The project is the result of a collaboration between Suns Europe and the Welsh festival Eisteddfod, and sees the Friulian singer-songwriter Massimo Silverio sing and play together with Welsh band Adwaith
FRIULI – Thanks to the collaboration between Suns Europe – organized by Cooperativa Informazione Friulana, publisher of Radio Onde Furlane – and the Welsh festival Eisteddfod, the video clip of “Yn y Sŵn (Nijo)” will be released today, 25th February 2021, on all music platforms. The song was composed by Friulian singer-songwriter Massimo Silverio together with Adwaith, a Welsh group who is very familiar in Friuli, where they performed twice (in 2017 and 2020) at the festival of arts in minority languages. The pandemic forced them to work from a distance: Massimo Silverio recorded the guitars, the vocals and the cello in Friuli, whereas the Welsh trio recorded their parts in Cardiff, in the studios of producer Steffan Pringle, who also did the mixing.
A SONG WITH AN INTERNATIONAL SOUND – The new single was premiered during Huw Stephens show on BBC Radio Cymru on 18th February and on Radio Onde Furlane on 20th February. The videoclip, signed by director Jonny Reed, is online from today on Youtube. «The track – explained Leo Virgili, artistic director of Suns Europe – is the perfect combination of the two styles. A poignant Carnic ballad with a rock pulse, enriched by a state-of-the-art production that makes occasional forays into electronic. Nijo is a single with a a true international sound», made possible by a bold mix of different artists. «Massimo Silverio – continued Leo Virgili – is a singer-songwriter who manages to frame the rough Carnic poetry in a melancholic, noir experimentalism. Adwaith are an all-female indie-rock trio, and one of the most prominent bands in the UK.»
«This partnership between the National Eisteddfod and the SUNS Europe festival shows how collaboration with other countries and cultures across the world can be successfully worked out.» – commented Sioned Edwards, deputy artistic director of the Eisteddfod festival. «The fact that we are two festivals celebrating minority languages ties us together, and I hope that this is a sound basis for us to develop relationships and other projects in the future. We’ve managed to create something magical with this project, and I’m sure everyone will agree that the song – whether it’s the Welsh or bilingual version – is very special.» The song was recorded in two versions, both with the participation of Adwaith and Massimo Silverio, the latter describing his new work as follows: «When I wrote this song, I was thinking about all those feelings, words, languages that unfortunately end up in this Nijo, an obsolete Friulian term which means “nowhere”. These difficult times lead us to recognize the true value of all things that slip away into silence, even if it is not a song about the present but rather belonging to a sort of non-time, like a hope to keep something alive against the force of forgetfulness.»
While we wait for the dates and locations of this year’s edition of the Suns Europe festival, Leo Virgili shares his thoughts on this project: «Collaborating with Wales in this specific time has even more importance for us. We strongly believe in a Europe that goes beyond Brexit, banks, and state agreements. A real Europe able to proudly express its diversity, by sharing the power of native languages and cultures. With this project we give life to that Europe.»
MASSIMO SILVERIO’S BIO
Massimo was born, and spent most of his life, beneath Carnia’s mountains (North-East of Italy). In the charm of a borderland dwelled by an ancient idiom, he forms his very own musical language that portrays modern music, folklore and poetry through using Italian, English and Carnico. This expressiveness is embodied through his first ‘Ø’, followed by ‘O’ out on March 11th; two EPs that collect songs written by Massimo many years ago, which are manifestations of a visceral search for everything that lives outside of time and genre schemes. A music of profound descent into human soul, into desolation and recesses of feelings.
ADWAITH’S BIO
In the past years, the exciting contemporary Welsh music scene has been shaken up by Adwaith (Gwenllian, Hollie and Heledd), three girls from Carmarthen (South-West Wales) who play with a strong personality and vibe. Adwaith’s music is a blend of post-punk, pop, and folk inspiration, with a good touch of soul, enriched by the intricate work of guitars and voice.