She describes her music as electronic fairycore of Welsh witch pop, but who exactly is Mali Haf who will be performing Welsh language music at Glastonbury 2025. The singer will appear at one of the most prestigious festivals in the world alongside the likes of The 1975, Neil Young and Charli XCX to name a few. So, how did a girl from Cardiff find herself on this prestigious line up of acts? Well, she entered a competition on a whim. Mali entered the Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition 2025, not optimistic that she would progress, let alone win a spot to perform during the weekend. From superstar gigs to cosy pubs, find out What鈥檚 On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here . It is an annual contest that provides a platform for new and unsigned UK/ Ireland-based musicians to showcase their talents and potentially win a coveted spot on the main stage at Glastonbury. The judges include Michael and Emily Eavis, Glastonbury stage bookers and music business professionals. Despite not winning the competition, they decided on two runners-up. This includes Ghana-born, Gloucester-raised neo-soul / hip hop act Nat Oaks and Cardiff’s own Welsh language singer-songwriter Mali H芒f. Both of the acts received a 拢2,500 Talent Development prize from the PRS Foundation as well as a slot at this year鈥檚 Glastonbury Festival. To enter the competition you must submit a short application form and put forward your favourite representation of your music. Mali decided to submit her song Esgusodion, the Welsh word for excuses. She said about the song: “It’s quite broad really, what I’m singing about, but like excuses. I guess I sort of realised that they’re everywhere and it was at the time of the election. I was like, they are literally, they’re everywhere. From yourselves, from politicians, from maybe partners. So I guess the song was like noticing that and shooing them away in a fun way.” She then found out she had reached the top 90 out of 7,500 applicants, before then making the top 8 and then finally the top 3. She said: “Each step that happened it was like ‘oh my god’. I had to process each step so the final one where I’m actually going to the festival you know it took a while to be like ‘oh my god I’m going’. “If you asked me a few years ago, is that where you want to play and I’d be like of course that’s every musician’s dream. But, you know, I’m a realistic, maybe I’m too realistic sometimes, you know, just so I don’t get my heart broken. But I was like, you know, if it doesn’t happen, whatever and then it does happen. And it’s like, you know I at least thought it would be something even more in the future. But the fact that it’s come now, it’s crazy.” When asked what can the crowds of Glastonbury expect from a Mali Haf performance she said: “Well, if you follow me you know that I love my witchiness and magic spells and folklore, but like I also love modern music too so it’s like combining that. My folky roots with with the modern elements, just being Mali Haf who’s playful and doesn’t take life too seriously.” The weekend will boast numerous acts from across a spectrum of musical genres, as well as a variety of different acts including comedy, culture and educational talks. The singer has said that she is most looking forward to seeing the powerful women performing across the weekend, including Doechii and Amyl and the Sniffers. She said: “Festivals in general are like the happiest place in the world to me. Like you are just living in the outside world and you see music every two seconds. Really like it’s just like a dream life for a weekend isn’t it. Of course it’s a dream like every other musician.” The musician had previously worked at Glastonbury a few year ago on a coffee stall, however this time she’ll be returning to do what she does best, performing her music on stage. Mali who has already started packing is looking forward to showing what Wales has to offer, whether that is in the way of her Welsh language songs or in her outfits. She has two outfits made by Welsh fashion designers, including Rosie Evans and Joseph Thomas of the Haus of Androgyny. She said: “Obviously, there’s more to my identity than just being Welsh, but being raised in the Welsh culture and having music and the arts being so important, you almost feel like I’ve got to give back because like it’s a big part of my journey like would I would be the singer I am now if it wasn’t for my culture telling me how important and amazing singing and the arts are.” The majority of her set will be done through the medium of Welsh, following in the footsteps of the Welsh band Adwaith who have also performed on the BBC Introducing Stage. She said: “I’m hoping that it’s just becoming more normal to be heard, rather than like, ‘oh, it’s the first time we’re hearing Welsh’, because it shouldn’t be, you know. It shouldn’t like be unusual. We’re literally next door to England and our language has been around longer. So why is it unusual? “I’m glad to be part of that wave that’s just bringing its normality and showing every aspect of it, as there’s not just one way of showing Welsh.” Mali will be performing on the Thursday, Saturday and Sunday of the festival across three different stages. You can find more information here.