Hi my name is Bethany Williams I’m 28 (shhh don’t tell everyone) and I live in Cwmbran South Wales. I have been brought up between a l’il ole town called Brynmawr and Cwmbran and although you could say I have lived longer in Cwmbran, Brynmawr will always be my home town as I spent the most influential years of my life there.
I was born deaf and after eight operations I recovered a percentage of my hearing but still unable to speak properly. I was first introduced to singing and music by my mother at five who taught me how to talk through song and I’ve been singing ever since. Although I’ve always sung and was in school plays, landing lead roles and solo’s I didn’t realize I was any good till I was sixteen. I was in college studying drama and had landed a lead role in which I had to sing a duet. This was the first time I had heard my self sing over a microphone and really had to perform on a stage. That’s when you could say I caught the bug and I’m still suffering from it now.
I’ve had a bit of a mixed childhood some time’s were golden and some time’s were tough but as my Mam always told me “what doesn’t kill you will only make you stronger “ and I firmly believe this. We all make mistakes in life but if you learn from them then there not a wasted experience. Due to my tough times through my childhood I didn’t manage to finish my schooling and decided to go back to collage as a mature student to study my passion, music performance. This was a great experience and I met allot of talented musicians I wish them all the best for the future.
I’m a lucky person I think as not many people get to wake up every morning in there office and actually be happy about it. I’m referring to my l’il home studio I have in my bedroom but to be honest its more studio than bedroom, to the point where even my bed folds up out of the way to make more room. I spend most of my time in there writing and recording and if I’m not in there I’m out gigging (or out shopping or down the pub I do have some social life you know).
I started my solo career on the local club circuit when I was eighteen and I still haven’t had a holiday (I must love my job!). I was inspired to this by my aunty Janet who is a fabulous singer, she used to take me to her gigs and let me sing a song here and there. I don’t know if she realizes how much this helped me or that with out her help I would not be the experienced driven singer I am today. I have to say that my time on the local club circuit has been an invaluable experience and I have met some very talented people along the way.
