Pukkelpop 2025 blokkenschema dag 4 - zondag 17 augustus 2025

HEISA’s sound draws from influences like Black Midi, Tool, Battles and Swans, blending dissonance with a strong sense of identity. Their music balances chaos and control, mixing unsettling atmospheres with hypnotic rhythms and sharp distortion. HEISA crafts tightly arranged, complex compositions featuring heavy guitars and vocals that merge seamlessly with their bombastic, primal drumming.Formed in Limburg (BE), HEISA quickly made a name for themselves with raw, energetic live performances. Just like the mines in their hometowns, the live shows of HEISA are dark, eerie, thrilling, and full of intensity, drawing the audience deep into an immersive atmosphere where the energy builds, and unexpected moments erupt like bursts of light in the darkness.In 2020, their album joni was released, although the pandemic canceled live shows. Nevertheless, joni’s ten tracks resonated with listeners around the world, receiving airplay and earning glowing reviews. Critics praised their ability to both challenge and captivate audiences, solidifying HEISA as one of the most exciting new acts in the scene.In 2025, HEISA embarks on a new chapter with the release of their third album. This album showcases an evolution in their sound, keeping the bombastic drums, droning guitars, and dynamic vocals, but pushing further into melody and experimentation. The first single, “The Harmonist,” blends heavy basslines with impactful drums, while the guitar acts as a secondary voice, guiding listeners through a feverish dreamscape. On this new record, HEISA brings their emotions to the forefront, revealing a raw, edgy intensity in tracks like “Lazar” and “Sad Dancer,” where vulnerability and tension intertwine. TROIS will be released on March 28 via Labelman, marking a new phase in HEISA’s musical journey.

Loud, genre-defying and unafraid to be different, Ecca Vandal is a true original. Born into a musical household that arrived in Australia from Sri Lanka via South Africa, Ecca was immersed in a diverse world of art and music from an early age. Spending her formative years as a jazz musician, Ecca's passion for the improvisation of jazz led her to fall in love with the DIY abandon of punk and foster an ability to effortlessly balance soulful melodics with raw, unapologetic power. Her 2017 debut self-titled album drew universal acclaim – Rolling Stone delivered 4.5 stars for the ‘vibrant, dazzling collection of tunes’, while NME lauded its ‘absolutely banging, genre-bending anthems’. Ecca brings unrelenting energy to the stage with a history of touring alongside global heavyweights such as Queens of the Stone Age, Incubus and The Prodigy. Ecca Vandal epitomises creative multiplicity – a rebellious and tenacious voice, and the explosive shot of adrenaline that’s needed right now. New music rolling out from July 2024, leading into an early 2025 album release.

“August Burns Red remain one of the most popular and dependable names in modern metal.”  – Billboard  August Burns Red is likely the only metal act ever described as “thrillingly empathetic”  (Kerrang!). It’s a testament to the ferocious band’s ability to recognize and connect with the  mixture of brokenness and hope found in their audience and within themselves.  A hard-working collective with a shockingly stable lineup for the vast majority of their career,  August Burns Red pour every ounce of themselves into their songs. Atmospheric, riff-laden,  aggressive bursts of controlled chaos, filled with shifting time signatures and tempos, deliver  confessional, self-reflective, and authentic emotion. Songs like “White Washed,” “Marianas  Trench,” “Invisible Enemy,” and “Paramount” are undeniable anthems.  Tour stops with Lamb of God, Killswitch Engage, Parkway Drive, and Bring Me the Horizon;  several major international hard rock festivals (Rock Am Ring, Download, and Aftershock, to  name a few); and the Vans Warped Tour are among the destinations around the world to witness  ABR’s live prowess.  Massive headlining treks celebrating 10-year anniversaries for Constellations and Leveler demonstrated the enduring relevance of the band’s catalog, nearly 20 years into ABR’s storied  career. In recent years, Revolver Magazine included Constellations in their 10 Essential  Metalcore Albums From 2009, alongside similarly consequential records from A Day To  Remember and Architects. 2020’s Guardians debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hard Music, Rock Albums, and Vinyl Albums  charts. Revolver, who put the band on their cover the same year, declared August Burns Red  “embrace the pain so well.” It’s a truth never more evident than on Death Below, their stunning  ninth studio album.  The twice-GRAMMY-nominated metal band from Amish Country (Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to  be exact) indulge New Wave Of American Heavy Metal and simultaneously summons a sound  that’s often dark, oppressive, and black metal-ish bleak.  At a point in their career where most bands bend over backward to become more “accessible,”  August Burns Red double down on their sound, following up the punishingly heavy Guardians with an even more extreme record. Album ten is both thick with a dense atmosphere and very  pissed-off.  Luhrs, guitarists JB Brubaker and Brent Rambler, bassist Dustin Davidson, and drummer Matt  Greiner sound gloriously unhinged. “This is probably our most progressive album,” Rambler  reasons. “Guardians was a bit more streamlined in structure than this one.”  The writing process began during the onset of the worldwide pandemic. “It was a dark time, and  I didn’t feel like writing unlifting melodies,” Brubaker explains. “The material I wrote came out  darker, more ‘metal,’ so to speak, and Dustin, who writes a lot of stuff with me, was on the same page.”  That isn’t to say Death Below isn’t catchy, memorable, or enchanting. Recorded off-and-on over  two years with longtime producers Carson Slovak and Grant McFarland, Death Below encompasses the varied strengths of the band’s past with an unapologetic density and  overwhelming dramatic power.  Death Below also boasts guest appearances from ABR allies Jesse Leach (Killswitch Engage),  Spencer Chamberlain (Underoath), Jason Richardson (All That Remains), and JT Cavey (ERRA). Songs like “The Cleansing,” “Ancestry,” “Backfire,” and “Reckoning” will  undoubtedly take their place among fan-favorite ABR tracks and will certainly devastate in the  live setting.  “It’s getting difficult for the members of August Burns Red to keep one-upping themselves,”  marveled Billboard shortly before Guardians arrived. With Death Below, they emerge victorious  again. 

Bisoux is a young DJ known for her impeccable track selection and high-energy sets. Based in Antwerp, she has carved out a unique space in the scene with her signature blend of euphoric trance, hard house and hard groove. With performances at Club Vaag, Zonnewende, Ampere and many more, Bisoux is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with within the trance community.

Prinsezy is a rising DJ and producer based in Genk, Belgium. Known for blending genres like UK Garage, (Hard) House, Speed Garage, and a touch of (euro)Trance, He delivers high-energyvsets that showcase his innovative mixing skills.Since October 2022, Prinsezy has been on a mission to rebrand the nightlife scene in his hometown (Genk). Teaming up with DJ Jewels, he co-founded Soirée Cité, injecting fresh energy into Genk’s club culture.In addition to his impressing impact he already made, Prins’ also performed at major events like Pukkelpop (Boiler Room) and Garnizoen, sharing lineups with world-famous talents such as Malugi and Benwal, further cementing and capitalizing his reputation as a dynamic force in the music scene.

Girls Don’t Sync are an all-female group of DJs, producers and curators who are bringing much needed inclusivity and energy to underrepresented dancefloors worldwide.Matty Chiabi, Sophia Violet, Hannah Lynch and G33 came together to form Girls Don’t Sync in summer 2021, and exploded onto the scene soon after with one of the most-watched Mixmag Lab’s of the year.Their fresh take on UKG, house and bass has made them a must-see act at the likes of Glastonbury, Boomtown, Parklife, Lost & Found and many more this year, winning fans around the world for their boundless energy and the unforgettable atmosphere they create with each performance.In an era of feminine resurgence, Girls Don’t Sync are inspiring a new generation of dance music fans and becoming leaders of their scene.

Leave the drama at the door - you're entering the feel-good zone with MALUGI - aka 'The Happiest Man in Dance Music'. But don't let that infectious smile fool you - beneath it all, there's a shrewd powerhouse ready to tear any club apart without hesitation. MALUGI found his inimitable niche in energized, UK-infused house music, powered by the punch of dance floor productions and just the right dosage of mass appeal. His relentless creative force made him tour the globe, drew support from Gerd Janson to Tiësto, reached millions of streams on his original productions, and resulted in not one but two viral Boiler Rooms in 2024, which got Happy-Mania rolling for good. Looking into the future, the mission stays the same: bringing fun into club music – just the scale is constantly growing. Whether it's his upcoming USA Tour, his anticipated collaboration with Interplanetary Criminal, his remix for Blessed Madonna's and Clementine Douglas' mega hit 'Happier' or his expected mixes for DJ Mag and BBC Radio 1 – it's all smiles, no breaks. 

Breakthrough UK artist Sammy Virji has swiftly made his mark on the electronic music space, proving to be both a pioneer and innovator of the UKG renaissance. Over the last eight years, he’s crafted an ever-growing discography and unmissable live show which has propelled him to the forefront of the dance music space.The last 12 months have been nothing short of exceptional for Sammy following the release of his iconic single ‘Shella Verse’ with Flowdan and seeing unprecedented growth following his viral DJ Mag stream. Fresh oM his sizzling new record ‘If U Need It’ and the remix of Unknown T’s ‘Goodums’, the exponential growth of his fanbase shows no sign of slowing down and a great testament to several years of hard graft on the live circuit. Now, Sammy truly is one of the hottest artists in dance music as he continues to pioneer UKG to the wider world whilst also continuing his evolve his own sound with the signature Sammy production.

Proud mom of Who's That Girl? and Drum N Babes concepts based in Liège, LAURAVIOLI brings her dynamic, boundary-pushing vision into the local club scene. Seamlessly weaving together UK breaks, bass music, and Latin-infused rhythms, her sets are crafted for pure dancefloor energy, with a sprinkle of edits and guilty pleasures.Her uncompromising dj style and ability to fuse diverse sounds make her a standout, and she broadens her sonic exploration with a bi-monthly residency on Gimic, a fresh Brussels radio station, where she dives into eclectic electronic sounds that might not typically find their way to the club.When she’s not behind the decks, Laura hosts “Dans l’Ombre du Club”, a monthly talk show on 48FM, where she delves into the hidden roles within the local club industry. Additionally, being born in a DJ family and passionate about this heritage, she’s also working on documenting this transmission by archiving her dad’s and godfather’s career and experiences in the local nightlife scene. This project reflects her dedication to preserving their legacy. Past gigs: Fuse, C12, KulturA, Reflektor, Dour, Core Festival, Les Ardentes, Kiosk Radio, …

NMSS (Nemesis) is an Afropean, genderfluid artist, born from the blend of French and Ivorian cultures. With dedication, NMSS stands firm in defending the legacies of Afro-descendant and Queer communities in elec- tronic music. Their high-energy sets guide audiences through a journey oscillating between euphoric and dystopian realms.Each performance is a sacred vow to deconstruct the traditional script of a DJ set. With a genre-bending selection that spans Global Club, Bass music, Latin Core, Techno, and Hyperpop, NMSS wields their music like a sword—sharp, unpredictable, and with a touch of humor as their shield. They create a landscape where emotion is the ultimate ruler, and every beat burns with the passion of a knight devoted to their castle.

The German UKG prodigy, Diffrent, stormed the scene last year with his debut single 'Live And Direct', immediately landing into the crates of some of the most influential names on the circuit, such as Interplanetary Criminal, Malugi, Marlon Hoffstadt, Sarah Story, Chloé Caillet, Dr Dubplate, Narciss, Dom Dolla, and more, making waves with his unique and energetic take on the legendary UK sound, infused with his own modern groovy twist. Self-educated as a producer from a young age, the Southern German native, now based in Berlin, blends his love for Jungle, UKG, Breaks, and Bass Music with the influences of Germany's vibrant electronic music scene, crafting his own signature sound. Early 2024, Diffrent scored with 'A Little Closer', his anticipated debut on Marlon Hoffstadt & Malugi's fantastic imprint Club Heart Broken, an absolute viral future classic, gaining support from not only UKG heavyweights like Sammy Virji, Oppidan or Notion, but also breaking genre boundaries as a solid favourite of acclaimed radio hosts and the most influential selectors around the world. With exciting upcoming releases on Interplanetary Criminal's top imprint, ATW, and legendary labels like Time Is Now, Diffrent is undeniably one of the most exciting new names in the scene right now. With an expanding touring schedule and highly anticipated releases on the horizon, he's definitely one to watch for years to come!

sim0ne is a Scottish DJ and producer based in London whose high-quality mixes have already seen her turning heads in the capital's scene. She is a rising star to watch as she brings her high-energy blends of deep cuts, pulsing house, techno, and euphoric toplines.

From underground raves to jam-packed stages—meet Benwal,  the ever-moving whiz kid. Emerging from his roots in  Groningen's nightlife, he's stormed stages across Europe and  Australia, drawing massive crowds to his shows. His rise might  seem sudden, but it's built on seven years of relentless  devotion. Benwal's versatility shines through all-nighters and  unexpected B2Bs, fueled by hours of geek talk, music digging  with friends and studio sessions with his production partner,  Jonathan Kruizenga. He's a skilled selector, curating authentic  sets that keep dancers on their toes. And while he may have helped spark the trance and hard house revival, he's already  broadening his musical horizon. As the stages grow bigger, Benwal balances his roles as  audience-charmer, genre-breaker, and taste-maker. He  navigates the spaces between niche and widespread,  bringing fresh, high-energy moments to every performance.  Because at the core of it all, he's a passionate DJ, drawing  energy from the high-tension moments behind the decks to  maintain this dizzying pace with ease.

Youthful and emerging, Helena Lauwaert seamlessly blends a wide variety of genres including hard house, speed house and hardgroove together during her DJ-performances. Helena Lauwaert’s genre-fluid music selection and cleverness behind the decks already cleared the roads to Fuse, Exhale, Kompass, Extrema Outdoor, Paradise City and more. A record that clearly indicates she has a bright future ahead.

The Joy is a South African band redefining global music with their soul-stirring harmonies and genre-blending sound. Hailing from KwaZulu-Natal, the group has captured hearts worldwide with accolades and collaborations that highlight their rapid rise to fame.From their viral debut single Isencane Lengane and the critically acclaimed EP Amabutho (2021) to electrifying performances on platforms like The Jennifer Hudson Show and Later… with Jools Holland, The Joy continues to break boundaries. Their music has garnered praise from Alicia Keys, Sam Smith, and Jennifer Hudson, who has hailed them as her favorite band and featured them on her Christmas album The Gift of Love.Their collaborations span global icons, including a feature with Doja Cat and their 2023 project with The Blessed Madonna, Shades of Love, which charted on major playlists like BBC Radio 1. More recently, The Joy reimagined a selection of three songs from their self-titled live album, recorded at Church Studios in London, where greats like Adele and Stevie Wonder have also recorded. These reimagined tracks were released as The Remixes, a vibrant EP created in collaboration with local DJs.Whether on international stages like The Great Escape or through social media, The Joy’s message is clear: “Life made us friends, music made us brothers.” Their artistry is a celebration of culture, connection, and pure euphoria.

With their unique and intoxicating blend of electronica, saudade, and alternative pop with a worldly touch, Ão has rapidly become one of the most exciting acts in Belgium’s rich and diverse music scene. Frontwoman Brenda Corijn, drawing on her Mozambican-Portuguese roots, sings in both Portuguese and English. Her mellifluous voice intertwines with the southern guitar stylings of Siebe Chau, the textured electronics of Jolan Decaestecker, and the eclectic percussion of Bert Peyffers.Live, the four-piece delivers an immersive and mind-blowing experience, dazzling audiences across Europe. Their dynamic sound—ranging from delicate, intimate melodies to danceable beats—has taken them to a wide range of festivals, from electronic to rock, global, and jazz stages.  Meanwhile, they are also working on their second album, set to be released in 2026.

British/ Colombian songstress Sasha Keable is an amalgamation of references that came before her time, and that of the present and future and a holistically procured British vanguard. Having spent the last two years wedded to the studio, Keable is confident and poised when translating her experiences. “I’ve recorded so much [over the years], that I have about three projects ready to go,” she says. Rooted by a mantra of consistency in this phase of her life, the studio became one of the only places that Sasha Keable felt like she had control over. Trusting her voice, work ethic and her pen, she, as she puts it, “put her head down”.Eager to soul search and ultimately get back to the art without formal expectations, Keable found a renewed sense of inspiration both at home, but also in L.A carrying out a series of trips to the region, across 2022 and last year, her songwriting growing tenfold as a result of it. “I think I learned to be present. How do I feel about this song? I'm never thinking too far into the future now. Too often earlier on in my career, I was focused on the end product and what others would think about it. I’m never gonna be someone else,” she explains. A testament to her elevation in this terrain can be observed across her work with Destin Conrad. Formally bridging their online relationship to IRL, Sasha Keable put pen to paper on his second instalment of his Submissive series, co-writing “It’s Only You”, “War!” and “Life Been Lifin’” in Mexico. Describing the experience as “amazing” it reinforced the evolution in her penmanship and abilities of understanding others and seeing, then documenting their experiences in real time. Upcoming releases like “Auction” are a bonafide example of Sasha Keable’s conviction across subject matters. “It’s so funny because when I write songs about sex, I'm definitely getting more comfortable discussing it now.” Working with friends and collaborators kwn and Joel Compass, kwn in particular helped urge her comfortability here “liberating” Keable’s experiences now canvassed for the masses. Lucid, tranquil but still urgent, the subdued R&B number quickly allures the listener, evocative piano keys running alongside Keable, and guest feature Destin’s whimsical runs. Utilising an ideal balance of tongue-in-cheek and matter-of-fact, both race between commands for their sexual partners  to drop draws, bid the highest in auctions and not let either of them down. “We ain't no strangers,” Sasha warns. Crafting a bonafide new-age seductive home run, Keable also embraces her sexuality, as “Auction” is one of the inaugural releases where she utilises women as her sole and only love interests.”It’s going to be so interesting to see how listeners take to this one,” she reflects. However, she’s ready for the reactions to come, now in a place of solace in regards to sexuality. But her latest single “Hold Up” still pays tribute to her past eras, confrontational, menacing and foreboding, the Charlie Pitts, Kent Azares & Engine-Earz crafted sonics bellicose and relentless in delivery. The horns provided by the trumpet add a traditional jazz feel to Sasha Keable’s comeback single, fusing to the richly built components of both soul and gospel, as the singer confronts a spell of cheating, removing her lover from her life without reason. “So if you think I need you get that out your head // Cus I’ve held my own for so long,” she croons, the extravagance of her deeper register laid bare for audiences worldwide. A marriage of veterans like Lalah Hathaway with the new age grit and personality that’s come to define a millennial generation, Sasha Keable arrives refreshed and critical to a new-age legion of listeners. Already popular across social media, garnering close to half a million streams in under a month of release, “Hold Up” provides ample example of Sasha Keable’s might as one of the most promising contemporary British artists in 2024. “I’m now on this path of just being the truest version of myself that I can be,” she reflects. Now signed to Flight Club Records, the vocalist is turning over a new leaf, backed by quality, trust, her strongest sense of penmanship to date, and ultimately a voice that continues to stand the test of time. 

Optimism, positivity, and connection are the key ingredients of Good Neighbours - the duo of Scott Verrill and Oli Fox that have taken 2024 by the horns. What started off as one simple SoundCloud demo link emailed around to a few industry folk resulted in them having the most streamed debut single globally from a new artist this year, with 'Home'. This became the first truly viral success of the year and has amassed more than 450 million global streams. It entered the singles charts in 13 countries including the UK (#26) and the Billboard Hot 100 in the US (for 11 weeks), where it has since been certified platinum by the RIAA. Good Neighbours music is bursting with hope and joyous abandon and an amalgamation of their emotive indie influences of yesteryear such as MGMT, Passion Pit and Bleachers. They came together to create an indie-euphoric dreamscape of sound and vision for a subdued generation. Live, they bring the inclusive party to fans every time -racing through the London gig circuit and beyond. Scott and Oli have enjoyed a packed summer festival season playing key slots for the first time, including shows at All Points East, Latitude, Boardmasters, Reading and Leeds, and selling out first their world tour. Oli and Scott have also graced stages supporting Benson Boone, and will join Foster The People for a full spread of US dates in 2025

Hailing from Amsterdam but coming from various backgrounds, Altın Gün has captured the world’s imagination with an indelible fusion, for over five years now. The band combines psychedelic rock, deep funk, synthpop, cosmic reggae, and more with the rich and incredibly diverse traditions of Anatolian and Turkish folk music. Debut album On (2018) quickly captured the world’s attention and a year later the band earned a prestigious GRAMMY® Award nomination for “Best World Album” with it’s sophomore LP Gece (2019). After two years of recording separately from home during the pandemic and releasing Âlem and Yol (2021) as a result, the band members of Altın Gün now recorded a live album in the studio again, called Aşk. This album sees Altın Gün swinging away from the electronic, synth-drenched sound of their home-recorded albums, to capture all the infectious power and urgency of the band’s famously, propulsive live performances. Aşk (2023) therefore marks a new start for the band, who's ready to tour the world again. Recorded using vintage equipment and techniques, the ten groundbreaking tracks on Aşk all represent visionary new readings of traditional Turkish folk tunes, revealing how these ancient songs remain eternally resonant and ripe for reinterpretation. This results in an exuberant return to the 70s Anatolian folk-rock sound that has characterized Altın Gün’s first two albums.Renowned for their dizzyingly hypnotic live performances, Altın Gün has been lighting up stages all around the world, including sold out headline tours in North America, Europe, and the UK. 

Als DJ begon Stijn Van de Voorde lang geleden op feestjes met De Afrekening en Was het nu 80, 90 of 2000. Sinds 2018 is hij één van de gangmakers van onze afterparties. Deze zomer vormt hij een dj-duo met Equal Idiot Thibault Christiaensen. Rock 'n' Roll high school door Stijn en Thibault: fun, fun, oh baby!

The Whatevers must be the most all-round dj-act you can imagine. Whatever fits! The finest genre-crossing and energetic party anthems from over the last 5 decades, the present and the future. Avery creative and efficient soundsystem selection of bangers and classics. These days The Whatevers is a solo project of Kim Mathijs (also known as Michael Midnight and dj-projects like Ed&Kim and Flashback Force). Let's not forget the Whatever! events in Hasselt, which have been going strong for more than 10 years now. Showcasing his versatile selection of music and inviting like-minded guest dj's. Besides playing all the major festivals through the years and over again in the previous years (Rock Werchter, Tomorrowland, Pukkelpop, ... the list is endless). The Whatevers, always a surprise!

Als de ineenstorting van de beschaving dan toch voortduurt, is het in elk geval draaglijker onder een pittige groove. Daar kwam het Gentse collectief Lézard gelukkig al gauw achter. Onder het stijlvolle geometrische postpunkgeluid van de band suddert een hysterische energie: een soort van Boogie Wonderland voor excentriekelingen, buitenbeentjes en verloren zielen waar iedereen deel van kan uitmaken.Dolend in de geest van Devo, LCD Soundsystem, XTC en Telex trekken ‘disco vogue’ art -punk-perikelen van Lézard al ruimschoots de aandacht. De groep draagt catchiness als een iets te strak driedelig maatpak op een hete zomerdag: het is een kwestie van tijd voordat de figuurlijke stropdas losgetrokken wordt. Op het podium escaleert Lézard dan ook op de meest verbijsterende en vreugdevolle manieren denkbaar – verder versterkt door de koortsachtige audiovisuele beelden van Joannes Meulewaeter.

Alemeda, the emerging Ethiopian-Sudanese artist makes Alternative Rock/Pop music as a form of self-expression and empowerment. The 23-year-old Singer/Songwriter/Producer made a name for herself with her viral 2021 debut single, “Gonna Bleach My Eyebrows, ” which has earned more than 8 million streams to date, following up with, “Post Nut Clarity” (two million and rising), in the summer of 2022. Telling tales of leveling up, and leaving regrettable exes in the past, she weaves between pop, rock, and alternative stylings while using soft melodies to capture her unbothered attitude.Alemeda’s introduction to music was fairly unconventional. She grew up between Ethiopia and Arizona in a stern household with strict religious rules and customs where she was alienated from music up until the age of 10. She found secret solace in songs via an analog clock radio. Some of the first tunes she fell in love with included Coldplay’s, “Viva La Vida” and Rihanna’s, “Only Girl (In the World). ” This eventually led to her posting covers online and taking part in local talent shows at the age of 13. Criticism and familial disapproval of her musical aspirations only made her more determined to push the envelope. She recalls, “I was very in my culture’s opinion, ‘a rebellious kid’ , so kids like that in my African community were sent back to Ethiopia to discipline them by reinforcing the values of our culture. It was basically my mom’s way of ‘straightening me out’, but that obviously didn’t work, so it was kind of a waste of time.”After graduating high school in 2017, she impulsively left to Los Angeles to pursue her passion of music. Since then, she’s written songs that bared her soul and now she’s hoping to prove that her ambition stretches far beyond her own career. Inspired by the artists she loves—Coldplay, Maroon 5, Rihanna, and Arctic Monkeys, she is relentless in being a representation amongst her fellow East Africans in this diaspora.Her recently released single, “UR SO FULL OF IT” , offers a glimpse into a new chapter of Alemeda’s career, moving on from the turbulent emotions of adolescence, to showcasing her growth and confidence. Influenced by the frustration she felt in a long-distance relationship, “UR SO FULL OF IT”, captures that angry energy and redirects it. “No, we can’t be friends again / had your chance, but I’m over it”, she sings. This is an anthem about turning pain into power.With her highly anticipated & recently released debut EP “FK IT”, she’s determined for her music to be a light in the darkness for others, just as she needed to be for herself. “When I started out in music, my biggest support system was East Africans all over the globe”, she says. “Growing up in a refugee family it was very important to me to be successful and inspire others like myself to have the extreme belief that no dream is impossible.”

Luvcat and her band are concocting a riot of Parisian decadence and British sweat ‘n sawdust; romance, danger, escapism and good old fashioned rock’n’roll. Her early rise has been as thrilling and immediate as the songs themselves - tales of doomed loves and twisted fantasy, that have seen her loyal following swell in number by the day. But to paraphrase a great man, first we must ask ourselves, how did we get here?One theory goes that Luvcat was born not so long ago, on the banks of the River Seine in the belly of a riverboat when, had you been passing by, you might have found a group of revellers clutching hand-branded silk knickers, in thrall to the woman on stage with her name emblazoned across them.OR, according to BBC Radio 1, who broadcast the tale ahead of playing first single ‘Matador’, Luvcat began several years back when she ran away to join the circus and had a tempestuous affair with a ringleader.OR, perhaps, the seeds of Luvcat were sown on the streets of Liverpool almost a decade ago, when the teenage musician was discovered busking ‘The Whole of the Moon’ by one of the actual Waterboys and subsequently taken on a serendipitous support tour around Europe. Some or none of this is true; you can make up your own minds as to which. Raised on a simultaneous diet of Nick Cave and Cabaret; The Cure and The Rat Pack, Luvcat grew up equally enthralled with both the gothic and the glamorous. She reminisces over “always wanting to be a Moulin Rouge dancer” but also had her world turned upside down when she first watched the video for ‘Lullaby’ by The Cure. “Its essence has just informed my entire brain ever since,” she says. “There was a dead marching band covered in cobwebs, and Robert Smith is in candy stripe pyjamas on this wrought iron bed.”Now, she’s tying the two together in a flurry of theatrical playfulness and high stakes desire, with the artist herself taking the creative lead on all of her videos to curate a world of Luvcat’s very own making.On that first single, ‘Matador’, it manifests in the form of a curiously-plucked gothic folk tale that tells the story of a destructive sort of love; the kind that has you “crawlin’ in on all fours”. “Every time I was in Liverpool, I could smell him; I’d know when he was there,” Luvcat recalls of the man in question. “It was tumultuous but inspiring. I saw him in the Kazimier Garden and, as he was leaving, he had this Spanish bolero-like jacket on and I wrote the word ‘Matador’ in my phone. I wrote the song the next day.”Indeed, it’s these kinds of trysts and temptations that feed Luvcat’s dark vaudevillian world as a whole. “I love the kind of hopeless love where you’d take a bullet for someone,” she says. “The heartbeat of this whole thing is sex, love and strangeness; falling in and out of love and the mad things that happen along the way.” Suffice to say, many mad things have already thrown themselves into Luvcat’s orbit in the pursuit of pleasure. Once, she was whisked off to the Pigalle for an impromptu weekend of fine food and four poster beds by a visiting sailor - the twist? “I’d recently written a song about a date with a stranger ending up there in Paris. Within three weeks it happened.” A current live set favourite, ‘Love and Money’, winks at a conversation between the singer and an ex-lover, where they joked about making a sex tape to fund their adventures. Even her first foray onto TikTok (a platform that’s now embraced Luvcat wholly, to the point that second single ‘He’s My Man’ was all-but-demanded by her followers) was only as a means to post some found CCTV footage of Luvcat reuniting with a former flame, dancing - red wine in hand - to Sinatra’s ‘That’s Life’.The fans, however, made a smart call. ‘He’s My Man’ - a scorched murder ballad that sounds like little else in the modern music sphere - distils Luvcat’s sense of timeless, eternal desire into four minutes of yearning strings and feminine need; of how, so easily, “love can become obsession”. “Obviously I’m a strong independent woman - of course!” she laughs. “But that undying love, the kind from the old black and white films - I kind of miss that.The comments section might cry out for these songs to soundtrack the moves of dangerous women like Killing Eve’s Villanelle or Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but just as crucial is Luvcat’s softer, sweeter underbelly - plus a capacity for a cheeky, knowing wink. Take forthcoming track (and another online favourite), ‘Dinner @ Brasserie Zedel’. “I always said I’d marry the first man who takes me to Brasserie Zedel. I don’t want the world, I just want a 16 quid prawn cocktail,” she smiles. Stopping off to play an intimate set in the legendary Piccadilly restaurant’s underground jazz bar at the end of September, Zedel marked the latest in a run of typically eventful - and typically packed-to-the-seams - early shows for Luvcat. Their debut Liverpool and London headlines sold out in around four minutes. At the former, Luvcat was greeted by not one but three exes facing her from the crowd; at the latter, gazing out from under a pillbox hat, she saw another former lover trying to break in up the stairs.With a debut tour set for November, she might need to hire a security detail to keep a check on desperate former flames weeping at the error of their ways. But really, every brief spark, every fleeting romance, every one that got away is all part of the story; all part of the noxious, heady world that Luvcat is concocting. The way she walks, the way she talks, the way she stalks, the way she kisses… get it? Luvcat is Courtney Love with a Liza Minelli wink. She’s, in her own joking words, “Tom Waits in silk panties”. She’ll break your heart but throw hers on the line too. “Someone said to me, ‘All men are dogs’,” she chuckles. “But you’ve got to be careful of the cat…”

Maruja is an evocative force that transports listeners to a world of diversity and gritty realism. Improvisation provides the backbone of Maruja’s compositions, compelling instrumentation and culturally relevant lyrics speak in tongues; creating a myriad of whispered secrets.For the better part of a decade, they have relentlessly honed their craft, pouring over every note with a precision that borders on the obsessive. It is not just a passion that drives them but rather an all-consuming need, a force that compels them to create and perform with a visceral intensity that is both electrifying and terrifying.Knocknarea is the debut project from the 4 piece and is the highest rated EP of 2023 on Rate Your Music and Album of The Year. Anthony Fantano reviewed the project, stating “the performances are tight, the spoken word passages are edge of your seat, the guitars and saxophones are really dynamic and fantastic...” He goes on to say, “...this EP, there’s so much potential, there’s so much good material... I have no doubt with something of this quality right out the gate, we’re gonna have an even better album down the pipe. Definitely check this EP out because this thing is fire!"

Hailing from Toronto, the dynamic indie rock quintet, Good Kid, who thrives as a vibrant community fueled by the boundless enthusiasm of its listeners. Their eclectic blend of J-rock, indie-rock and pop-punk resonates with high-energy riffs, catchy melodies and clever lyricism. A jack-of-all-trades ensemble - musicians, programmers and storytellers, Good Kid has carved a unique path for their audience to follow suit. Good Kid's fanbase is not just passive listeners; they are a passionate community, actively contributing to the band's universe. Through platforms like Discord and Twitch, as well as their strong social media presence, fans create art, animation, videos and covers, reflecting their profound connection to the music.The band's journey is marked by streaming successes with the release of "From the Start" on November 10th, 2023, hitting 1 million streams in just 24 hours, accumulating several million streams and counting. Their audience has continued to propel their streaming virality with an impressive 10 times the average per listener streaming consumption. Their reach extends to leading YouTube and Twitch accounts in the gaming space, aligning them with top content creators and gamers. Collaborations with notable personalities such as XrayAlphaCharlie, Julien Solomita, and Trash Taste underscore Good Kid's versatility and widespread appeal. Their music caught the attention of none other than MrBeast, the biggest Youtuber in the world, who featured seven Good Kid songs in a recent video, amassing over 227 million views.Beyond the digital realm, Good Kid’s live shows have become an integral piece of the band’s mission to connect with their enthusiastic fans. Their energetic performances have not only led to two-sold out headline US tours in 2022, but have included supporting Lovejoy on sold-out UK and EU tours, as well as a nationwide run on Grammy Award winning Portugal the Man’s Canada tour. In essence, Good Kid's story is not just about music; it's about building a dynamic, engaging universe where fans play an integral role. With an unwavering commitment to joy, creativity, and inclusivity, Good Kid is more than a band — it's a thriving community of music enthusiasts shaping a unique and memorable experience together.

Het Belgische indieduo Kids With Buns, bestaande uit Marie Van Uytvanck en Amber Piddington, ontstond in 2019 na een eerder "toevallige samenwerking" en brak in 2021 door met winst in Studio Brussel’s De Nieuwe Lichting. Hun herkenbare mix van diepe zang en melodieuze gitaren groeide van weemoedige bedroompop uit tot energieke indierock met grote shows in binnen- en buitenland. Hun debuutalbum Out of Place (2023) behandelt thema’s als puberteit, identiteit, queerness, relaties en mentale gezondheid, en werd deels in eigen huisstudio gecreëerd. Het resultaat is een openhartige plaat die het gevoel van “er niet bij horen” omzet in troostende, dansbare melancholie.

Met GLINTSAL bundelen rapper/zanger Glints en producer/dj FAISAL AKA hun krachten voor hun eerste gezamenlijke album dat het beste in hen beiden naar boven haalt.GLINTS en Faisal zijn al jaren beste vrienden en presenteren al zo'n vier jaar Abattoir Anvers, de enige hiphopshow op de Belgische nationale radio (Studio Brussel). Beiden maken deel uit van het gelijknamige Antwerpse collectief Abattoir Anvers (waar onder andere ook Yong Yello deel van uitmaakt) dat werd opgericht in een voormalig halal slachthuis waar ze woonden, werkten en radio maakten. In 2020 bracht het duo hun debuutsingle “Some Time Alone” uit, die duidelijk maakte dat hun muzikale samenwerking ook verder doorgrond moest worden. Toen de sterren eindelijk gunstig stonden (en hun agenda's het toelieten), kropen ze meteen de studio in, met GLINTSAL Vol. 1 als resultaat. Het werd een album vol back-to-back bangers met invloeden variërend van Anderson .Paak en Dilla tot The Beatles of Daft Punk. Nadat ze in januari Eurosonic veroverden en genomineerd werden voor vijf MIA's, is het duo klaar om samen de grote festivalpodia te bestormen.

The Beaches are doing everything their way. After more than a decade together as a band, sisters Jordan Miller (lead vocals, bass) and Kylie Miller (guitar), plus closest friends Leandra Earl (guitar and keys) and Eliza Enman-McDaniel (drums), are entering a new era. On the new album "Blame My Ex," the 4x Juno Award-winning Toronto band channels heartbreak into self-discovery through 10 exuberant songs that revel in pain and redemption. The lead single, “Blame Brett,” an acerbic pop-rock knockout Jordan calls “a song for all the hot messes out there,” has racked up over 70 million streams on Spotify and over 10 million views on TikTok. The track peaked at #2 on Spotify’s US Viral chart, #20 at Alternative Radio in the US and #1 at Alt Radio in Canada for 13 consecutive weeks, making it the biggest alternative radio hit of the year. Mark Hoppus (blink182), Nelly Furtado, and Demi Lovato are all fans of the track. Since the success of Blame Brett, The Beaches sold out their worldwide Blame My Ex tour, including Toronto’s Budweiser Stage (16000 tickets) three months ahead of their show, Vancouver’s Orpheum (2750 tickets), Brooklyn’s Williamsburg Music Hall x2 (1300 tickets), Los Angeles’s Troubador x2 (1000 tickets) & London, UK’s O2 Forum Kentish Town (2250 tickets).

Gorik van Oudheusden (°1988, Ukkel) is een veelzijdige Belgische rapper en acteur.Onder verschillende pseudoniemen zoals Omar-G of Papa ZG begon hij zijn muzikale carrière in 2010 als één van de rappers van de Brussels hiphopformatie STIKSTOF. Met deze formatie bracht hij 5 albums uit “STIKSTOF”, “/02”, “Overlast”, “Familie Boven Alles” en “Moeras”.In 2016 zette Zwangere Guy zijn eerste stappen als soloartiest door enkele singles uit te brengen. Zijn debuutalbum Zwangerschapsverlof Vol. 3 volgde in 2017. Dit album zette hem als solo-rapper op de kaart en door zijn ongezouten eerlijkheid, unieke sound en vurige optredes drukte hij niet alleen zijn stempel op de Belgische muziekwereld, maar ook daarbuiten. Zijn doorbraak als soloartiest kwam in 2019 met het album “Wie is Guy?”, dat direct op de eerste plaats van de Ultratop 200 albumlijst belandde. Het album, bestaande uit 19 tracks, maar vooral het nummer ‘Gorik Pt. 1’ - waarin hij de thuissituatie waarin hij opgroeide pijnlijk maar eerrlijk beschijft - bracht hem bekendheid bij het brede puliek. Negen maanden (een zwangerschap) na het succes van Wie is Guy?, kwam in 2020 zijn tweede album BRUTAAL/BRUTXXL uit. De combinatie van harde beats, scherpe teksten en unieke stijl maakten van Zwangere Guy op dat moment één van de meest invloedrijke stemmen in de Belgische rapscene van zijn generatie.Als numero uno exportproduct van de blokken van de Ganshoren-wijk in Brussel, begint hij tijdens Covid in de zomer van 2020 samen met zijn jeugdvriend Frederik Daem aan het schrijven en bedenken van een serie. Als uitgangspunt nemen ze oorspronkelijk het leven van Gorik van Oudheusden, maar al snel maken ze het verhaal breder en gebruiken ze de vriendschap van 4 jongeren in de g®ootstad om met humor en rauwheid te vertellen en te duwen waar het zeer doet. De 10-delige serie PUTAIN kwan in het najaar van 2024 met veel succes op het Streamz-platform. De muziek van deze serie is gecureerd en geschreven door Zwangere Guy en is een eclectische overzicht speciaal voor deze reeks geschreven nummers die de verschillende smaken uit zijn platenkast tonen en worden gebracht door zowel bekende (Brutus, Madou, Faberyayo,…) als nieuwe (Forsissies, Eva Rose,…) groepen.Ondertussen is Papa ZG ook in het echte leven vader geworden en op het Filmfestival van Oostende gaat de langspeelfilm ‘Comeback’ (Savage Film) in wereldpremière, hij speelt hierin naast Veerle Baetens eveneens de hoofdrol. Begin 2025 laat hij vallen dat de langverwachte release van zijn nieuwe album op 24 september 2025 zal uitkomen. De evolutie en transformatie die Zwangere Guy de afgelopen jaren meemaakte zal hierin één van de belangrijkste thema’s worden. 

Doechii, also known as the “Swamp Princess” is rewriting the rules of modern hip-hop. Hailing from Tampa, Florida, she broke through with her viral hit "Yucky Blucky Fruitcake", leading to a historic signing with Top Dawg Entertainment as their first female rapper. With her unapologetic bars, genre-blending sound, and magnetic presence, she’s since collaborated with SZA, Tyler, the Creator and Kodak Black.Her 2024 mixtape Alligator Bites Never Heal hit like a storm, both commercially and critically, and earned her a Grammy for Best Rap Album, making her one of only three women to ever win in that category. The momentum continued with the 2025 smash single “Anxiety” and all eyes are now on her long-awaited debut album, a fearless celebration of vulnerability, rage, and liberation. Whether she’s rapping over swampy, distorted beats or serenading over stripped-down melodies, Doechii is a force, a visionary artist who’s not just breaking into the mainstream, she’s bending it to her will.

 Formed by Joshua Homme against a backdrop of 1990s Palm Desert, California, Queens of the Stone Age is what happens when a multidimensional musical entity outgrows the very genre it creates. Too prolific, ambitious and just plain brilliant to be tethered to or limited by the confines of any genre.  Ultimately morphing into the behemoth that has blessed the the world with a range of bangers from “No One Knows” to “Little Sister,” “My God is the Sun” to “The Way You Used To Do” and everything in between. Undeniably rock — yes, always, but with the blood, sweat and dark magical swagger only Homme and his cohorts can conjure. Regularly hailed as one of the greatest live bands in existence, QOTSA consists of Homme, Troy Van Leeuwen, Michael Shuman, Dean Fertita and Jon Theodore… What started off  as “generator parties” in the desert has evolved to sold out arenas and headlining the main stage of your favorite summer festival. 

Suki Waterhouse’s music sounds like a collage of her inspirations, experiences, and emotions stitched together by honeyed vocal delivery, bright-eyed melodies, and evocative storytelling. It doubles as a mirror image of her life as a consummate creative, artist, actress, model, and mother, yet it also breaks the glass to unveil raw truth. She leans on an ever-evolving sonic palette to convey what she’s feeling—whether it be folky Americana, nineties alternative, turn-of-the-century indie, or handcrafted otherworldly pop. You’ll hear Suki’s longing in a swooning chorus, fearlessness in a crunchy chord, elation in a danceable waltz, and wonder in a soft coo befitting of a lullaby. She faithfully followed a lifelong passion for music to her 2022 full-length debut, I Can’t Let Go. Adorned by “Moves” and “Melrose Meltdown,” it incited widespread critical applause from Variety, Nylon, NME, The Line of Best Fit, and more. Between headlining shows and touring with Father John Misty, “Good Looking” surged online, generating nearly a billion streams, going RIAA platinum, and paving the way for the Milk Teeth EP. Simultaneously, she absorbed inspiration from a season of change earmarked by unforgettable moments a la gracing the stage of Lollapalooza 2023, performing on multiple continents, becoming a mom, and closing out the Gobi Tent at Coachella in 2024. Everything just set the stage for the gold-certified songstress to assert herself as a versatile, vibrant, and vital presence on her 2024 double-LP, Memoir of a Sparklemuffin [Sub Pop].

Australian indie duo Royel Otis have soared to global virality in 2024 - since their formation in 2019, and across three EPs, Otis Pavlovic and Royel Maddell paved the way to this year’s crowning jewel in debut album, PRATTS & PAIN. The record landed at #1 on the ARIA Australian Albums Chart, #10 on the ARIA Albums Chart and garnered worldwide critical acclaim among Zane Lowe, BBC Radio 1’s Jack Saunders, Matt Wilkinson, Clash and NME (including a cover feature at home and in the UK). To date, their discography has amassed over half a billion streams.Skyrocketing Royel Otis to even greater heights was their phenomenal triple j Like A Version recording of Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s “Murder On The Dancefloor.” Achieving #1 on the US Alternative Airplay Chart, landing in the top 5 on the Billboard Rock and Billboard Alternative Airplay Charts, and reaching #2 on ARIA’s Top 20 Australian Singles,the cover quickly earned gold certification in Australia alongside the duo’s beloved original, “Oysters In My Pocket.” Receiving nods from Elton John and Sophie herself, the cover continues to climb in single and streaming charts across the US, UK, Australia, and Europe. Come another rapturous cover moment in their SiriusXM Session performance of The Cranberries “Linger,” Royel Otis can’t shake the spotlight. In a matter of weeks, their soul-stirring rendition topped viral charts, amassed over 1B TikTok views, 20M YouTube views, 100M streams, and earned gold certification in Australia.Royel Otis have covered global playlists on Spotify and Apple Music, plus accumulated 9+ million monthly listeners on Spotify. Following their sold-out Australian headline tour celebrating PRATTS & PAIN, the duo embarked on debut sold-out headline tours across the UK, Europe, and the US, selling over 100,000 tickets worldwide. Overwhelming demand saw each tour expand with additional dates and venue upgrades, further enhancing an already impressive résumé of festival appearances — including Primavera Sound, Sziget, Reading & Leeds, Boston Calling, Austin City Limits, Pukkelpop, Splendour in the Grass, Bottlerock, Kendal Calling, Groovin The Moo, and many more.Never failing to keep the fans on their toes - the world eagerly awaits Royel Otis’ next move.

Viagra Boys are a band that weaponizes absurdity—tossing firecrackers into the middle of the room and standing around to see the reaction. Led by frontman Sebastian Murphy, whose voice is a compelling blend of impish smirk and smoker's rasp, the band is known for its seething satire and darkly comic edge, encapsulating a unique blend of grit and sleaze.Murphy's lyrics often reflect on the absurdity and backwardness of the modern world, though he avoids prescribing beliefs or taking sides. Therefore, the band's music is marked by a playful yet incisive critique of societal follies and contradictions, set to heavy-weight, explosive production.Viagra Boys have garnered significant success and acclaim, performing sold-out shows worldwide, including prestigious gigs at Coachella and Jimmy Kimmel. The band has received high ratings from Pitchfork, NME and Kerrang!, and notable recognitions, including album of the year from The Needle Drop. Their impact extends to the Swedish music scene, where they've won awards such as Album of the Year and Best Live Act at the Swedish Grammis & P3 Guld Awards, highlighting their widespread appeal and influence.

In April 2022, AURORA read a letter that changed her life. It was co-written by indigenous activists, titled ‘We Are the Earth’, and called for a revolution: a collective response to global warming – to “heal the land”. They described being connected to the land “through our hearts”, and the earth as “the heart that pulsates within us.” The letter led AURORA to consider a question: what happened to the heart?“Everything we do is about greed, about money, about mass consumption, about capitalism,” she says, blue wide-eyed and flooded with feeling. “There’s war everywhere, countries under water, flowers in Antarctica. We are ruining our land, mistreating our animals, our clothing, and each other. We have stopped leading from the heart.”And so 27-year-old Norwegian art-pop superstar AURORA began studying books on human anatomy. She wanted to understand when and why Western culture lost touch with the deeper purpose of our most vital organ.“The ancient Greeks thought the heart was the portal to spiritual divinity, that it represented the interconnectedness of the world,” she says. “But then Aristotle comes along and says, ‘the heart is a pump’. Then Plato says, ‘the heart makes blood’. Then another guy says, ‘the heart filters the blood’. And so bit by bit, it became purely functional. We had misinterpreted its whole meaning.”The letter also resonated with AURORA on a more personal level. In 2022, she released her chart-topping last album, ‘The Gods We Can Touch’, which saw her complete a sold out UK headline tour, including at BST Hyde Park alongside Adele. With over a million album sales and 2.6 billion streams, and her inaugural 'The Gods We Can Touch' book selling 14,000 copies (while signed copies sold out in less than an hour), AURORA was at her professional peak. Yet at the same time she experienced something painful that split her in two. She sensed a disconnect between her mind and heart. “It made me understand women in a way I hadn’t before. It made me understand how evil hides behind the nicest of faces.”AURORA’s fourth album, ‘What Happened to the Heart?’, is a journey from weakness to strength, from self-destruction to self-healing. Of reuniting a fractured self. “It’s actually the most personal and cathartic album I have ever written,” she says quietly, as if the realisation had only just come to her.‘Some Type of Skin’, a dark slice of electro-pop, reveals the conflict at the album’s core. “When you’re vulnerable, anything that brushes up against you makes you bleed,” she says. “But you need to go into battle, you need to build some type of skin.” In the song, AURORA cries: “Hit me hard where I am soft… should my heart reveal itself to be more than a muscle? Or a fist covered in blood?”To build her armour, AURORA decided to throw herself into chaos. “Usually I am very careful, very reasonable” she says. “But for once I wanted to experience what it felt to be unreasonable. I needed to be destructive.” So she gave herself a year, while she was touring ‘The Gods We Can Touch’, to throw herself into life hard and fast. “A lot of alcohol, very little sleep, a lot of fun,” she smiles, a little wistfully. She went ice swimming and hurled things in rage rooms. “It was painful, but I was building skin.”The chaos extended to the writing process. “I had a rule: I could only write in unsafe spaces, I needed to be rootless.” That meant no forests, where AURORA had spent much of her childhood in Bergen, Norway – a solitary safe haven away from those who made her “feel alien”. These “unsafe spaces” were loud, full of people, “strange smells, noises…anywhere where I could feel observed”. AURORA travelled all over the word, meeting with women she describes as modern day philosophers, “women with true knowledge”. In particular, three female tribe leaders in Colombia, Brazil and Argentina. “There is wisdom in their indigenous values. These women live in the modern world just like us, but they still choose to live with kindness.” She was inspired by their feminine power. “Men have been leading us for thousands of years and look where that has got us. We need change, and women have had everything figured out from the very beginning of time. We were the first timekeepers, we could track the seasons inside our own bodies.” She grins cheekily. “I would be scared of us too, if I were a man.”Feminine strength inspired 'The Gods We Can Touch' – fighting against internal shame and societal judgement of the female body – and it is no less present here. Above the throbbing techno of 'Starvation', produced by German Nicolas Rebscher, who also worked on her debut EP 'Running With the Wolves', AURORA mourns the depletion of the human spirit as a result of technological invasion that is particularly threatening to women. “Our souls are starving, because AI is taking over; art is being replaced by computers,” she says, gravely. “And women, our consent, is being exploited, as it always has been, from porn to deep fakes.” The act of mourning is integral to ‘What Happened to the Heart?’. As AURORA says, “I’ve been thinking a lot about funerals, and in the music people used to deal with death”. She drew on buried grief for loved ones, as well mourning her former self. “In Norway there is a culture of repression. I suppressed something for so long, and became infected by it,” she says, with a deep sigh. “So once I began to properly address my past, I realised that a lot of things I remembered were very different from how I imagined. And I had to accept that I have to change to move on. I am not the same as I was". She adds, firmly: "I have to learn how to work with this body, in this mind, as they are now.” This mourning led to a kind of holy communion between AURORA's heart and mind for the first time. “I spent a lot of time drinking wine alone, speaking out loud, my heart and mind finally in conversation.” She would record these conversations and later transcribe them as fodder for her songs, such as ‘The Dark Dresses Lightly’, a haunting folkloric melody over an urgent drum pattern, which imagines the heart and the mind as two characters sitting at a table, drinking together – you can even hear the glasses clinking in the production. AURORA leans forward conspiratorially. “So the heart says, ‘Okay, now, we've gone too long without communicating. Tonight, we're going to get drunk, go deep into this shit, and explode on each other’.” The song is the album’s turning point, AURORA adds, “when all the ugly has come out, and you can kind of hear me having an orgasm because getting everything out is so delicious, and the healing can truly begin.”These imaginary exchanges felt so visceral to AURORA that she would sometimes paint them; the heart and mind in a sword duel, “splattering all over each other”, she says, her face lighting up with mischievous delight. It’s a viscerality mirrored by the album’s production: a thrumming, primal force that confronts the almost ecclesiastical purity of AURORA’s own vocals. “It reflects this idea of the body falling apart, and being glued back together by something inhuman.” This discord is brought to life by “beautiful old synthesisers” that AURORA found all over the world, including with previous collaborator Tom Rowlands of The Chemical Brothers. “I got him to puke all over the song ‘My Body is Not Mine’ with his old modular synths” she says, which, fittingly, “had a mind of their own.” Despite the thematic and sonic darkness of the album, AURORA wanted to maintain a certain playfulness. “A very random, very intuitive,” way of producing. She collaborated with some of her favourite Norwegian artists and producers, from Ane Brun on ‘My Name’, to Matias Tellez on ‘Invisible Wounds’. On some tracks she plays the drums, a fiddle player and a traditional Chinese Pipa player were brought in, and some songs contain a “beautiful mandolin from the 60s”, she says, smiling, picking up an imaginary bow as she loses herself in the memory. There is even a disco song, ‘Do You Feel?’, produced by longtime collaborator Magnus Skylstad and sure to be a club-banger and chart hit. “It makes no sense, I have no idea why it’s on the album,” AURORA laughs, like a tinkling bell. “But my sister was born in the 80s and I was kind of thinking about her. And I liked the idea of having a song that made no sense.”Not all these songs are a product of chaos, however. The first and the last songs of the album, ‘The Echo of My Shadow’ and ‘Invisible Wounds’, were written in the quiet. “In my living room, where it was safe. They came directly from my solitude.” And with this quiet comes hope: “We both need to/Tend to the invisible wounds,” AURORA sings, a call to action for herself, to the listener, and to the world, to rupture with this malignant state of inertia, to fight back, to heal. “We need to stop this sense of global denial. We need to blow up, because it’s important, sometimes, to explode. Explosion is vital for change, to put the heart back into politics.” She smiles, and says, in the softest tone: “I think what we need... is a small riot.”

 Papa Roach are two-time GRAMMY-nominated, Platinum-selling leaders in Alternative Hard Rock music, who in 2020 celebrated the 20thAnniversary of their iconic album INFEST. Papa Roach are not unfamiliar with calling attention to Mental Health, and have been doing so since day 1 with the iconic release of “Last Resort.” Since then, the band has gone on to release 10 studio albums, along with their most recent Ego Trip released on their own label New Noize Records through ADA /Warner Music. Ego Trip has garnered over 360 million global streams to date and has produced four #1 singles including the band’s current single “Leave A Light On (Talk Away the Dark) which is the band’s biggest hit in a decade. The international hit brings the band’s total to 26 career Top-10 hits, and 12 career #1s. 24 years into their career, the band continues to make a global impact.

Met de DIW-Voormiddagsoirée willen we het hoogstaande culturele aanbod van VRTCanvas bij de doelgroep brengen die er het meeste nood aan heeft: kapotte festivalgangers die net met een enorme kater uit hun stinkend tentje zijn gekropen. Dat doen we met een muzikaal spektakel waar men gerust het woord ‘wervelend’ voor mag zetten!Verwacht het onverwachte, maar voornamelijk toch de te verwachten acts van Sociaal Incapabele Michiel, een paar zatte wijven, mystery guests, drillrappers, Charmezanger Roland en nog veel meer! Maar nu ook weer niet zo veel meer!De afterparty van dit Pukkelpop-hoogtepunt wordt verzorgd door opkomend talent zoals Justice, Doechii, en Queens Of The Stone Age.De DIW-Voormiddagsoirée. Zondag 17/8 om 11u45 op Pukkelpop.(Disclaimer: als de organisatie van Pukkelpop beslist de DIW-Voormidagsoirée nóg iets vroeger te programmeren, is het mogelijk dat u een zaterdagticket nodig hebt ipv een zondagticket.). 

Used burst onto the scene in 2018 with “Mistakes”, a track that showcased his unique style. He is a classically trained violin player, a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, but also a lover of the rave scene, a dedicated dj and dance music enthusiast. All of that combined gave Mistakes its unmistakable edge. While it was jump-up heavy, it also contained catchy melodies, strong introspective vocals and the kind of atmosphere only a true musician can come up with. It would become the blueprint for his trademark style.He took his homegrown scene by storm, and went on to release banger after banger. The budding superstar rapidly expanded across the rest of Europe with constant touring, and quickly started broadening his horizon by experimenting with different styles of music.More and more people took notice. UK powerhouse Bou enlisted him to help out on his remix of the classic “Gold Dust” by DJ Fresh, and then legend Fresh himself invited him into the studio to help create “Higher”. Both tracks were big hits and further propelled Used into the upper echelon of drum&bass.Fresh then decided to revive his dormant Breakbeat Kaos label to release Used’s debut album, and Used got to work. The first single “You Say” was a smash hit, and while the world was awaiting the album to drop, Used started building his solo live show, which he debuted at Melkweg at ADE, after which he took the biggest version of said show to Ancienne Belgique, one of the most iconic concerts halls in Europe.With solid tours in Australia and New Zealand, as well as a Tomorrowland main stage play and Pukkelpop boilerroom victory laps under his belt, the scope is ever widening for Used and the journey has only seem to have started.

Fresh from her triumphant night at the BRIT Awards winning 'Pop Act', Jade has recently released her third official single ‘FUFN (Fuck You For Now)’ written with RAYE, Dave Hamelin and co-produced by Lostboy. The song was teased during the new FENDI campaign, which JADE stars in. JADE delivered the stand-out performance of the night at this year's BRIT Awards, performing her superhit “Angel Of My Dreams.” The performance video has been viewed over 1 million times and JADE’s win at the awards makes her the first girl band member to receive a solo BRIT Award. The Guardian called JADE's performance “an episodic live performance so peculiar it stole the show,” whilst NME said it was “a staggering, theatrical performance.” Clash Magazine named it one of the greatest BRITS performances of all time.  JADE finished 2024 by winning the Trailblazer Award at The Rolling Stone UK Awards and appearing on the cover of the magazine. She was also included on many of the end of year 'Best Of' lists, including The New York Times, Billboard, Rolling Stone, Variety, Pitchfork, The FADER, Stereogum, Paste Magazine, UPROXX, and more. JADE released her debut single “Angel Of My Dreams” (written by Jade, Mike Sabath, Pablo Bowman & Steph Jones) in July 2024. The track has accumulated over 100 million streams to date, entering the UK Official Singles Chart at No.7, the third highest new entry for a British artist this year.  The accompanying video was a No.1 YouTube trending video for 10 days and has had 12 million views. Dazed named the music video the 2025 ‘Video Of The Year’. The song remained in the Official UK Singles Chart Top 20 for two months and was nominated for ’Song of The Year’ at this year’s BRIT Awards.  Since her first single release, JADE has dropped three more tracks, 'Midnight Cowboy’ (written by Jade, Raye & Jonah Christian) an understated bass heavy bop about owning your sexuality, disco-inspired ‘Fantasy’ (written by Jade, Mike Sabath & Pablo Bowman and complete with a video directed by the icon David LaChapelle) and the bold anthem 'IT girl’ (written by Jade, Lauren Aquilina, J Hart, Cirkut and Lostboy).Beyond her music career, JADE is known for her activism and advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights. She’s an ally for the UK’s Stonewall charity and is passionate about supporting the LGBTQ+ community and rights. JADE has hosted Pride events in her hometown of South Shields, aiming to provide an inclusive space for all whilst raising funds for Stonewall UK and local LGBTQ+ supporting charities.

The bass is vibrating, confetti is shimmering, and the red uniforms are popping in the strobe light. With its explosive mix of hypnotic driving techno and expressive brass band music, the techno marching band MEUTE has been creating a big buzz across continents since 2016.The eleven musicians from Hamburg in their iconic red jackets love to break the rules and defy boundaries. What started as a small experiment on the streets of the district of St. Pauli quickly became a globally acclaimed phenomenon and led to joint performances with artists such as Laurent Garnier, Stephan Bodzin, Flume, Solomun and Marc Rebillet. The band revolutionizes techno music and redefines the concept of brass bands using acoustic instruments only. It provides for viral hits, sold-out clubs, and real electronic frenzy. Enjoy the bliss of a colorful, thrilling experience that will get every single one of you onto the dancefloor.As 2024 unfolds, MEUTE stands on the brink of another electrifying chapter. With the release of their fourth studio album, EMPOR, the band is gearing up for the Empor 2024 Tournee which includes special shows alongside deadmau5. MEUTE will bring their vibrant energy to festival stages and club shows across Europe and North America, inviting fans to join them on  a journey of euphoria and boundless excitement.

 2019, Los Angeles. On the star-studded stage of the Grammy Awards, Justice wins the award for best electronic music album with Woman Worldwide, a powerful live sum built up over a marathon of shows from one end of the world to the other. It was a crowning achievement, the culmination of a cycle that began three years earlier with the release of Woman, the French duo’s third album. “There was something symbolic about this award. It was like a sign that we could embark on something new,” says Xavier de Rosnay today. As if by reflex, he and his long-time partner Gaspard Augé soon found themselves in a house tucked away somewhere in Paris, which served both as a studio and as a refuge for their friendship. For months, following a rhythm that naturally allows time for inspiration to infuse, and which is only disrupted by the appearance of Covid, they work step by step on the body of a new album, HYPERDRAMA. As always, it’s a question of confronting a challenge, of establishing the principles of an experiment in the unknown. We always want to take our music to places we’ve never been before,” explains Gaspard Augé. It’s a necessity to create a form of emulation between us and also to have fun.” By marrying the sounds of their old machines with the infinite possibilities of digital techniques, they imagine suites of melodies as extraordinary sonic magmas that seem impossible to dissect instrument by instrument. This unprecedented material is divided into two distinct genres. On the one hand, the dreamy disco flights, a delicate, melancholy soundtrack under an immense sky. “We’ve always wanted to create our own sampler tracks, something close to the idea of the magic loop and filtered disco, but with control over each of the elements that make up that loop,” says the Justice pair. On the other, the radical aesthetics of gabber and hardcore techno used as sound material. “These are genres we like to play in our sets, pure and radical,” note Xavier de Rosnay and Gaspard Augé. On HYPERDRAMA, one atmosphere suddenly follows another, track after track – the furious tone of “Generator” followed immediately by the rave accents of “One Night/All Night” – when everything isn’t tangled up like a bunch of nerves on “Incognito”. There’s the idea of a constant transition from shadow to light. “It’s as if we had a little button on our console to switch from one sonic universe to another. But it’s still the same music lit differently”, Gaspard Augé points out.For the first time since Justice made its mark on the global electronic music scene in 2007 with the now-legendary †, the duo opens up to collaborations on this release, from Kevin Parker to Miguel via Connan Mockasin and Thundercat to the discovery of The Flints, a pair of gifted twins and Rimon, a crush unearthed in the Netherlands by Pedro Winter. “These artists are a reflection of what we love about music today. They are autonomous artists, who write, compose and often produce their music themselves. Most of them have always been in the back of our minds,” says Xavier de Rosnay. Justice’s fourth album is an invitation to get caught up in a world that’s even richer than Fantasia. A world conceived as an augmented version of the human soul, where joy, anger, sadness and everything else unfolds in its most shattering and heartfelt intensity. A sum total of feelings that make up this HYPERDRAMA, which we’d like to imagine generated by an unidentified intelligence and through which we’d travel aboard a “mechanico-organic vessel”, according to Gaspard Augé.