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Wales Online
Wales Online
Entertainment
Sam Cook

Stormzy to make Welsh festival debut

Stormzy will be making an appearance at the Hay Festival 2023. The 29-year-old British rapper, who is best known for songs including Shut Up, will be discussing his life and career at the festival, which takes place in Hay-on-Wye, Brecon Beacons across May and June.

Speaking ahead of his appearance at the annual literary festival, Stormzy said: “It all started with books for me. As a kid in school, I fell in love with literature and it sparked a life-long journey with words and writing, which led into my career as a songwriter and a musician.

“I’m really excited to pass on this passion at Hay Festival, celebrate our incredible #Merky Books writers, and inspire the next generation of storytellers. Can’t wait to see you guys there!”

Read more: Peaky Blinders making comeback with a twist months after final ever BBC episode

Aside from Stormzy, there will also be a whole host of other famous faces in attendance. These include fellow musicians Dua Lipa and The Proclaimers; comedians Dara Ó Briain, Tom Allen and Kiri Pritchard-McLean; stars of stage and screen Helena Bonham Carter, Richard E. Grant, Paterson Joseph, David Baddiel and many more.

This year’s Hay Festival will include more than 500 in-person events over 11 days, from Thursday, May 25 to Sunday, June 4. Events range from the free Programme for Schools followed by HAYDAYS and HAYYA events for families, which encourage young readers to get creative throughout the half-term.

Late nights at the Festival will provide a showcase for music, comedy and entertainment, while a host of free pop-up activities and performances around the site keeps the audience entertained between events. Hay Festival, itself, invites audiences to imagine the world as it is and as it might be. It is a catalyst for change and action, open and accessible to all.

Last year's Hay Festival was a huge success (Sam Hardwick)

Discussing the upcoming festival, CEO Julie Finch said: “This Hay Festival edition is a beacon, an international symbol of hope for the collective, creative imagination and a better future. Our latest programme offers ‘11 days of different’ in the Brecon Beacons National Park, creating a space where great minds won’t always think alike, and where imaginations are free to roam. During the day our conversations will grapple and engage with the world around us, seeking solutions to some of the biggest challenges of our times while inspiring the next generation of world-changers. And in the evening we’ll laugh, dance and exchange stories in a place like nowhere else. Join us.”

Providing exciting new platforms to discover fresh ideas, Hay Festival invites audiences to imagine the world as it is and as it might be. It is a catalyst for change and action, open and accessible to all.

For more information on the event and to buy tickets, visit here.

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