Bryde grew up in the Welsh seaside town of Milford Haven, and plunged straight into the world of music the moment she hit double-digits. Being from a fairly sleepy town, Bryde – or Sarah Howells, to her friends – made their own musical entertainment growing up, out of necessity.
Many of Howells’ earliest gigs were played alongside Nia George, her band-mate in the four-piece JYLT. Early recordings were promising, and the band had signed a record deal when tragically Nia passed away from Leukaemia at the age of 20. Then, in 2008, Howells formed Paper Aeroplanes. The indie outfit quickly built up an ardent live following and released four albums; their final record ‘JOY’ was nominated for the Welsh Music Prize.
When the duo decided on an indefinite hiatus, Howells says, it felt like the perfect time to step out alone under her solo moniker Bryde.
Not long after branching out solo, Sarah started her own record label, Seahorse Music, driven in part by the same need for autonomy that had spawned Bryde but also by the lack of women ‘running things’ in the music industry.
Bryde’s debut album ‘Like An Island’ followed in 2018 – written amid a break-up, it was a record about emancipation and learning to exist alone again. The album was nominated for the Welsh Music Prize. The musician is also active on the live circuit, playing alongside the likes of Fatherson, Rufus Wainwright, The Joy Formidable, and joining the bill at Dot to Dot, Green Man, Sen, Live At Leeds, The Great Escape, Latitude, Boardmasters, and 2000 Trees.
