“I Still Get Imposter Syndrome When People Ask me How it Feels” Tegwen Bruce-Deans on Winning Big in Wales

“I still get imposter syndrome when people ask me how it feels!” Tegwen Bruce-Deans admits with a laugh, reflecting on her historic win of both the Chair and Crown at the Urdd Eisteddfod–an annual Welsh-language youth festival of literature, music and performing arts. Her humility captures the essence of her journey—a journey that began in Llandrindod, far from the heart of Welsh language and culture.

Growing up in Llandrindod with non-Welsh-speaking parents, Tegwen’s connection to the Welsh language wasn’t something she inherited; it was a choice her parents made that would end up shaping her entire life. “My parents decided to put me into Welsh medium education after we moved to mid-Wales from London when I was just two years old, That decision has quite literally changed everything for me!”

In an area where Welsh was more of a school subject than a living language, Tegwen’s passion for Welsh blossomed. “I was very fortunate that my parents were passionate about giving me a bilingual education, My Dad even learned Welsh as an adult, and I have so many memories of practicing with him while playing as a child.” It was this early exposure that sparked her love for Welsh language music and literature, leading her to pursue a career that beautifully merges both.

Her academic pursuits took her to Bangor University, where she finally found an environment that allowed her to live fully through the medium of Welsh. “I fell in love with Bangor, not just because of the stellar staff, but because, it was a place where I could live my life completely in Welsh, Coming from a place where Welsh isn’t spoken socially, it was always my dream to study somewhere I could turn that reality upside down.”

Her dissertation on the underrepresentation of women in the Welsh literary canon was a significant part of her studies in Bangor. “A common theme throughout all my studies was the lack of female representation,

“For my dissertation, I wanted to shine a light on this inequality and show that, although women hadn’t been traditionally included in the literary canon, they had always been present and deserved so much more recognition.”

Upon her graduation, Tegwen’s transition from academia to BBC Radio Cymru felt almost unexpected. “It was really a case of right place, right time!” she recalls. As she was wrapping up her degree, she had already begun creating content around Welsh language music. When a researcher vacancy opened up at Radio Cymru, she jumped at the chance. “I ended up finishing my last uni exam on a Friday and starting at Radio Cymru on the Monday.” Two years later, she’s already produced her first commissioned documentary and is pushing creative boundaries every day.

Despite her achievements in different pursuits, winning both the Chair and Crown at the Urdd Eisteddfod remains the highlight of Tegwen’s career. “I still get imposter syndrome when people ask me how it feels!” After coming third in the Chair competition two years prior, securing the top spot felt like a charm after two previous attempts. “Poetry is my thing; it’s what I feel most comfortable and confident doing, but I truly wasn’t expecting to win; I just wanted feedback from the judges, who are experienced writers.” Her remarkable success has earned her a place in the history books as the second person, and only woman, to achieve the ‘double’ at the Urdd.

“The loveliest part was sharing the stage with my friend Iestyn Tyne, the only other person to have won both, but being the first and only girl to win the ‘double’ was a really proud moment for me.”

Tegwen’s poetry collection, Gwawrio, which she sees as the beginning of her poetic career started as part of a creative writing module at university. “Cyhoeddiaday Barddas, a poetry publisher in Wales, got in touch with me after I graduated, They wanted to work together on a volume of poetry as part of their Tonfedd Heddiw series, which celebrates new voices in Welsh poetry.” The collection explores themes such as feminism and self-love, offering a fresh perspective on modern life in Wales.

Balancing her work at BBC Radio Cymru with her career as a poet isn’t always easy, but Bruce-Deans has recently learned the art of prioritisation. “It’s hard to come home after a full day of being creative and then use your spare time to carry on working creatively, I’ve realized the importance of saying no to projects I’m not 100% passionate about. Otherwise, no one benefits.”

Despite these challenges, Tegwen finds her creative process deeply rooted in the everyday moments of life. “I find huge inspiration in the small things, Writing about small, seemingly insignificant things helps me understand the larger, more complicated aspects of life.” Whether it’s exploring the uncertainty of growing up or reflecting on modern Welsh life, her work is profoundly personal and reflective. “I work differently depending on the situation in which I’m writing. I have a measured and considered approach when writing music reviews and interviews, planning every last detail before writing. But poetry is different—it just flows out of me when the conditions are right and the inspiration hits!”

Tegwen’s creative journey is also shaped by her influences. She has been profoundly impacted by Mererid Hopwood, who mentors her on a Cynghanedd poetry training programme and whom she greatly respects for her achievements and moral stance in Welsh literature. When it comes to music, her career has been significantly influenced by the women in her creative collective–Kathod. “We co-create music, spoken word poetry, and art, and support each other in what can be a very male-dominated scene, so the collective’s coordinators—Heledd Watkins (HMS Morris), Bethan Mai (Rogue Jones), and Catrin Morris—are particularly influential to me.

As she looks to the future, Tegwen is excited about the ongoing development of her creative collective, Kathod. She eagerly anticipates how the project will evolve in the coming years and contribute to the evolution of Welsh language and culture. “For Welsh to thrive, it needs to be inclusive, This means hearing more voices from women and other marginalised communities. I hope that through my work and poetry, I can play a small part in taking that step in the right direction.”

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Photography by Noah Bakour @noah.bakour

Written by Angel Joanne Okonkwo @_angeljo

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Editorial Director: Taiye Omokore