NorthSide 2027 has wasted little time making a statement. The first five names announced for next summer’s festival in Aarhus, Denmark, already stretch comfortably from hardcore and Afrofusion to pop, Latin American club music and what the band themselves describe as Danish-language hooligan rock.
At the front of that eclectic first wave are Baltimore hardcore heavyweights TURNSTILE and Nigerian star OMAH LAY, joined by Danish pop newcomer MILLE, Chilean genre-bender AKRIILA and the high-energy Danish live act VON QUAR.
It is a suitably broad opening salvo for a festival that has built much of its identity around putting very different sounds on the same bill.
TURNSTILE, in particular, bring the kind of live intensity that can transform a festival crowd in minutes. Having emerged from the American hardcore underground, the Baltimore band have steadily pushed their sound far beyond the traditional boundaries of the genre, pulling alternative rock, funk, pop and electronic influences into the mix.
Their 2021 album GLOW ON became a major turning point, opening Turnstile’s music up to a much wider audience, while their latest album, NEVER ENOUGH, has continued to attract international attention. Their reputation on stage is just as important: physical, chaotic and relentlessly energetic, with very little interest in standing still.
OMAH LAY will take NorthSide in a completely different direction. The Nigerian singer and producer has become one of the most recognisable names in Afrofusion, combining elements of R&B, hip-hop and highlife into a sound that has travelled well beyond his home country.
His breakthrough came with Get Layd and the subsequent album Boy Alone, while collaborations including his work with Justin Bieber helped introduce his music to an even larger international audience. A recent Copenhagen show sold out rapidly, and his NorthSide appearance will now give Danish festival-goers the chance to see him in Aarhus next summer.
The international names are balanced by three artists representing some very different corners of the Nordic and European music scene.
MILLE has emerged rapidly as one of Denmark’s new pop voices, building songs around everyday experiences, youth and the complicated emotions that come with it. Tracks including Dagdrømmer and Lyver For Min Dagbog have helped establish a style that feels personal without losing its pop appeal, with vulnerability and a strong sense of identity running through her music.
From Chile comes AKRIILA, one of the more adventurous names in the announcement. Her music moves freely between reggaeton, trap, electronic music and experimental pop, combining heavy beats, Auto-Tuned vocals and an intensely personal lyrical style. It is another indication that NorthSide is looking beyond straightforward genre definitions when putting its 2027 programme together.
Then there is VON QUAR, whose self-described brand of “Danish-language hooligan rock” may be difficult to categorise but sounds considerably easier to experience live.
The Copenhagen band mix rock, punk and rave with the collective energy and terrace culture of football stadiums. Expect pounding drums, shouted vocals, hypnotic synths and a full brass section, all built around the sort of communal atmosphere that can turn a festival audience into one enormous choir.
Five artists, five very different musical worlds, and only the beginning.
NorthSide has confirmed that these are the first names for its 2027 line-up, suggesting there is considerably more to come before the festival returns to Aarhus. For now, the opening announcement offers a useful glimpse of the direction: internationally established artists alongside emerging voices, with very few boundaries between genres.
And if TURNSTILE, OMAH LAY, MILLE, AKRIILA and VON QUAR are the starting point, NorthSide 2027 could become a particularly interesting festival to watch as the rest of the programme takes shape.
NorthSide 2027 takes place in Aarhus next summer, with more artists expected to be announced in the months ahead.
If you are looking for a place to stay for Northside Festival 2027 then check out our interactive accommodation map below. Just add in the dates you want to stay and you will be able to see what’s available nearby.
If you also need to find a flight to get you there, try our flight search feature below! Simply add in your home and destination city, select the dates you want to travel and search away!
