SÓNAR BARCELONA 2024. Festival completes its musical line-up and presents the main topics of Sónar+D.

The 31st edition of Barcelona’s Festival of Music, Innovation and Creativity adds more than 60 new artists to the line up, featuring major artists Paul Kalkbrenner, Sevdaliza, Laurent Garnier, Adriatique, VTSS, DJ Tennis, Anetha, Kittin b2b David Vunk, Richie Hawtin, Jennifer Cardini b2b HAAi, Danny Tenaglia, DJ Flight & MC Chickaboo, Octave One live, Soto Asa, Aïsha Devi & Emmanuel Biard presenting ‘Les Immortelles’, Tayhana with Club Latinx, Yerai Cortés and Laurel Halo among many others.

The Sónar 2024 program foregrounds innovation across all eras and disciplines, with dance music pioneers, contemporary icons and groundbreaking techno acts, and a renewed focus on radical aesthetics, boundary pushing formats and platforming of hyperlocal promoters and collectives from around the world. The artists added today join the previously announced Air, Charlotte de Witte presents ‘Overdrive’, Kaytranada, Jessie Ware, Ben Böhmer live, Vince Staples, Folamour, The Martinez Brothers, Kerri Chandler, Floating Points and Olof Dreijer & Diva Cruz, among others.

With the combined programmes of Sónar by Day, Sónar by Night, Sónar+D and OFFSónar, all eyes will turn to Barcelona like never before in 2024. Sónar’s reputation as a global destination for electronic music and cultural innovation will be further bolstered with the addition of the SonarLab x Printworks stage to Sónar by Night on 14th and 15th June. The co-curated stage will bring the essence of the much-missed UK venue to Europe for the first time, with a brand new format showcasing their emblematic AV production and on-point artistic curation.

Sónar+D, where innovation and digital culture meet, explores how the mass adoption of Artificial Intelligence in the creative industries is shaping their present and future, as a central focus of its program. Bolstered by international alliances, the full list of activities, to be announced shortly includes the AI & Music program powered by S+T+ARTS and TIMES, the audiovisual AI focused +RAIN Film Festival produced together with the Universitat Pompeu Fabra, a new immersive space dedicated to Catalan Talent, powered by Direcció General d’Innovació i Cultura Digital, the exhibition space Project Area, with the support of the Fundació Banco Sabadell and artistic co-productions with some of Europe’s leading festivals, such as Krakow’s Unsound.

Sónar 2024 – Music, Innovation and Creativity.
On June 13, 14 and 15, Sónar will return to Fira Montjuïc and Fira Gran Via with a program in which the pioneers of electronic culture will coexist with artists who are shaping the present of music and the sounds of the future. In total, more than 200 shows, DJ sets, projects and activities will be presented, with artists, technologists, scientists and specialists in multiple disciplines of the creative industries from more than 30 countries.

Today’s names join key figures in the history of electronic music, such as French duo Air – who will perform their acclaimed debut album Moon Safari live in full for the first time – and other stars such as influential British disco, house, pop and r&b singer and songwriter Jessie Ware, Californian rapper Vince Staples and Haitian-Canadian DJ Kaytranada, one of the great producers of our time, who will play Sónar in support of his forthcoming album.

This year’s festival platforms the enormous diversity of genres and subgenres in contemporary electronic music: from the most contemplative ambient to the most euphoric drum’n’bass, from happy hardcore to post-punk and black metal to gabber to hyperpop, post-club and memecore.

The coveted ‘sunset set’ at Sónar by Day will be headed up by three icons of the French electronic scene, on the SonarVillage by Estrella Damm stage. The already announced audiovisual show by Folamour (Thursday, June 13), is joined today by the eagerly awaited return of Laurent Garnier (Friday, June 14) and the electroclash pioneer Kittin (formerly Miss Kittin), in an exclusive b2b set with Dutch DJ David Vunk (Saturday, June 15). This stage will also host Kabeaushé’s fusion of East African pop, hip-hop and electronica and Olof Dreijer’s (half of the duo The Knife) live percussion hybrid show with Diva Cruz.

On June 14th and 15th, Sónar by Night will host another trio of hallowed names in dance music, in this case hailing from the New York house scene. Pioneering DJ, producer and remixer Danny Tenaglia, joins previously announced house music evangelists The Martinez Brothers and Kerri Chandler.
Sónar 2024 invites the biggest names in techno, from Paul Kalkbrenner’s euphoric electronica to the melodic techno of Adriatique, and from a brand new show by Richie Hawtin to the Sónar debut of two of the techno scenes favourite DJs: VTSS and Anetha. To this rich mix Sónar adds the union of two standout figures in modern clubbing: Jennifer Cardini b2b HAAi. All these names join the new show ‘Overdrive’ by Belgian producer Charlotte de Witte and live performances by Reinier Zonneveld and Ben Böhmer.

Sónar also unveils a new collaboration with Printworks London with the SonarLab X Printworks stage, bringing the much missed UK venue to Europe for the first time. With a brand new stage build, the collaboration will bring the essence of the venue, famed for their on-point curation and advanced AV production, to Sónar by Night on 14th and 15th June. The co-curated line up features live performances by Octave One and American producer Sepehr, joining those by modern trance icon KI/KI, master of German deep house Cinthie and the enigmatic British rap and grime artist CASISDEAD. The stage will also host drum’n’bass legends DJ Flight & MC Chickaboo, much heralded house producer salute, Marie Montexier b2b Mor Elian bringing a heavy dose of electro and acid, C.FRIM b2b BAMBII drawing on a wide amalgam of modern club sounds, a sophisticated, layered set from JASSS, Printworks resident Swoose and Jokkoo Collective’s DJ TNTC.

Another highlight of the program is the addition of Sevdaliza, one of the most powerful figures in contemporary avant-garde electronica. The Dutch-Iranian artist, director and performer uses artificial intelligence to explore modern conceptions of femininity through her striking visual imagery. Her show features prominently in the lineup alongside contemporaries such as DJ and producer Floating Points and Estonian rapper TOMMY CASH, among others.

This year, Sónar presents a number of co-productions with a pronounced radical and innovative character at the cutting-edge of the European scene. These include a co-production by Sónar that brings the choreographer Kianí del Valle together with the creative studio Hamill Industries and Rosalía collaborator Tayhana. Similarly groundbreaking will be a special show by Lee Gamble co-produced by Sónar and the Polish festival Unsound. The show pairs the artist’s recent album ‘Models’, created with AI, with choreography designed by Candela Capitán. This joins two other shows with a marked physical aspect at the festival: multidisciplinary artist Blackhaine and Italian producer Gabber Eleganza with his high energy, dance focused ‘The Hakke Show’.

Leading experimental artist Aïsha Devi will exclusively premiere in Spain the powerful new live show ‘Les Immortelles’, created together with visionary set designer Emmanuel Biard. Laurel Halo will present her highly acclaimed latest album Atlas. Yerai Cortés, flamenco artist and regular guitarist for C. Tangana among others, will present ‘Guitarra Coral’, his new show – featuring six palmeras – in which he continues to explore new perspectives on the genre. Valentina Magaletti will showcase her innovative approach to the art of percussion. Visual artist Dømochevsky will present his new project ‘Cortical’ with Daniel Benza. Manchester rapper and performer Iceboy Violet will join local producer Nueen to present their collaborative album You Said You’d Hold My Hand Through The Fire. All these names add to the previously announced Kelly Moran, Adelaida, Natural Wonder Beauty Concept, Team Rolfes presenting ‘321Rule’ -their Virtual Reality opera with Lil Mariko-, and ASIANDOPEBOYS presenting ‘PHYSIS’, a 6-hour multidisciplinary performance.

Sónar also proudly hosts a number of ‘hyper-local’ parties or collectives, many of them decidedly queer or feminist, that push the boundaries of fun and represent micro-scenes from all over the planet. Argentine producer Tayhana will present a special installment of the itinerant Latin American party Club Latinx, dubbed ‘Eterna Migración’ (Eternal Migration) and featuring Simona, Slim Soledad and Mare Advertencia on stage. Venezuela’s Verushka will bring the sounds of the Me Siento Extraña party, one of the most popular F.L.I.N.T.A. events (events for women, lesbians, bisexuals, non-binary people, trans people, dissident identities, cyborgs and more) in Barcelona. And Barcelona collective BLEX will turn the stage into a dreamlike oasis with Filip Custic, Virgin Mary, Naive Supreme & Hundred Tauro. All these parties join the New York hyperpop and real-time club theater collective Club Cringe and the Barcelona collective TORO, formed by softchaos, engalanan and wicboyx

Hailing from the other side of the Atlantic, La Goony Chonga shows off her fusion of reggaeton and tread (accelerated version of trap ‘made in’ Philadelphia), while the Ceuta-born Soto Asa will display his slow reggaeton rhymes, listened to by millions of people on the main streaming platforms. These names join the list of artists that make a whole new generation dance, such as the rap and r&b producer from the Canary Islands of Indian origin ABHIR or the rising singer Judeline from Cadiz.

The SonarPark by DICE stage brings a vibrant party, paying tribute to the increasingly wide range of styles and ideas that make up global club culture. ABHIR, Judeline and the TORO collective will be joined by the fusion of amapiano, afro-house, kuduro, funk dance and beyond by the Belgian of Nigerian descent Blck Mamba and the deconstructed club music of Barcelona’s Meritxell de Soto. This bet on the future will also feature Skin On Skin’s solid mix of techno and house with drill and rap, the hyperactive and unpredictable sonic assault of Japanese selector ¥ØU$UK€ ¥UK1MAT$U, the Galician sound-artist Akazie, the avant-garde electronica with spoken-word elements of Marie Davidson, the collision of influences of Dyce, the nostalgia of AMORE, the dynamism of Jehia and sa varied selection of artists giving new shape and style to club music, with Slim Soledad, DJ Gigola, DJ Fucci, Taahliah and SHYBOI.

Sónar+D 2024: The 12th edition of the meeting point of innovation and digital creativity will explore how the massive implementation of AI in the creative industries is shaping their future.

Sónar opens the door to the discovery, adoption and use of AI technologies. The Sónar+D program in particular invites attendees to explore and discover all kinds of innovations linked to creativity, through a large exhibition of creative-technological projects and a series of masterclasses, forums for open discussion, professional meetings and multi-screen audiovisual conferences, showing how these technologies are transforming the creative industries and impacting our society.

For the first time, Sónar will bring together world leaders in the field of immersivity such as Superblue from Miami, Monom from Berlin, Oboria Digital from Zaragoza (The Sphere, Las Vegas) and Moment Factory from Montreal, to examine and explore the new horizons of this rapidly evolving field.

Sónar+D will also feature the participation of researcher, writer and activist Sasha Costanza-Chock, who will speak, in an audiovisual conference presented by SEIDOR, about embracing technology from a more inclusive perspective, with the aim of avoiding the biases resulting from technological developments carried out from white, male and privileged perspectives. Adjacently, writer, researcher and ‘abogamer’ Micaela Mantegna will unravel the intricacies of regulation and intellectual property in the field of video games.

Following a wildly succesful edition in 2021, Sónar will curate and organize the AI & Music program, powered by S+T+ARTS, an initiative of the European Comission. Over the next three years, Sónar will take the pulse of innovations and developments in the relationship between Artificial Intelligence and music. This year’s program features performances from Sevdaliza, Lee Gamble, Moisés Horta aka 𝔥𝔢𝔵𝔬𝔯𝔠𝔦𝔰𝔪𝔬𝔰 and Myriam Bleau & Nien Tzu Weng presenting their new work ‘Second Self’, previewed by an audiovisual lecture.
The AI & Music powered by S+T+ARTS program also features the open forum – ‘We are the Music Makers’ with Thor Magnusson – from Intelligent Instruments, Sergi Jorda – designer of the Reactable and Professor at the UPF, technologist and researcher Anna Xambó and Magda Polo – researcher at the University of Barcelona. A multi-day hacklab, the AI Performance Playground, will be supervised by journalist, artist and creative technologist Peter Kirn, where play and investigation with AI interfaces and software will be actively encouraged, culminating in a collective performance. Two masterclasses from Nicole L’Huillier, and Marta Verde, will show how artists use AI in their practise. Furthermore, a selection of innovative projects blending AI and Music will be exhibited in the Project Area, of which more information is to follow.

Sónar today announces its participation in TIMES, the successor project to the We Are Europe cooperation (2015-2022). TIMES is a cooperation between 10 European festivals – Arty Farty/Nuits Sonores from Lyon, Berlin Atonal, Elevate from Graz, Insomnia from Tromsø, Le Guess Who? from Utrecht, Reworks from Thessaloniki, Semibreve from Braga, Sónar, Terraforma from Milan, Unsound from Krakow and audiovisual partner Creative Broadcast from Bucharest – co-funded by the European Union. At Sónar 2024 TIMES will present a series of co-produced performances with Berlin Atonal, Nuits Sonores, and Reworks.

Sónar+D’s activities are not confined to the Sónar by Day venue: Sónar this year will begin on Tuesday 11th and Wednesday 12th June with the 2nd edition of +RAIN Film Festival, the international festival of film made exclusively with AI and co-organized with the Universitat Pompeu Fabra, which explores how this technology coexists with the filmic narratives of our time. After the first two days of the event at the UPF Poblenou Campus, the festival will continue from June 13th to 15th at Sónar by Day, with the screening of the winning films and the AI & Blockchain Creative Summit, a space for debate, demos and round tables on expanded media & creativity and cinema. The call for submissions for films created with AI closes next Wednesday, March 13.

Sónar Week – June 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th.
During Sónar Week, Barcelona will become the global epicenter for electronic music and cultural innovation. In addition to all the programming of Sónar by Day, Sónar by Night and Sónar+D, OFFSónar will be held across three stages at Poble Espanyol de Montjuïc, just 5 minutes walk from Fira Montjuïc. OFFSónar maintains its commitment to events focused on record labels, with top DJs, local talent and the most attractive clubbing experiences on the international scene. From Thursday to Sunday, the parties Brunch Electronik, X, Solid Grooves, Keinemusik and FUSE London will be held, with a party still to be announced for Sunday.

Sónar Around the World in 2024.
Sónar’s international tour kicks off in just one month with the 3rd edition of Sónar Lisbon, to be held at Parque Eduardo VII on March 22, 23 and 24. The festival will feature Paul Kalkbrenner, 2manydjs invite Éclair Fifi & Erol Alkan, Bonobo DJ set, Eliza Rose, Branko and many more. More information at sonarlisboa.pt.

Shortly after, from April 26-28, the 8th edition of Sónar Istanbul will take place at the Zorlu Performing Arts Center, with artists such as Sevdaliza, Eliza Rose, 2manydjs b2b Tiga, Overmono DJ set, Ryoji Ikeda and Marcel Dettmann live. More information at sonaristanbul.com.

Tickets and special discounts for young audiences.
All ticket types for Sónar 2024 in Barcelona are now on sale at sonar.es. As always, there are active a series of discounts and exclusive advantages for the younger audience of the festival. All the information here.

SÓNAR 2024 Line-up. | New addtions on 20/02/2024.

Sónar 2024 | 13th, 14th and 15th of June | Barcelona.
Air play ‘Moon Safari’ | Charlotte de Witte presents ‘Overdrive’ | Kaytranada | Paul Kalkbrenner | Jessie Ware | Vince Staples | Laurent Garnier | Floating Points | Kittin b2b David Vunk | Folamour A/V | Richie Hawtin | Héctor Oaks b2b Partiboi69 | Adriatique | Lee Gamble presents ‘Models’ with Candela Capitán | Jennifer Cardini b2b HAAi | Ben Böhmer live | DJ Flight & MC Chickaboo | Soto Asa | Sevdaliza | The Martinez Brothers | Yerai Cortés presents ‘Guitarra Coral’ | VTSS | CASISDEAD | Eliza Rose b2b Dan Shake b2b Sally C | Aïsha Devi + Emmanuel Biard }§{ present ‘Les Immortelles’ | Reinier Zonneveld live | ASIANDOPEBOYS present ‘PHYSIS’ | horsegiirL | Kiani Del Valle Performance Group presents ‘CORTEX’ with Tayhana & Hamill Industries | KI/KI live | Gabber Eleganza presents ‘The Hakke Show’ | Kerri Chandler | Danny Tenaglia | Marlon Hoffstadt aka DJ Daddy Trance | JASSS | Kabeaushé | TAYHANA presents Club Latinx w/ Simona, Slim Soledad & Mare Advertencia | DJ Tennis | Surgeon & Speedy J present ‘MULTIPLES’ live | DJ Gigola | +RAIN Film Festival | ABHIR | Adelaida | AI & Blockchain Creative Summit | Forum: AI: Generating panic? (w/ Eduard Alarcón) | Akazie | AMORE | Anetha | Arnau Obiols | Barcelona Music Tech Hub | Bikôkô | Blackhaine | Blck Mamba | BLEX: Filip Custic, Virgen Maria, Naive Supreme & Hundred Tauro | C.FRIM b2b BAMBII | C.O.U. | Cinthie live | Club Cringe | Coco Em | Forum: Curating the curators | Daniel Benza & Dømochevsky present ‘Cortical’ | Drazzit | Drea | Dyce | Ela Minus | EMPTYSET | Dj Fucci | DJ Gatasanta | GAZZI b2b DALILA | Hadren | 𝔥𝔢𝔵𝔬𝔯𝔠𝔦𝔰𝔪𝔬𝔰 presents ‘𝔐ᴜᴛᴜᴀʟɪsᴍ𝔛’ | Huda | Iceboy Violet & Nueen present ‘You Said You’d Hold My Hand Through The Fire’ | Jehia | Judeline | Julietta Ferrari | KAMAUU | Kelly Moran | La Goony Chonga | LaFrancesssa | LANAV | Laurel Halo | Loraine James | Mainline Magic Orchestra | Marie Davidson live | Marie Montexier b2b Mor Elian | Marta Verde | Meritxell de Soto | Micaela Mantegna | moktar | Myriam Bleau & Nien Tzu Weng present ‘Second Self’ | Natural Wonder Beauty Concept | Nicole L’Huillier | Octave One live | Olof Dreijer & Diva Cruz hybrid set | pablopablo | Peter Kirn | Project Area | Raxon | River Moon | Rumbler | salute | Sasha Costanza-Chock | Sepehr live | SHYBOI | Skin On Skin | Slim Soledad | Spacer | Stacey Hotwaxx Hale b2b DJ Paulette | Surusinghe | Swoose | TAAHLIAH | Team Rolfes presents ‘321Rule’ live AV starring Lil Mariko | TNTC | TOMMY CASH | TORO presents: softchaos, engalanan, wicboyx | Toy Tonics Jam: Kapote & Sam Ruffillo | Toya Delazy | Valentina Magaletti & Theresa Baumgartner present ‘Lucha Libre’ | Verushka | VMO a.k.a. Violent Magic Orchestra | Forum: We are the music makers | Forum: What’s immersive anyway? | Yosef | ¥ØU$UK€ ¥UK1MAT$U | yunè pinku live

Line-up by Day and Night. | Thursday 13th June.

Sónar by Day | 15:00 until 00:00.
Forum: AI: Generating panic? (w/ Eduard Alarcón) | Aïsha Devi + Emmanuel Biard }§{ present ‘Les Immortelles’ | Barcelona Music Tech Hub | Bikôkô | Blackhaine | C.O.U. | Dyce | Folamour A/V | Huda | Judeline | Marta Verde | Meritxell de Soto | Myriam Bleau & Nien Tzu Weng present ‘Second Self’ | Nicole L’Huillier | Olof Dreijer & Diva Cruz hybrid set | pablopablo | Peter Kirn | Project Area | Rumbler | Sevdaliza | SHYBOI | Skin On Skin | Surusinghe | Team Rolfes presents ‘321Rule’ live AV starring Lil Mariko | Toya Delazy | Valentina Magaletti & Theresa Baumgartner present ‘Lucha Libre’ | Forum: We are the music makers | ¥ØU$UK€ ¥UK1MAT$U | yunè pinku live

Institutions, partners and sponsors.
Sónar 2024 is an initiative of Advanced Music with the collaboration of the Departament de Cultura de la Generalitat de Catalunya and the Ajuntament de Barcelona, with the support of the Ministry of Culture, Fundació Banc Sabadell, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Ajuntament de L’Hospitalet de Llobregat and the S+T+ARTS program of the European Comission.

Sónar 2024 has the main sponsorship of Estrella Damm and the sponsorship of LACOSTE, SEIDOR, ME by Meliá, Coca-Cola, OCB, Daitsu and AlphaTheta (Pioneer DJ), with DICE as ticketing partner and Repsol as multi-energy partner.

About Sónar.
Sónar is a pioneering festival that’s been championing electronic music and digital culture since its first edition in 1994. Each year in June, audiences come to Barcelona for Sónar, drawn to the festival’s forward-thinking programming, innovative format, and unique atmosphere. Year upon year, Sónar brings together emerging artists and showcases new trends from music and beyond.

As well as hosting the most influential artists from around the world, it also acts as a proving ground for new projects, collaborations and creations that build bridges between music, performance, and technology. Since 2013, much of this content falls under the umbrella of Sónar+D; an ‘anti-disciplinary’ programme of performances, installations, and conferences taking place within Sónar by Day that explores how emerging technologies and digital creativity are shaping the world.

After three decades and over 100 editions worldwide, Sónar continues to re-define what a festival can be, removing barriers and forging connections between audiences, genres and creative disciplines.

About Sónar+D.
Sónar+D is the international meeting of art, science, and digital culture hosted by Sónar during the festival, exploring how creativity changes the present and imagines new futures. Since 2013, this anti-disciplinary event has brought together leading artists, technologists, creatives, musicians, designers, thinkers, scientists, and entrepreneurs in Barcelona for a carefully curated programme of talks, masterclasses and groundbreaking performances, with a focus on inspiration and networking.

For thousands of professionals and curious individuals from over 100 countries, Sónar+D offers a unique, open and relaxed environment to meet. Across three fruitful days, they come to discover groundbreaking new work and opportunities, learn new skills and showcase initiatives via talks, demos and workshops, performances, live concerts, exhibitions, immersive and interactive experiences and encounters with different communities.

About AI & Music powered by S+T+ARTS.
AI & Music powered by S+T+ARTS, is a programme of performances, talks, masterclasses and workshops showcasing artistic projects, creative proposals and research centered on the links between machine learning and musical creation. Over the next three years, Sónar will dedicate a central part of its programming to exploring innovations in this rapidly evolving sector, building on the blueprint from past editions of Ars Electronica and Sónar CCCB, and creating a lasting snapshot of how AI is unlocking musical creativity across the arts, the music industry and beyond. 2024 will be the fourth edition, following editions at Ars Electronica (2019, 2020) and Sónar CCCB (2021).

About TIMES (The Independent Movement for Electronic Scenes).
TIMES (The Independent Movement for Electronic Scenes) is a cooperative project that brings together 10 European festivals to create original performances that combine music and visual arts. As well as shared programming of artists and the project’s original creations, TIMES aims to support, promote, and improve diversity and sustainability within the music sector.

TIMES is a collaboration between: Arty Farty/Nuits sonores (FR), Berlin Atonal (DE), Elevate (AT), Insomnia (NO), Le Guess Who? (NL), Reworks (GR), Semibreve (PT), Sónar (ES), Terraforma (IT), Unsound (PL), and our audiovisual partner Creative Broadcast (RO). The project is a successor to the We Are Europe cooperation (2015-2022) and is co-funded by the European Union.

H/T Sónar festival.