Sian James is one of the most celebrated singers of traditional Welsh music.

She's just released her seventh album in 20 years, in which time she's performed as far afield as California and Japan.

Later this month she's back in Wales for a welcome show on home-turf, in St David's Hall, Cardiff.

These days she also runs her own record company, Bos Records, and was the subject of a five-part series on S4C.

"Music has always been an inextricable part of my life," she says. "I was surrounded by music from a very early age and was put on the stage by my mother at the age of three to compete in our local Eisteddfodau. "I began learning the piano at the age of six, the violin at eight and the harp at eleven.

"At 14 I began my concert career singing traditional songs as part of a harp trio, along with solo performances to my own harp accompaniment. "Soon I began composing songs and creating my own arrangements of traditional songs, and discovered that improvising and creating at the piano and harp brought me enormous enjoyment.

"This continued through my school years and at college where I read music. My composition tutor was Professor William Mathias, who gave me a huge amount of encouragement and guided me with wisdom and spirit.

"During these college years I also began singing in a folk rock band called Bwchadanas, which further bolstered my interest in experimenting with musical styles.

Sian James plays St David's Hall, Cardiff, on Thursday, March 31 at 8pm as part of the Roots Unearthed Season on Level 3. Tickets are £8.