Meirion.

-With the singing out of the way,

-my drumming dream is coming true.

-There are no words to learn,

-at least.

-I was thinking...

-Yes.

-Or dum-dum-dum.

-Oh, right.

-If that's what you want.

-That's the one.

-You feel it!

-You feel it!

-

-I feel like a Roman!

-It's time to add the drum

-to the track.

-I'm so excited!

-Oh! The end.

-Thank you. Great.

-Thank you. Great.

-

-Very brave.

-What's nice

-is that there's no stress.

-It's just a matter

-of having a good time.

-If you sing a good time,

-they hear a good time.

-Something like that!

-That was great. I think it's a hit.

-That was great. I think it's a hit.

-

-Do you think so?

-There's such a contrast

-between that one and the first duet.

-I'd never met Lleuwen,

-and now I think the world of her.

-I've had a great day.

-I've laughed,

-and I've really enjoyed the singing.

-Two totally different songs.

-I took her to the classical world,

-then she took me to her world.

-Changing Yr Hen Rebel...

-..to a song with rhythm,

-and a bit of blues.

-A day to remember.

-Days to remember, actually.

-Before we left Rhiwlas,

-I asked Lleuwen about her family...

-..an event that shaped her life,

-and her father.

-# O son of the sea #

-Your father also influenced you.

-For those who don't know,

-he's Steve Eaves.

-When I was young, I liked his music,

-but I was ashamed to say so.

-I thought it was weird to say so.

-"I like Dad's songs."

-Maybe your children are the same.

-They like what you do

-but are ashamed to say so.

-I wonder if they're the same.

-I'm sure they are.

-There's a nice stone

-where we can sit down.

-We can have a rest.

-# If you come back #

-You mentioned

-your father's influence.

-You had to deal with the blow of

-losing your mother at a young age.

-Yes, I did.

-Was it a turning point in your life?

-Yes, definitely.

-As you know,

-there's life before and life after.

-You just adapt your life...

-..in the way that we

-as human beings are able to do.

-You don't have any choice.

-You just deal with it.

-You get the strength from somewhere

-that enables you to carry on.

-Did you change as a person

-or did you carry on as you were?

-I'm sure I changed as a person...

-..but maybe I didn't realize that

-until fairly recently.

-We all changed, because

-she was the focal point, in a way.

-Her nature, you know.

-She was quite magnetic

-and very lively.

-Like someone else.

-Like someone else.

-

-Who?

-As for your songs...

-..do you think growing up here

-has influenced your songs?

-Definitely, yes.

-In what way?

-Well...

-..when you write something...

-..everything that you experience

-goes into the words or the music.

-I can't write words or music about

-something I know nothing about.

-I only write what I know.

-Yes, I see.

-This is where I've lived longest.

-Do you feel a yen to return?

-Oh, yes.

-I'd love to move here

-with my family...

-..and take the children

-to Rhiwlas school.

-But life isn't as simple as that.

-Sadly, our time is running out.

-Sadly, our time is running out.

-

-Already?

-Thank you for taking me on a journey

-through Lleuwen's life.

-I didn't know you before this.

-I didn't know you before this.

-

-No.

-A welcome awaits you in Brittany.

-A welcome awaits you in Brittany.

-

-I feel we've become friends.

-I'll have to hire a motorhome...

-..and catch that ferry

-with the family.

-We can share a kir.

-Yes, or six.

-Six!

-# I was once lost without redemption

-# There was no-one

-more impure than me

-# And I wondered

-whether the Saviour

-# Ever save an old rebel like me

-# I wandered ahead in darkness

-# The sun didn't rise upon me

-# My breast was filled with sadness

-# There was no hope

-for an old rebel like me

-# Then, despite such darkness

-# A kind, tender voice spoke to me

-# Telling me that the answer

-was to look to the cross

-# To save an old rebel like me

-# I listened to dearest Jesus

-# As He spoke so tenderly to me

-# Calling out

-that I was the biggest sinner

-# And that he could save

-an old rebel like me

-# I no longer wander in darkness

-# The sun dawned upon me

-# And now I attest unto others

-# How He saved an old rebel like me

-# And when I finally reach Heaven

-# And witness my Saviour's esteem

-# I'll sing

-# I'll sing His praises eternally

-# For saving an old rebel like me

-# For saving an old rebel like me

-# For saving an old rebel like me

-# For saving an old rebel like me #

-S4C Subtitles by Testun Cyf.

-.