From the visual mastery of Wesley Joseph to the poetic pop of Elín Hall and club classics of Swank Mami, here’s the best artists heading to Groningen’s Eurosonic Festival in January.
New music showcase festivals are the beating heart of discovery. These are the places that the industry deciphers the good from the great and searches for the next big thing. And Groningen’s Eurosonic, which celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2026, is the emblem of such.
Across its illustrious four decades at the cutting edge of Europe’s music industry, Eurosonic – or ESNS – has become revered for its curation and community feel. Whether spotlighting specific countries, celebrating the pinnacle of talent in their Music Moves Europe Awards, or promoting networking and collaboration between professionals, the January-set event is a must-attend in the calendar for any budding industry head or rising artist.
This year, the theme is ‘Europe Calling’, and the line-up feels particularly eclectic and engaging. This is the best-of-the-best of rising artists from all over the continent, playing to ecstatic crowds in venues all around the quaint city. It proved tricky, given the depth of the impressive line-up, but below, Wonderland rounds up the artists we’re most excited to check out while over in the Netherlands.
Wesley Joseph, UK
Walsall-born, London-based creative visionary Wesley Joseph is, from his excellent two previous EPs, already very much a household name in the UK alternative space. The singer, songwriter, producer and visual director recently returned with his first new music since 2023 in “If Time Could Talk”, boasting refined yet immersive production and a gorgeously cinematic visual.
FIDJU KITXORA, Portugal
It’d be surprising if FIDJU KITXORA were already on your radar. But it feels likely that they might well soon be. The anonymous, mystery-laden collective floats between Lisbon and Cape Verde, blending sounds and textures from the diaspora with a thrilling and musically intellectual circumference. An incredible live experience.
Elín Hall, Iceland
Icelandic singer-songwriter and actor Elín Hall is a multi-talented and much-revered creative force who feels destined for the upper tiers of pop. She began releasing English language material with Grammy-winning producer Martin Terefe in 2024, and has since established herself on the wider scene. She’ll be dropping an album in 2026 and will support Laufey in Reykjavik in March.
Sofie Royer, Austria
Classically trained in composition and concert violin at the esteemed Conservatory of Vienna, Austrian-Iranian polymath Sofie Royer is a compelling and characterful musician who finds beauty in the idiosyncratic. A pusher of sonic boundaries, last year’s LP Young-Girl Forever was a statement of intent, and now the Toro Y Moi and Kavinsky collaborator looks set to take her artistry to the next level in 2026.
Child of Prague, Ireland
Bar a debut track in 2023, Irish six-piece Child of Prague only began releasing this year. But they’ve made quite the impact in the alternative rock space. Five-track EP “Clothed in the Sun” is a stunning collection of broody slow jams, touching on midwest emo influences while maintaining a local feel and deep emotional brevity. Apparently excellent live, too.
Swank Mami, Norway
An artist whose sound feels very much of the now, 27-year-old Oslo-based Somalian Swank Mami has made quite the splash over the last few years. Combining an exploratory avant-garde ambition with a crowd-pleasing club aesthetic, the artist’s sound and vibe is undeniable, entertaining and playful. Her October EP “Worldstar” was a resounding success, and there’s plenty more where that came from.
