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The American musician reclaiming his lost Welsh roots

Nicola Bryan
BBC News
Jesse Morrow Brian Fennell is sitting against a wall in a dark room with blinds closed behind him. He is wearing a dark beanie and hoodie. He has dark hair which is short at the sides and longer on top.Jesse Morrow
Fennell uses the artist name SYML, which means 'simple' in Welsh

He doesn't speak Welsh and has only visited the country once but American singer-songwriter Brian Fennell has just released his third studio album using his Welsh alias.

Fennell performs under the name SYML, which means "simple" in Welsh.

Growing up in Seattle he always knew he was adopted, but it was not until he was given his adoption records at 18 that he learnt his birth parents were Welsh.

He said his artist name was a way of honouring his heritage.

"It's saying that this is where I come from on some level," he explained.

Jesse Morrow Brian Fennell is sitting, playing an acoustic guitar and singing into a microphone. He is wearing headphones and a green hoodie. Jesse Morrow
Fennell released his first album as SYML in 2019

Fennell, who was previously part of indie band Barcelona, said writing his "cinematic and melancholic" music was a way to explore his feelings over being adopted.

"It's becoming easier for me to write songs that dig deep compared to speaking about [my feelings] to even my partner or my kids," he said.

"It is therapeutic to be able to pour it out."

His latest album, Nobody Lives Here, continues his exploration of his identity as someone who has been adopted alongside other themes such as grief and mortality.

Fennell was born in the US and adopted at just three days old. His birth parents had not named him.

On receiving his adoption papers he learnt his parents - who were aged 17 and 18 when he was born - were second-generation Welsh immigrants.

He was also given a hand-written letter from his birth mother, which he described as "the most gutting" thing he had ever read.

"I think one of the most gutting things was the blank spaces where my name was meant to go," he said.

"It was a really sweet note sort of explaining why it wasn't the right time for her to be a mother and for my birth father to be a father.

"I think I've only read it twice, it's so intense to read."

Jesse Morrow Brian Fennell is sitting on a large rock in a garden with trees concealing a house. He is wearing a green hoodie, dark tros and a dark beanie hat.Jesse Morrow
SYML is currently on tour with gigs in New York, Seattle, Paris and London

From the moment he discovered his heritage Fennell embraced his Welshness.

"It was the first moment that I was like 'I have a bit of a country of origin'," he said.

"I sort of wrapped myself in it.

"I got like a Welsh flag to hang on my wall. I was Googling 'Welsh people - what do they look like? What are they":[]}