Welsh singer Gwenno Saunders, known professionally as just “Gwenno,”
released her fourth solo album, “Utopia,” on July 11, 2025. Her previous work
includes three prior solo albums, a leading role on Michael Flatley’s “Lord of
the Dance,” and performances with The Pipettes.
Gwenno’s vocals blend Enya’s dreamy and smooth quality with
a pop feel. Her voice sounds amazing across various styles, from New Age to a
more pop feel. This demonstrates the incredible versatility of her voice and
her willingness to mix things up. She is clearly so connected and passionate
about the music she performs, with sincerity blossoming from each note she
sings.
“Utopia” has a wide variety of musical styles across the ten
songs on the album. As mentioned, the songs range from New Age to pop. Gwenno’s
voice remains strong throughout, both her literal voice and her songwriting.
She is able to do a wide variety of things with her music, showcasing her vocal
versatility and her immense musical ability.
Fans who have followed Gwenno for some time know that,
previously, she wrote albums in the Welsh and Cornish languages. However, this
album is the first album where she writes her lyrics primarily in English.
Not only is the language different, but the subject matters
she covers are more down-to-earth and relatable. From pregnancy to memory, the topics
of the songs speak to the human experience here on earth, allowing her to
connect with audiences. This album spans the past 25 years of her life,
documenting her adulthood.
This album is also different because the songs originated on
the piano, where songs would be composed electronically on her previous albums.
These shifts in her music show a maturity and a willingness to keep things new.
She is willing to experiment to try new things and see what works best for her.
This is crucial, no matter how long she has been in the music industry.
Overall, this album is a beautiful album that reflects Gwenno’s journey of maturity through her adult life so far. The songs will connect to audiences in a new way, especially now that they are primarily English (though keeping the Welsh and Cornish languages alive is a crucial and worthy endeavor). Audiences will be able to put this album on and just relax with its dreamy sound and relaxing feel.
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