A singer-songwriter who honed her craft in Leeds is set to play at this year’s Glastonbury Festival after impressing judges in the festival’s Emerging Talent Competition.
Mali Hâf, 27, studied Popular Music at Leeds Conservatoire and was one of only eight acts to reach the live final, held at Pilton Working Men’s Club. The free-to-enter competition draws thousands of online entries each year, with a panel of industry experts and Glastonbury organisers narrowing the field.
The final panel included Michael and Emily Eavis, Glastonbury’s stage bookers and a group of music business professionals. Mali was named a runner-up and awarded a £2,500 Talent Development prize from the PRS Foundation.
“It’s overwhelming in the most wonderful way,” she said. “Up until now, I’ve only really performed in Wales, mostly singing in Welsh. It’s shown me that my voice and my stories might be ready to travel.”
Mali lists Gwenno, Kate Bush and Björk as key influences. While studying in Leeds, she says being around a wide mix of musicians helped shape her identity as an artist. “You might be surprised by how much you have learnt from Leeds along the way,” she said.
Glastonbury takes place from 25th to 29th June. This year’s headliners include The 1975, Neil Young and Olivia Rodrigo, with Rod Stewart set to fill the Sunday legends slot.
More about the festival can be found at glastonburyfestivals.co.uk and further details on Mali’s former music school are at leedsconservatoire.ac.uk. You can follow Mali on Instagram at @malihahahaf.
