Elin a Carys
Elin & Carys are Welsh folk musicians and sisters from Montgomeryshire.
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Elin and Carys grew up near Meifod in Montgomeryshire in a very musical family. Their dad was a member of the Welsh folk group Plethyn, and their mum was also a strong influence musically. Welsh folk music was a big part of their childhood singing in four-part harmonies in the car or kitchen was completely normal.
Carys went on to study classical music, focusing on the flute, while Elin studied fine art and kept playing guitar and singing. After spending a lot of time apart, Elin moved back to Wales and felt the urge to return to her roots in Welsh folk music and was excited to explore the Welsh folk material and to sing and perform Welsh folk songs with Carys.
Elin then entered them as a duo in the Battle of the Folk Bands competition in 2024 as a way to push themselves to write, arrange, and perform together. They didn’t expect to reach the final which ended up being their first live performance as a duo. They re-entered for the Eisteddfod held in Wrecsam in 2025, reached the final and won!
Both sisters are multi-instrumentalists. Elin plays guitar, piano and banjo and learning the fiddle, Carys plays piano, accordion, flutes and whistles. They enjoy switching instruments and creating different arrangements for each performance.
Their music includes original songs and new versions of traditional Welsh folk songs and they are especially drawn to the lyrics and stories in these old songs, especially those linked to folk traditions like Hunting the Wren. Elin has been finding songs in old books and journals and they have been arranging them together, with Elin’s writing of original lyrics and melodies and Carys bringing her classical training to shape the sound.
Elins’ songwriting is deeply rooted in their upbringing in mid Wales, drawing inspiration from the local landscape, nature and the rivers and lakes where they spent much of their childhood.
Last year they played at Greenman Festival, Fire in the Mountain festival and the National Eisteddfod this year they’re especially excited for Between the trees festival and Fishguard Folk festival. (check out ‘upcoming shows’)Releasing their debut EP with Sain Records marks an exciting milestone as they look forward to sharing their music with wider audiences. Over the coming year, they aim to develop their sound further, collaborate with other artists and connect with audiences across Wales and beyond.
‘The whole process of what we’re doing as Elin and Carys feels like coming home. Playing Welsh folk music together just feels like we’ve found something we were always meant to come back to.’ -
5 April
Cefnogi Ar Log, Galeri - Caernarfon
9 May
Focus Wales -Wrecsam
23rd May
Fishguard folk festival
13 June
Gŵyl Cymunedol Cymraeg, Yr Wyddgrug
11 July
Llangollen Eisteddfod
18 July
Sesiwn Fawr, Dolgellau
4 August
National Eisteddfod of Wales
27 August
Between the Trees Festival
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