Iceland Airwaves, praised for a “devastatingly cutting-edge and expertly curated lineup” (NME), returns to downtown Reykjavík this November 3-6, 2021. Today, they announce nearly 30 new additional acts, adding to what’s already one of the strongest and most diverse bills in the festival’s 20 plus year history. With Iceland’s natural wonders often claiming the title “the greatest show on Earth,” Iceland Airwaves is similar in its one-of-a-kind offering. The festival’s musical diversity is as spellbinding as its host city Reykjavík and the incredible nature surrounding it.
Driving today’s announcement comes the UK’s biggest breakthrough artist of the year, Arlo Parks. She’s soothed millions with her captivating and poetic debut album Collapsed In Sunbeams and is a 3 time Brit 2020 nominee. Fans of twisted indie trip-hop sounds will want to catch one of the UK’s hottest new acts, duo Sad Night Dynamite. Across the Atlantic, Chicago’s mutli-talent vocalist, songwriter and producer KeiyaA is on an undeniable rise with her woozy electro soul, whilst Bartees Strange’s debut Live Forever is an electrifying mix of opera, emo and hardcore.
As always, Iceland Airwaves also shines light on the freshest Icelandic talent. Newcomers this year include Laufey (who just took out Best Jazz / Blues Newcomer at the 2021 Icelandic Music Awards), post-classical pianist Eydís Evensen, the emo-pop-hip-hop of Ouse, and local hard rock extravaganza Power Paladin. There’s also the return of synth-punk artists Kælan Mikla, indie pop troubadour Axel Flóvent and dream pop trio Vök.
With anticipation for this year’s event at an all time high, many acts confirmed today will be performing live for the first time since 2019, including Luxembourg’s Francis of Delirium and Tuys, the heady clash of post punk and hip-hop of London’s Wu-Lu, Ireland’s pop prodigy Smoothboi Ezra, and rising rap star, and winner of the 2020 RTÉ Choice Music Prize for Album of The Year, Denise Chaila.
As previously announced, Reykjavík will also welcome the likes of America’s Black Pumas and Canada’s Crack Cloud and Marie Davidson and L’Œil Nu. The UK’s Metronomy, Squid, Dry Cleaning, Lynks and Porridge Radio will perform alongside Iceland’s Eurovision sensation Daði Freyr and long-standing Airwaves favorites Sin Fang, Mugison, Mammút and Bríet, who swept last week’s Iceland Music Awards, taking out Pop Album of the Year, Lyricist of the Year, and Female Singer of the Year, respectively.
ADHD, Andavald, Andy Svarthol, Any Other (IT), Aragrúi, Arlo Parks (UK), Aron Can, Ásta, Axel Flóvent, Balming Tiger (KR), Bartees Strange (US), Benni Hemm Hemm, Black Pumas (US), BSÍ, Bríet, Cell7, CHLOBOCOP (UK), Countess Malaise, Crack Cloud (CA), Daði Freyr, Daughters of Reykjavík, Denise Chaila (IE), dj. flugvél og geimskip, Dry Cleaning (UK), Eydís Evensen, Faux Real (FR), Francis of Delirium (LU), GDRN, GRÓA, gugusar, Halldór Eldjárn, Hipsumhaps, Holdgervlar, Inspector Spacetime, ISÁK (NO), Júníus Meyvant, Kælan Mikla, KAMARA (NO), Karina (FI), kef LAVÍK, KeiyaA (US), Kiriyama Family, KLEIN (LU), K.óla, Kristin Sesselja, Krummi, Laufey, Logi Pedro, Lynks (UK), MAMMÚT, Magnús Jóhann, Máni Orrason, Marie Davidson & L’Œil Nu (CA), Metronomy (UK), MSEA, Mugison, Myrkvi, Omotrack, Ouse, Oyama, Pale Moon, Porridge Radio (UK), Power Paladin, Sad Night Dynamite (UK), Salóme Katrín, Sara Parkman (SE), S.hel, sideproject, Sigrún Stella, Sin Fang, Sinmara, Skoffín, Smoothboi Ezra (IE), snny, Squid (UK), superserious, supersport!, Svala, Tami T (SE), THUMPER (IE), TootArd (Golan Heights) Tuys (LU), Tyson (UK), Ultraflex, The Vintage Caravan, Vök, Wu-Lu (UK)
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PRAISE FOR ICELAND AIRWAVES
“Airwaves has become the European answer to SXSW’s legacy of discovery and platforming up-and-coming music.” – Paper
“There’s a palpable excitement in the chilly Nordic air that stems from a genuine love of exploring unique talent and hearing some damn good tunes.” – InStyle
“a progressive festival experience in a picturesque, one-of-a-kind city with a lineup so mindfully curated that you’ll leave with everything you wanted and more.” – Paste
“As someone that’s written a lot about using music festivals as an entryway for seeing the world, no festival I’ve been to embraces this philosophy like Iceland Airwaves.” – Uproxx
Download hi-res jpegs of Iceland Airwaves 2021 performers here. Live photos and more here.
For more information including line-ups, event news and the latest updates, visit icelandairwaves.is and follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.