Rising U.S. pop star Addison Rae was the hottest newcomer, Switzerland’s Paléo Festival Nyon was the best major festival, Holland’s Lowlands had the greatest lineup, and Serbia’s Exit Festival scooped promoter of the year at the European Festival Awards 2025, recognizing the best fests on the Continent.
Announced this week, festivals from over 30 countries participated in the awards, now in its 15th year, with 300,000 votes cast by the public.
All told, 104 nominees were shortlisted in 13 distinct categories, not counting the lifetime achievement award, won by Austria’s Ewald Tatar.
The awards ceremony took place on the opening night of the four-day annual ESNS music showcase festival and conference, presented Jan. 14-17 in Groningen, The Netherlands.
Other winners on the night include dHungary’s Sziget Festival (The Take a Stand Award), Czech Republic’s Rock for People (The Event Safety Award) and ITB’s Steve Zapp won for agent of the year.
All the winners of the European Festival Awards 2025:
The Take a Stand Award (Presented by Take A Stand) — Sziget Festival (Hungary)
Line-Up of the Year (Presented by IQ Magazine) Lowlands (The Netherlands)
The Event Safety Award (Presented by Citymesh & YES Group) — Rock for People (Czech Republic)
Agent of the Year — Steve Zapp (ITB)
Best Small Festival — Dynamo Metalfest (The Netherlands)
Newcomer of the Year (Presented by ESNS — Addison Rae (U.S.)
The Brand Activation Award — Pinkpop with Libresse (The Netherlands)
Best Medium-Sized Festival (Presented by Access All Areas) — Pohoda Festival (Slovakia)
The Green Operations Award (Presented by GO Group) — Štěrkovna Open Music (Czech Republic)
Best Major Festival (Presented by Eventim) — Paléo Festival Nyon (Switzerland)
The Award for Excellence & Passion — Stephan Thanscheidt, FKP Scorpio (Germany)
Promoter of the Year (presented by Pollstar) — Exit Festival (Serbia)
New Kid on the Block — Kristína Mlynárová, Pohoda Festival (Slovakia)
The Lifetime Achievement Award — Ewald Tatar (Austria)
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2026-01-15 05:30:582026-01-15 05:30:58Addison Rae, Lowlands, Exit Win Big at 2025 European Festival Awards
LONDON, U.K. — Merlin’s board for 2026-27 features some fresh faces, and a return of the executive who established the organization.
The independents’ digital rights agency this week announced five new members to its board, the first formed since the appointment of Charlie Lexton as chief executive officer, succeeding Jeremy Sirota.
Newly elected to the board are Bugwu Aneto-Okeke, Measurable Accurate Digital Solutions (Nigeria); Charles Caldas, Exceleration (Portugal); Manami Ogawa, STARBASE (Japan); Rachel Buswell, Domino (U.K.); and Sascha Lazimbat, Zebralution (Germany).
It’s a welcome return to the Merlin fold for Caldas, the Australian-born and raised executive who served as founding CEO of the association from 2007, until he stepped down from the role in December 2019.
In addition to the elected members, Merlin appoints Dan Waite, Better Noise (U.K.) and Verónica Rojas, Casete (Mexico) as board observers.
Re-elected to the Merlin board and continuing their service are Carlos Mills, Mills Records (Brazil); Chris Maund, Mushroom (Australia); Darius Van Arman, Secretly Group (U.S.); Golda Bitterli, Revelator (Israel); Justin West, Secret City Records (Canada); Louis Posen, Hopeless Records (U.S.); Marie Clausen, Ninja Tune (U.S.); Megan Jasper, Sub Pop (U.S.); Pascal Bittard, IDOL (France); and Tom Deakin, AudioSalad (U.K.).
Beggars Group and Merlin co-founder Martin Mills will continue to serve as a director of Merlin Network, the organization’s parent entity, alongside Darius Van Arman, who continues as Merlin chairperson, and Lexton, who was promoted to CEO with effect from Jan. 1.
The Merlin board is elected from and by its membership, which represents tens of thousands of independent record labels, distributors, and rightsholders from around the world, and brings together leaders from 12 different countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America, and Oceania.
Merlin claims its membership represents 15% of the global recorded music market, and has negotiated premium deals with Apple, Canva, ElevenLabs, Meta, Spotify, YouTube, and 40 other innovative platforms, on behalf of its members.
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Mike Chapman, the legendary songwriter and producer behind hits for Blondie, Suzy Quatro, Pat Benatar, Tina Turner, Toni Basil, and many others, will be saluted at the 2026 MPEG Awards.
The Nambour, Queensland-raised music man will receive the 2026 MPEG Lifetime Achievement Award next month during a ceremony in Sydney, recognition as one of Australia’s most influential global music figures.
After relocating to the U.K. in the 1970s, Chapman joined forces with Nicky Chinn and set about changing the face of pop music with hits for Suzi Quatro, Smokie, Mud and Sweet.
A move to the United States proved to be a shrewd one, as Chapman went on to produce Blondie’s classic Parallel Lines (from 1978), housing the global smash “Heart of Glass.”
Chapman kept the hits coming by producing Get The Knack (1979), home to the Knack’s blistering “My Sharona,” and through the 1980s he co-wrote a long list of smashes with Holly Knight, including “Love Is a Battlefield” (Pat Benatar), “Better Be Good to Me” and “The Best” (Tina Turner).
Across his decorated, five-decade career, Chapman has amassed a vast tab of production credits, from Baby Animals to Pat Benatar, Rod Stewart, Bow Wow Wow, Divinyls, Australian Crawl, Agnetha Fältskog, Lita Ford, and more, and in 2014, he received the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his contributions to music.
Established in 2022, the MPEG Awards was established by Music Producer and Engineers’ Guild of Australia (MPEG) to shine a light on excellence across music production, engineering and studio work in Australia, and is the only national awards program to do so.
Shure is sponsor of the event, set for Wednesday, Feb. 25 at the Darling Rooms Dockside on Cockle Bay Wharf.
On the night, eleven categories will be presented, nominations for which are announced today, Jan. 15.
“What really stands out this year is just how strong the work is across the board,” comments Anna Laverty, chair and founding director of MPEG. “These nominations reflect an incredible amount of care, craft and creativity, and being recognized by your peers in this way really means something. Huge congratulations to everyone nominated.”
All nominees were selected following an open submission process, with entries assessed by a panel of carefully selected judges based on work released during the eligibility period. Visit mpeg.org.au for more.
2026 MPEG Awards nominees:
Producer of the Year 1. Alex Burnett 2. Anna Lunoe 3. Aidan Hogg 4. Alice Ivy 5. Robby De Sa
Breakthrough Producer of the Year 1. Xavier Dunn 2. Fletcher Matthews 3. Ninajirachi 4. Jonathon Tooke 5. Moss McGregor 6. Sophie Edwards
Writer-Producer of the Year 1. Anna Lunoe 2. Robby De Sa 3. Lucy Blomkamp 4. Rob Amaruso 5. Aidan Hogg
Recording Engineer of the Year 1. George Carpenter 2. Lewis Mitchell 3. Simon Cohen 4. Rohan Sforcina 5. Wayne Connolly
Mix Engineer of the Year 1. Simon Cohen 2. Eric J Dubowsky 3. Thomas Purcell p.k.a. Wave Racer 4. Nao Anzai 5. Nick Herrera
Mastering Engineer of the Year 1. Nao Anzai 2. Lachlan Carrick 3. Nicholas Di Lorenzo 4. Joe Carra 5. Andrew Edgeson
Studio of the Year 1. Pughouse Studios 2. Empire Studios 3. Synth Temple 4. 4000 Studios 5. Audrey Studios
Self-Producing Artist of the Year 1. Harvey Sutherland 2. Alice Ivy 3. Anna Lunoe 4. Ninajirachi 5. Skeleten
Overseas Achievement 1. Tim Tan 2. Catherine Marks 3. Styalz Fuego 4. Keanu Beats 5. Dom Dolla
Outstanding Community Work 1. Songmakers 2. Kool Skools 3. Music Producers Development Program 4. Music Production for Women 5. Resonate
Calvin Harris has secured a $13.5 million judgment in the first phase of a bitter legal feud with his longtime business manager Thomas St. John, whom the EDM star has accused of abusing their financial relationship to fund a real estate “boondoggle.”
Harris (real name Adam Wiles) initiated arbitration proceedings this summer, alleging that in 2023, St. John fraudulently funneled $22 million from the Scottish DJ’s accounts towards a Hollywood recording studio and office space development called CMNTY Culture Campus, which never broke ground and has since undergone foreclosure. St. John denies Harris’ claims as “categorically false” and maintains that the artist was a willing investor.
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Harris funded CMNTY Culture in two tranches: a $10 million loan and a $12 million equity investment. Retired federal judge Michael R. Wilner, who’s refereeing the dispute in confidential arbitration, ruled in December that St. John undisputedly failed to repay the loan by its due date.
“Hollywood LLC and TSJ are each jointly and severally liable to claimants for the principal sum of $13,438,666.55 with respect to respondents failure to pay claimants under the loan documents, which consists of: the loan principal ($10,000,000), the total interest payments ($2,666,666.56), the origination fee ($200,000), the exit fee ($200,000), and the late charge thereunder ($371,999.99),” reads Judge Wilner’s order, made public by Harris’ team in a Jan. 7 motion to confirm the arbitration award.
The retired judge has not yet made a decision about the status of Harris’ $12 million equity investment or the larger question of whether St. John engaged in fraud to procure the funding. Those issues will continue to be litigated in ongoing arbitration.
Reps for Harris and St. John did not immediately return requests for comment on Wednesday (Jan. 14).
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A deep dive by Billboard last year reported that the CMNTY Culture project arose from the sale of songwriter Philip Lawrence’s catalog of Bruno Mars hits in 2020. Lawrence opted to park some of the proceeds from that deal in a real estate venture to take advantage of tax benefits and brought on St. John, his business manager, as a partner.
St. John eventually became the sole steward of CMNTY Culture after Lawrence exited due to financial issues. It was then that St. John turned to Harris for funding, also taking on other investors and a $35 million loan from real estate credit firm Parkview Financial.
St. John never built CMNTY Culture. Instead, the project stalled amid a downturn in the Los Angeles office space market, and CMNTY Culture announced plans last year to pivot to a residential real estate model instead. But it has now defaulted on the Parkview loan, which was secured with the Hollywood land as collateral.
Parkview foreclosed on CMNTY Culture in December and bought out the property for $25 million. The lender filed a lawsuit against St. John on Tuesday (Jan. 13), alleging he still owes another $16 million to satisfy the initial loan, plus interest.
Meanwhile, St. John’s future as a business manager looks uncertain. The U.S. arm of his eponymous management firm, Thomas St. John Group, declared bankruptcy last year and is currently trying to liquidate its assets. In addition to the Harris arbitration, fellow EDM star Eric Prydz sued St. John in November for allegedly taking $269,000 in unauthorized commissions. St. John denies those claims as “wholly fabricated.”
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2026-01-15 03:01:222026-01-15 03:01:22Calvin Harris Wins $13.5 Million in First Bout of Legal Battle With Ex-Business Manager
UPDATE: On Wednesday (Jan. 14), Bruno Mars added 30 more dates to his Romantic Tour. The new dates are bolded below. Tickets for newly added dates and remaining tickets for previously announced dates will be available during the general on sale beginning Thursday at noon local time at BrunoMars.com.
PREVIOUSLY: Bruno Mars is gearing up to bring a little romance to cities all around the world, and Anderson .Paak, RAYE and more big names are coming along with him.
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The superstar revealed Thursday morning (Jan. 8) that his Romantic Tour will kick off in April following the release of his newly announced The Romantic album. Running through mid-October, the trek will find Mars playing stadiums across North America, Canada and Europe.
His Silk Sonic bandmate will be a featured guest at all of the shows, while “Where Is My Husband!” singer RAYE, Victoria Monét and Leon Thomas will take turns as supporting acts on different dates.
Fans can now sign up for a ticket presale, which starts Jan. 14 on Mars’ website. The general sale begins the day after.
Mars’ tour news comes on the heels of his announcement that, after 10 years, he’s finally coming back with his fourth solo album. The Romantic will drop Feb. 27, a full decade after his last LP, 2016’s 24K Magic.
But even though it’s been a while since he released a solo full-length, the 16-time Grammy winner has been anything but unproductive in recent years. With .Paak, he formed Silk Sonic in 2021, and the duo scored a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 that same year with “Leave the Door Open.” In 2025 alone, Mars closed out with two of the biggest hits of the year, with his Lady Gaga duet “Die With a Smile” finishing at No. 1 on Billboard‘s year-end Hot 100 chart and ROSÉ collaboration “APT.” coming in at No. 9.
See Mars’ tour announcement and full list of dates below.
April 10 — Las Vegas, NV — Allegiant Stadium April 11 — Las Vegas, NV — Allegiant Stadium – NEW DATE April 14 — Glendale, AZ — State Farm Stadium April 15 — Glendale, AZ — State Farm Stadium – NEW DATE April 18 — Arlington, TX — Globe Life Field April 19 — Arlington, TX — Globe Life Field – NEW DATE April 22 — Houston, TX — NRG Stadium Sat April 25 — Atlanta, GA — Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field April 26 — Atlanta, GA — Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field – NEW DATE April 29 — Charlotte, NC — Bank of America Stadium May 2 — Landover, MD — Northwest Stadium May 3 — Landover, MD — Northwest Stadium – NEW DATE May 6 — Nashville, TN — Nissan Stadium May 9 — Detroit, MI — Ford Field May 10 — Detroit, MI — Ford Field – NEW DATE May 13 — Minneapolis, MN — U.S. Bank Stadium May 16 — Chicago, IL — Soldier Field May 17 — Chicago, IL — Soldier Field – NEW DATE May 20 — Columbus, OH — Ohio Stadium May 23 — Toronto, ON — Rogers Stadium May 24 — Toronto, ON — Rogers Stadium May 27 — Toronto, ON — Rogers Stadium – NEW DATE May 28 — Toronto, ON — Rogers Stadium – NEW DATE June 18 — Paris, FR — Stade de France – NEW DATE June 20 — Paris, FR — Stade de France June 21 — Paris, FR — Stade de France June 26 — Berlin, DE — Olympiastadion June 28 — Berlin, DE — Olympiastadion – NEW DATE July 2 — Amsterdam, NL — Johan Cruijff ArenA – NEW DATE July 4 — Amsterdam, NL — Johan Cruijff ArenA July 5 — Amsterdam, NL — Johan Cruijff ArenA July 7 — Amsterdam, NL — Johan Cruijff ArenA – NEW DATE July 10 — Madrid, ES — Riyadh Air Metropolitano July 10 — Madrid, ES — Riyadh Air Metropolitano – NEW DATE July 14 — Milan, IT — Stadio San Siro July 15 — Milan, IT — Stadio San Siro – NEW DATE July 18 — London, UK — Wembley Stadium Connected by EE July 19 — London, UK — Wembley Stadium Connected by EE July 22 — London, UK — Wembley Stadium Connected by EE – NEW DATE July 24 — London, UK — Wembley Stadium Connected by EE – NEW DATE July 25— London, UK — Wembley Stadium Connected by EE – NEW DATE July 28 — London, UK — Wembley Stadium Connected by EE – NEW DATE Aug. 21 — East Rutherford, NJ — MetLife Stadium Aug. 22 — East Rutherford, NJ — MetLife Stadium Aug. 25 — East Rutherford, NJ — MetLife Stadium – NEW DATE Aug. 26 — East Rutherford, NJ — MetLife Stadium – NEW DATE Aug. 29 — Pittsburgh, PA — Acrisure Stadium Sept. 1 — Philadelphia, PA — Lincoln Financial Field Sept. 2 — Philadelphia, PA — Lincoln Financial Field – NEW DATE Sept. 5 — Foxborough, MA — Gillette Stadium Sept. 6 — Foxborough, MA — Gillette Stadium – NEW DATE Sept. 9 — Indianapolis, IN — Lucas Oil Stadium Sept. 12 — Tampa, FL — Raymond James Stadium Sept. 13 — Tampa, FL — Raymond James Stadium – NEW DATE Sept. 16 — New Orleans, LA — Caesars Superdome Sept. 19 — Miami, FL — Hard Rock Stadium Sept. 20 — Miami, FL — Hard Rock Stadium – NEW DATE Sept. 23 — San Antonio, TX — Alamodome Sept. 26 — Air Force Academy, CO — Falcon Stadium at the United States Air Force Academy Sept. 27 — Air Force Academy, CO — Falcon Stadium at the United States Air Force Academy – NEW DATE Oct. 2 — Inglewood, CA — SoFi Stadium Oct. 3 — Inglewood, CA — SoFi Stadium Oct. 6 — Inglewood, CA — SoFi Stadium – NEW DATE Oct. 7 — Inglewood, CA — SoFi Stadium – NEW DATE Oct. 10 — Santa Clara, CA — Levi’s Stadium Oct. 11 — Santa Clara, CA — Levi’s Stadium – NEW DATE Oct. 14 — Vancouver, BC — BC Place Oct. 16 — Vancouver, BC — BC Place – NEW DATE Oct. 17 — Vancouver, BC — BC Place – NEW DATE
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2026-01-15 03:01:212026-01-15 03:01:21Bruno Mars Announces World Stadium Tour — And He’s Bringing a Bunch of Famous Friends With Him
The North Carolina rapper followed up announcing the the long-awaited release date for his upcoming album The Fall-Off with what is looking like the project’s lead single. And while he didn’t provide a title for the song, he did hint at The Fall-Off being a double disc by naming the track “Disc 2 Track 2,” so it’s safe to assume the tracklist will be revealed in due time.
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The video, directed by Ryan Doubiago, starts off with a disclaimer before taking us through an Inception-like labyrinth of Cole’s life in reverse as the rapper narrates his story in the same fashion almost reminiscent of Nas‘ “Rewind.”
The disclaimer reads: “For the past 10 years, this album has been hand crafted with one intention: a personal challenge to myself to create my best work. To do on my last what I was unable to do on my first. I had no way of knowing how much time, focus and energy it would eventually take to achieve this, but despite the countless challenges along the way, I knew in my heart I would one day get to the finish line. I owed it first and foremost to myself. And secondly, I owed it to hip-hop.”
As far as the production goes, there hasn’t been a producer credited yet, but fans have pointed out that he’s rapping over a leaked beat from the scrapped Drake and Ye collab album Wolves.
The Fall-Off will be J. Cole’s first full-length solo album since 2021’s The Off-Season, and his first project post-Big 3 battle when he released the mixtape Might Delete Later and walked back the Kendrick Lamar diss song “7 Minute Drill.”
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2026-01-15 03:01:202026-01-15 03:01:20J. Cole Tells Life Story in Reverse in New Song & Video ‘Disc 2 Track 2’
The wait for A$AP Rocky’sDON’T BE DUMB album is finally over, as the rapper revealed the project’s tracklist on Wednesday (Jan. 14).
With Rocky’s fourth LP set to arrive on Friday (Jan. 16), the Mob frontman posted the track list to the album, which boasts 15 tracks in total and one listed skit. Previously released singles “Helicopter” and “Punk Rocky” are also on the album.
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Unfortunately, there aren’t any featured artists listed, so the surprises will wait for special guests until release day. “DONTBEDUMB OFFICIAL TRACKLIST!!! EXCLUSIVE @ONEQUINCE SHIRTHEADS VINYL AVAILABLE NOW,” Rocky wrote when revealing the track list with various posters and vinyl editions.
Per a press release, the Harlem native has already sold over 130,000 units ahead of the project landing on DSPs.
Pusha T, Three 6 Mafia and Hit-Boy showed Rocky love in his comment section. “FLAMES,” King Push chimed in. “FIRE ROLL OUT MANE,” Three 6 wrote.
“Punk Rocky” arrived earlier in January, accompanied by a chaotic music video starring Winona Ryder, which was followed by “Helicopter.” According to a press release, Rocky showcases six alter-egos across the album.
It’s Rocky’s first album since 2018’s TESTING, which debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200. It’s unclear if he plans to tour the album, but Rocky’s booked to headline Governors Ball 2026 in New York City on June 7.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2026-01-15 03:01:202026-01-15 03:01:20A$AP Rocky Reveals ‘Don’t Be Dumb’ Track List Ahead of Album’s Arrival
Still shaken by the sudden loss of Yeison Jiménez, one of the biggest stars in Colombian “música popular,” thousands of fans (14,000, as announced onstage) gathered at the Movistar Arena in Bogotá on Wednesday (Jan. 14) to pay tribute to the artist.
Jiménez, known for hits like “Aventurero” and “Destino Final” with Luis Alfonso, died Saturday in a plane crash in Paipa (Boyacá) after the aircraft failed to gain enough altitude and crashed. Five other people, including Jefferson Osorio, the artist’s manager; Oscar Marín, his personal assistant; and Weismann Mora, a photographer, also lost their lives.
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For the artist’s farewell, entrance to the Movistar Arena was divided into two sessions: the first from noon to 4 p.m. (local time) and the second from 6 to 10 p.m. In both time slots, entry was allowed until the venue reached full capacity. Admission was free, and organizers emphasized the importance of not bringing candles, food or drinks. Fans began arriving as early as Tuesday night, and by morning, thousands were already outside the venue.
The first to appear was little Thaliana, the artist’s daughter, who was carried on shoulders through much of the arena to greet her father’s fans — as if she felt it was now her responsibility to make them feel welcome.
Pipe Bueno was the first star of “música popular” to take the stage, visibly moved as he performed “Tengo Ganas,” a song by Jiménez on which he collaborated. Before leaving, the Cali-born singer, now based in Mexico City, noted: “Sometimes in our rush, we forget that we’re already rich, very rich, but in things that aren’t material.”
Next was Alzate, who performed “Sin Decir Adiós” and “Mi Venganza,” the latter recorded as a duet with Jiménez. The two were not only colleagues but also friends; Alzate contributed to some of Jiménez’s hits, such as “Hasta La Madre.” “Thank you for singing my lyrics; you made me great too,” he said before leaving the stage.
Jiménez’s “Ya No Mi Amor” was the next song in the lineup, this time performed by Jessi Uribe and Paola Jara, whose rendition set the stage for the arrival of Jiménez’s mother and young daughter, Thaliana. “Whether it’s a lot or a little, I don’t know, but I’ll always be here to take care of your children, your wife, and those who might be weaker than you. As long as God gives me life and health,” said Lucy, the artist’s mother, who also dedicated the song “Confieso” by Kany García to her late son.
Francy and Arelys Henao, who alongside Jara form the leading trio of women in Colombian popular music, also paid their respects. Francy performed her song “El Adiós,” while Henao gave an emotional rendition of “Nadie Es Eterno” by Darío Gómez, an icon of Colombian music with whom Jiménez had collaborated on Pipe Bueno’s “Guaro Remix”.
Sebastián Ayala, another artist in the “Colombian regional” genre (a term Jiménez often used), captivated the audience with “Qué Tonto Soy,” which he originally recorded as a duet with Jiménez. Ayala mentioned that the two had plans to record together again in 2026. John Alex Castaño performed “Amanecí Contento” and recalled the moment he first met Jiménez, saying the latter had visited him wearing shorts and carrying a notebook filled with writings.
Among the attendees were Pasabordo, the duo of Jhonatan and Gabo, who had collaborated with Jiménez on “Hasta La Madre,” which they performed during the event. The duo has also written several hits for Colombian regional artists, such as “Cuánto Vale” by Luis Alfonso and “La Llamada” by Jiménez.
As the first session of the day neared its end, Ciro Quiñonez took the stage to perform the remix version of “El Embustero.” This song has a touching backstory, as its writer, a young empanada vendor named Yeison Majé, went viral with it, leading to a collaboration with Jiménez and Luis Alfonso. It was the first time the three had performed it together. Quiñonez also performed his biggest hit, “Regalada Sales Cara,” alongside Alfonso, Uribe, and Bueno — one of the genre’s most popular remixes in recent years. Jessi Uribe’s “Dulce Pecado” was also sung by the four artists.
For the thousands of fans shedding tears inside and outside the Movistar Arena (many also following the event via social media), the night couldn’t conclude without Luis Alfonso performing “Destino Final.” “Even though his body is gone today, his legacy, his music, and his spirit will always be with us […] It’s no secret that we’re not mourning saints today; we’re mourning crazy, entrepreneurial, joyful people,” he said, apologizing to Jiménez’s family for his candid and bold farewell to his dear friend.
To conclude the event, Jhonny Rivera and Andy Rivera also took the stage. Jhonny sang “Siga Bebiendo,” his collaboration with Jiménez, while his son Andy — who had also collaborated with Jiménez— performed “Borracho Te Busco.” Several of the musicians then joined on stage to sing “El Mejor (Remix),” a song the beloved artist recorded just over a year ago with Mexican singer Chayín Rubio. “Sing it loud; this is Yeison Jiménez’s fourth sold-out show at the Movistar Arena,” someone suddenly exclaimed, referencing the three shows the artist had given at a the venue in late 2024.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2026-01-15 03:01:192026-01-15 03:01:19Yeison Jiménez Remembered by Paola Jara, Jessi Uribe & More Than 14,000 Fans at Movistar Arena in Bogotá
Guitar bands aren’t on the way out in Australia, if Spotify’s watchlist is anything to go by.
The streaming music giant unveils its global list of Artists to Watch 2026, a batch of must-hear, do-see acts across Afrobeats, country, hip-hop, Latin and more.
Two of the three acts listed in the rock/alternative category, genre-bending rock artist Ecca Vandal, and Speed, the NSW Music Prize-winning Sydney hardcore act, hail from the land down under. Austin, TX rock act Die Spitz is also selected to enter the big leagues.
A third Aussie act, Melbourne indie-folk group Folk Bitch Trio, makes the cut in Spotify’s indie-folk category.
“Australian artists are increasingly shaping global music culture, and these three are right at the forefront,” comments Ben Watts, Spotify’s AUNZ head of music, in a statement. “Ecca Vandal, Speed, and Folk Bitch Trio are building audiences at home and internationally, while also pushing their genres forward – which is exactly what Spotify’s Artists to Watch is all about.”
The annual list is curated by Spotify’s local and global editorial teams, highlighting emerging artists gaining momentum on playlists, building international audiences, and pushing their genres into new territory.
Each featured artist has a handy piece of real estate with an “essential” track added to Spotify’s Artists to Watch 2026 playlist.
Other hotly anticipated artists for the year ahead include Irish electronic dance act KETTAMA, U.S. indie band Fcukers, and Chilean singer Young Cister.
Separately, Spotify’s global editors and songwriter and publisher partnerships team have unveiled their Songwriters to Watch class for 2026.
“Songwriters are the architects of the songs we fall in love with, and too often their stories stay behind the scenes,” explains Jacqueline Ankner, head of songwriter & publisher partnerships at Spotify.
“With Songwriters to Watch 2026,” Ankner adds, “we are spotlighting the creators shaping culture across genres, from Nashville hitmakers to global pop builders and producer-writers pushing sound forward. Our goal is to help these writers reach new audiences, deepen industry recognition, and celebrate the craft at the heart of every great song.”
The likes of Travis Wood, IKKY and Caitlin Stubbs are among those spotlighted for the Spotify poll, each of whom has two essential cuts added to the Songwriters to Watch 2026 playlist.
By late 2025, Spotify boasted upwards of 713 million users worldwide, including 281 million paid subscribers in more than 180 markets.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2026-01-14 07:05:362026-01-14 07:05:36Spotify Spotlights Artists, Songwriters to Watch In 2026
SYDNEY, Australia — After three editions, SXSW Sydney is calling time.
On Wednesday, Jan. 14, organizers announced that South by Southwest “will not proceed” in Sydney this year, and that the summit would “conclude its run.”
The decision “reflects a changing global environment that is impacting major events, festivals and cultural programs worldwide,” reads a statement.
Produced by TEG, SXSW Sydney worked closely with the NSW government and SXSW’s global owners, Penske Media Corporation, parent of Billboard, to explore potential pathways forward for the event, the statement continues. However, “prevailing market conditions” meant the Sydney leg “will not be going ahead at this time.”
SXSW Sydney’s brief lifespan was bright, and busy. According to a statement from TEG, the event generated an estimated A$276 million in total economic impact across its three-year run; attracted more than 63,000 out-of-region attendees; and recorded a 35% year-on-year growth in international visitation between 2024 and 2025.
For last year’s final SXSW Sydney, more than 345,000 attendees attended its showcases, panels, keynotes and more, a 15% year-on-year increase.
A social post from the SXSW team confirms the worst. “Every great story has a final page, and it is with a heavy heart that we share that SXSW Sydney has reached its closing chapter and will not be returning in 2026. It’s bittersweet to be saying goodbye while the momentum is so high.”
SXSW Sydney represented the brand’s first expansion outside of the United States, and a push into the vibrant Asia-Pacific region. But it did so post-COVID, as costs soar across the board. Money is tight. And competition is tough, both from the established BIGSOUND event, which is presented one month earlier in Brisbane, and the Amsterdam Dance Event, which overlapped with the first two editions of SXSW Sydney.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2026-01-14 03:45:482026-01-14 03:45:48SXSW Sydney Will ‘Not Proceed’ In 2026
