Announcing the first 31 artists for Sónar festival 2026, from a line up that will feature more than 100 shows in total, promising a festival as exciting, diverse, representative and original as ever.
For the first time, the musical programme will take place entirely in a single venue, located at Fira Barcelona (Gran Via site, in L’Hospitalet), with a brand new three-day format and uninterrupted music from the afternoon and into the night, for a more comfortable, immersive, and seamless experience.
Barcelona must once again become the capital of electronic culture, and Sónar 2026 marks a decisive step towards the future. We have designed a festival that not only celebrates music but integrates technology, art and creativity into a unique experience, offering an ideal space for discovery. Barcelona will once again be the global epicentre of cultural innovation. We will unify — though not merge — the daytime and nighttime programmes in a single space. This will allow every type of audience to experience the festival in full and enjoy many more hours of uninterrupted music, with more offerings and more stages operating simultaneously across every time slot – François Jozic, Sónar’s director
New York R&B legend KELIS, will perform at the festival for the first time in her more than 20-year career. Acclaimed by critics since her classic debut Kaleidoscope (1999), and a global star ever since her major hit “Milkshake” became a cultural phenomenon, Kelis will land at Sónar to showcase her bold and innovative style, fearlessly blending her signature R&B with hip hop, soul, pop and, of course, electronic music. She cemented her success in the 2000s with further superhits such as “Trick Me”, “Acapella”, “Caught Out There” and “Millionaire”, and has collaborated with artists as diverse as Pharrell Williams, Calvin Harris, Disclosure and Björk. The festival will be a unique opportunity to experience an artist who, hanks to her creativity and authenticity and with six studio albums to her name, has left an influential mark on contemporary music.
Sónar 2026 will also feature SKEPTA, the most influential name in British rap and, arguably, the driving force behind grime’s establishment as a global genre. Skepta is one of the most brilliant lyricists in the scene and will present his new album Fork & Knife, scheduled for early 2026.
These latest names are already a glimpse of the focus that Sónar will also place on sounds made in the UK. NIA ARCHIVES will return to the festival to present new music live, for the first time with the full band. This booking also hints at a strong representation of artists made in the UK across the line up, with fellow innovator SAMMY VIRJI set to unleash the full power of his UK garage sound, infused with bassline and drum’n’bass.
For the first time, the two reigning queens of global techno will coincide in the same edition of Sónar, each with a new audiovisual show. Belgian DJ and producer CHARLOTTE DE WITTE will present her new self-titled album with a brand-new live show, while her compatriot AMELIE LENS presents AURA, a new concept centred around shadow, light, movement and energy. Also appearing is Dutch DJ and producer CHRIS STUSSY, the new international star of house music.
Also featured are artists who are deeply connected to the history of Sónar, such as the duo MODESELEKTOR — founders of the Berlin label Monkeytown Records, and a constantly innovative presence in electronic music over the past two decades. In 2026, they will present a brand-new, and never-before-seen live show at Sónar.
Another marquee name announced today is Danish trio WHOMADEWHO, who will also perform live at Sónar 2026, presenting their latest work which continues their exploration of new territories in experimental electronic pop
A key Sónar debut comes from CABARET VOLTAIRE, the pioneering band formed in Sheffield in 1973 that became a fixture of the UK and European experimental electronic scene thanks to their forward-thinking and genre-blending approach, ranging from post-punk and synth-pop to industrial, techno and acid house. Two of its founding members, Stephen Mallinder and Chris Watson, will reunite on stage to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their legendary first show, more than four decades later.
Contemporary composers JULIANNA BARWICK and MARY LATTIMORE will present their forthcoming 2026 album Tragic Magic, created using historical instruments from the Philharmonie de Paris collection. Their performance will blend voice, harp and synthesisers to occupy a space between the classical and the modern.
Club music is deconstructed and rebuilt by DJs who never stop reinventing themselves, such as BOYS NOIZE; by projects that push the limits, such as French duo ASCENDANT VIERGE; and by talents who dazzle from day one, such as Madrid’s ALBA FRANCH, Argentina’s LA SOFY, Brazil’s CLEMENTAUM b2b LAZA capable of fusing baile funk, tribal house, Jersey club, guaracha and even raptor house at breakneck speed — and new club superstars such as KETTAMA (arriving with a new album and a collaboration with Fred Again), DJ GIGOLA – a new festival classic – and Colombian artist FUNK TRIBU.
Sónar maintains its commitment to intergenerational house back-to-back sets in 2026. This edition will unite Detroit house legend MK (Marc Kinchen), known for signing 90s hits like “Always” or “Love Changes” and reworking the classic Nightcrawlers track “Push The Feeling On” with British rising producer TSHA — active in melodic house, garage and high-tempo club sounds.
World-class selectors will be there in full force. American DJ COLLEEN ‘COSMO’ MURPHY will present Cosmodelica, a sensorial journey through her vast record collection. Alongside her, the festival includes two must-see b2b sets: the always energetic and eclectic DANIELLE teams up with the infallible RYAN ELLIOTT for one of the festival’s most unpredictable sets, navigating the push and pull between classic and modern, techno and house; and Running Back boss GERD JANSON challenges Berghain legend MARCEL DETTMANN to embrace his most house-driven, hedonistic side. And the list doesn’t end there: curious audiences should not miss performances by OGAZÓN, DJ AYA, JOY ORBISON, RONI or RIRIA, a Tokyo-born artist capable of blending amapiano, Jersey club, dancehall and underground hip hop with commercial hits and cult classics.
Techno will appear not only as a global phenomenon at Sónar 2026 but also in its purest and most psychedelic form, with veteran national figure 30DROP — who will present Insight Into Mind and Space with visual artist Santiago, alongside younger artists such as Madrid’s ISA, founder of Evolve Records, and the rising Japanese artist DJ MARIA.
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