Singer, actor, radio and television presenter, Arsenal supporter, Welshman… Aled Jones has been a household name for 25 years now. And to mark his silver jubilee in the limelight he’s recorded the first ‘rock’ album of his career. “Don’t worry – I haven’t gone thrash metal or anything,” laughs Aled. “But I did think it was about time I tried something new.” That ‘something new’ is Reason to Believe, a selection of songs old and new, secular and (occasionally) devotional, showcasing the voice that has been entrancing audiences since he was a choirboy.
The album – Aled’s first with a band, and his first since a close brush with death last Christmas - includes a duet with Cerys Matthews that’s sure to become a radio favourite, and other notable collaborations with Leona Daly and Gretchen Peters. “I’ve been singing hymns for years and I’m 36 years old now,” explains Aled. “So I’ve gone looking for songs with the same inspirational quality as a hymn, but not necessarily the same subject matter. And I think I’ve found them.”
