Carwyn Ellis (born Carwyn Meurig Ellis; 9 August 1973) is a Welsh singer, songwriter, composer, arranger, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. He is known as the frontman of British alternative band Colorama, as a member of The Pretenders and as a long-time collaborator with Edwyn Collins. In 2014, they worked together on the soundtrack to the film The Possibilities Are Endless which won the Mojo ‘Film of the Year’ Award.

Ellis has also recorded electronic music as Zarelli, releasing an album, Soft Rains in 2015 which featuring the voice of Leonard Nimoy narrating the Ray Bradbury short story “There Will Come Soft Rains”. In 2017 Ellis formed the Welsh folk group Bendith and their self-titled album was nominated for the Welsh Music Prize and went on to win the Welsh Language Album of the Year 2017 award at National Eisteddfod of Wales.

In 2019, Ellis embarked on a new adventure with Rio 18, which started as a collaborative project sung in Welsh and recorded mainly in Rio de Janeiro. The album, Joia! was nominated for the Welsh Music Prize. A documentary film on the making of the record, Carwyn Ellis: Ar Y Cei Yn Rio went on to win the Best Welsh language short Film award at the Wales International Documentary Festival.

The second album by Carwyn Ellis & Rio 18 called Mas was released in February 2021, and third album Yn Rio soon followed in October of that same year, featuring a collection of songs recorded in Cardiff together with The BBC National Orchestra Of Wales.

Fourth album Radio Chévere sees Carwyn Ellis dropping his name from the band and releasing as simply Rio 18. This change coincides with the music no longer including singing exclusively in Welsh, and including a myriad of destinations stopping off in Uruguay, Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Mexico, California, New York and countless other sonic destinations via samba, salsa, funk, cumbia, joropo, disco, psychedelic and electronic stylings.

For more:

Carwyn Ellis’ site
Carwyn Ellis on facebook
Carwyn Ellis on twitter
Carwyn Ellis on instagram
Rio 18 on instagram

Releases