For the latest In the Spotlight podcast, Bill Cummings is joined by Gruffydd Owen: who is the owner and label manager at Libertino. They discuss Swigod, the new compilation celebrating a decade of Libertino, the founding of the label, and the key compilations, including releases on Ankst that shaped Gruff’s formative music taste. Listen below.
They also talk about the ethos behind the label, partly inspired by Factory Records, and its key releases, including Adwaith’s debut album Melyn, and creating a supportive community and infrastructure for music in Wales. Plus the work of Manic Street Preachers, and R.E.M. They finish by discussing the treadmill for bands and artists, the demands of streaming and social media in 2025, and being conscious of welfare and mental health of artists and those in the music industry in this environment.
Discovering Adwaith at their second gig at the Tangled Parrot in Carmarthen, Libertino was founded by Gruffydd in 2017 and now has a roster of over 25 artists who create and perform in both Welsh and English. It’s home to the likes of Keys, Los Blancos, Ynys, N’famady Kouyaté, Minas, ACCÜ, and many more.
Through Libertino Management, Gruff also manages a large proportion of the acts on the label through their creative journey. Libertino is an all-encompassing home for its artists – booking agent/tour support, in house PR, artist management as well as creative support are all provided. He strongly believes that art should be inclusive and not exclusive, creating a community from grass roots level up. Libertino’s aim is to give artists a platform from which to fly and the knowledge of how to fly successfully.
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