Mary Hopkin to receive Welsh Music Inspiration Award

Singer-songwriter Mary Hopkin is to receive the Welsh Music Inspiration Award at this year’s Welsh Music Prize ceremony. The award recognizes individuals who have shaped Welsh culture and championed creativity beyond mere commercial success.

Raised in Pontardawe, Hopkin rose to international fame following her appearance on ITV’s ‘Opportunity Knocks’ in 1968. After being recommended to Paul McCartney by model Twiggy, she became one of the first artists signed to Apple Records. Her debut single, ‘Those Were The Days’, topped the UK charts and sold over eight million copies worldwide.

Her career includes representing the United Kingdom at the 1970 Eurovision Song Contest, where she finished second, and providing vocals for David Bowie’s ‘Low’ and Vangelis’s ‘Blade Runner’ soundtrack. The award will be accepted on her behalf by her daughter, Jessica Lee Morgan.