ROTTERDAM, 23 October 2025 — MOMO Festival returns to Rotterdam in April 2026 with a new edition of the city’s multidisciplinary arts event. With music, performance, art, special residencies and renewed guided tours, the festival once again invites visitors to explore Rotterdam from unexpected perspectives.
Image: MOMO Festival 2025, Photo: Niek Hage
A bold mix of sound and performance
The first 14 names are now confirmed, offering a taste of the diverse programme that blends emerging talent with established names. MOMO Festival 2026 takes place from Thursday 16 to Saturday 18 April 2026 at various locations across the city. The first confirmed acts include:
BCUC / BINA. / Boko Yout / Djuwa Mroivili / Emma Hessels / Jana Jacuka / Joshua Idehen / Keo / Mandy, Indiana / Nep / Rival Consoles / thredd / Tyler Ballgame / Weval
From the ritual power of BCUC, Boko Yout and Mandy, Indiana to the hypnotic electronics of Weval, Rival Consoles and thredd, and from the dreamlike alt-folk of Emma Hessels, Tyler Ballgame and Nep to the poetic worlds of Joshua Idehen, BINA. and Keo, the first announcement showcases MOMO’s trademark range. Performer Djuwa Mroivili presents a new work on roots and transformation, while Jana Jacuka explores identity and embodiment through voice and movement.
Highlights to look forward to
Under the direction of Paul Adamah, Sweden’s Boko Yout has carved out a unique space with its Afro Grunge sound — a daring blend of punk-funk, alt-rock and eccentric experimentation. The group, nominated for a Swedish Grammy and winner of the Manifest Award for Live Act of the Year, is now taking Europe by storm. “Brilliant Scandinavian punk,” said the BBC.
Mandy, Indiana, the four-piece band from Manchester, combines post-punk, techno and experimental noise with the visceral French vocals of Valentine Caulfield. Their debut album I’ve Seen a Way was recorded in crypts, caves and shopping malls, and praised by Pitchfork, The Guardian and The New York Times. After their explosive 2022 MOMO Festival performance, they return with a chaotic, inventive soundscape.
Amsterdam duo Weval, known for their layered analog synthpop and hypnotic rhythms, return to MOMO with their new album Chorophobia. Moving between electronica, deep house, pop and rave, it marks their most danceable work to date and reaffirms their position as a major creative force in European dance music.
Interdisciplinary artist Djuwa Mroivili follows up last year’s I Vow to Distract Forever with the premiere of Mx. CoelaCunt Will Live Forever. The Comorian-Dutch performer takes audiences on a deep dive into fluidity, queerness and rebirth, blending Comorian traditions with fashion, spoken word and music.
South London’s BINA. is one of the brightest new voices in British soul. Drawing on influences like Kelela, BADBADNOTGOOD and Tame Impala, she shifts effortlessly between bedroom pop, R&B and experimental jazz. After sold-out London shows and a tour with Little Simz, BINA. is ready to captivate Rotterdam audiences.
About MOMO Festival
Founded in 2001 during Rotterdam’s year as European Capital of Culture, Motel Mozaïque continues to reinvent itself every spring with boundary-pushing programming. Over the years, MOMO has taken over iconic and unconventional spaces alike — from the legendary Nighttown and old LantarenVenster to rooftop stages on the Hofbogen. Its stages have hosted artists such as Fontaines D.C., Big Thief, Kokoroko, Mahalia, Antony Szmierek, and The Last Dinner Party, alongside contemporary dance by Ann Van den Broek, Voetvolk and Amenti.
With a focus on innovative curation and site-specific experiences, MOMO Festival remains an essential part of Rotterdam’s cultural landscape. The 2026 edition promises another three days of exploration, discovery and artistic adventure.
MOMO Festival 2026: Thursday 16 – Saturday 18 April
Tickets: Early Bird passes from €90 via motelmozaique.nl
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