The 13 best new artists and bands we saw at Eurosonic Festival 2025

This year’s Eurosonic – the annual new music showcase for artists and bands from every corner of Europe – got off to a bumpy start due to foggy weather cancelling flights, and, consequently, delaying the arrival of thousands of musicians, journalists, promoters and industry types into the Dutch city of Groningen. Despite getting there significantly later than planned (including a detoured flight to a German wartime airport), it was certainly worth the hellish day of travel. 

With gigs by 333 new acts from 33 countries taking place at local venues and pubs as well as a record store, there was no shortage of new discoveries to be made; add to that a packed schedule of panels – including an interesting insight into the relevance of music media – and there was barely a moment’s rest. 

Off the back of three days darting around Groningen’s picturesque cobbled streets, here are 13 of the best acts we saw at ESNS 2025 – from Spanish hyperpop to Irish folk, choral-electronica, jangly punk, and spellbinding soul, there really was something for everyone. 

Cliffords

Despite this being their Eurosonic debut, Irish group Cliffords draw a large crowd on the opening night. Frontwoman, vocalist and guitarist Iona Lynch really showcases her incomparable range on ‘Feel Like A Man’, moving up the octaves with ease, while set closer ‘Sleeping With Ghosts’ has everyone clapping along – no easy task for such an industry-heavy event. On the strength of the Cork band’s cathartically-emotive performance and last year’s debut EP ‘Strawberry Scented’, both of which blend the emotional intensity of The Last Dinner Party and the instrumental drive of Wolf Alice, they’re certainly ones to watch. 

Anthony Szmierek

Downstairs in the amphitheatre-style space below, it’s an entirely different vibe as rave-poet Anthony Szmierek starts a dance party. “Okay everybody, I need your hands up, I don’t care who you work for or if you’re on a work trip”, the Mancunian instructs before telling his tales of everyday life over electronic beats. Though it’s a dangerous request for this type of festival, the obvious joker succeeds as neon strobes permeate throughout ‘Yoga Teacher’ and bald-headed guys up front really go for it. “Looking out on people beaming back at me makes me very happy,” Szmierek enthuses, before launching into the hedonistic ‘Rafters’. Somewhere between Happy Mondays and the band fka easy life, his small-town stories, which regularly embed sad subjects into dancey beats, cast him out as a working class hero for a new generation. 

Ebbb

The ominous yet intense churchtronica sound of Ninja Tune-signed trio Ebbb is truly unique. Frontman Will Rowland’s choral falsetto, which reverberates around the room – especially thanks to its high ceilings – isn’t what you would typically expect to go with pounding drumbeats and club-ready synths, but it serves to build into something thrillingly genre-defying. There’s something ritualistic yet militant and apocalyptic about the combination and it’s easy to imagine such a concoction appealing to a wide spectrum of music lovers: it’s got something for fans of heavy, classical and club music. Boundary-pushing is a term that’s often thrown around, but the sonically-challenging world that Ebbb have built provides certain evidence.

Getdown Services

“You tend to chat a lot,” moustachioed Bristolian mates Getdown Services shout, taking aim at the industry-heavy audience before even starting their 1.30am gig. ‘Crisps’ – with its very-British off-the-wall lyrics about Len Goodman being dead, Dr Who and Tess Daley – makes it abundantly clear that they don’t take themselves too seriously. One minute, they have everyone swaying their arms in the air; the next, they’ve got their tops off and are starting moshpits. There’s something weirdly infectious about their absurd observations, which land somewhere between Kneecap, The Dare and LCD Soundsystem. “This next song is about feeling depressed,” Josh Law shouts before disco number ‘I’m Not Feeling It’, which buries a tough subject beneath swirling riffs. The huge EDM beats of ‘Caesar’ send pints flying, while a feral finalé of ‘Dog Dribble’ is inexplicably mashed up with Soulja Boy’s ‘Crank That’. A ramshackle stream of consciousness riot that they recently took on tour with Goldie Lookin’ Chain, expect to see Getdown Services causing mayhem at your nearest sweatbox. 

jasmine.4.t

The great thing about Eurosonic is that the daytime programme – particularly Platosonic, which takes place at the city’s famous record store – offers another chance to catch acts you may have missed, but in a far more intimate setting. Playing her unofficial album release party here, Saddest Factory Records signee jasmine.4.t’s stirring yet cathartic songs (about finding her community after coming out as trans) work particularly well in this setting. “It was a really shit time; it hadn’t gone well”, she tells the packed room of coming out to her family. Hearing Jasmine’s story makes ‘You Are The Morning’ – about queer hope and a brighter future – feel even more powerful and resonant. The bass and rumbling drums of ‘Elephant’, meanwhile, end the set with she and her bassist knelt to the floor before going on to sign records. An intimate close to a refreshingly personal set ahead of upcoming US shows with Lucy Dacus.

Chloe Qisha

Sporting a black suit and tie with red shirt, and backed by a live band, Chloe Qisha’s tales of fleeting romances are ready-made anthems. The nu-wave tinged ‘Sexy Goodbye’ boasts a great pop chorus and Olivia Rodrigo style hook; full of loved-up euphoria, its destined for stadium singalongs. Meanwhile, ‘Scary Movie’ – on which Qisha plays guitar – shows an at first softer side to her artistry, before building into something sci-fi-tinged that fans of Holly Humberstone will love. A cover of Lipps Inc.’s classic ‘Funky Town’ is cleverly woven into the set, while Qisha calls out “a bitch from school who got all of my crushes” on ‘Evelyn’. Ending with her biggest hit to date and the perfect pop song ‘I Lied, I’m Sorry’, the future looks very bright. 

The Pill

With a one-in-one-out queue lining the streets outside the rock venue VERA, it quickly becomes clear that we were right to follow our instinct and catch this hotly-topped duo at a session earlier in the day. The Pill’s jangly satire-filled indie punk starts with them pacing across the stage; “mum we’re on TV”, they shout. Full of tongue in cheek wit, ‘Scaffolding Man’ – about forgetting to shut the curtain – is followed by their biggest hit to date, ‘Woman Driver’, which is an undeniable anthem, and their new single ‘Money Mullets’. While the easiest comparison would be Wet Leg, Lily Hutchings and Lottie Massey (plus formidable drummer Rufus Reader) carry a much grittier edge, especially when performing on stage. ‘Bale of Hay’, about “being blonde and facetious”, ends with them playfully thrashing each other’s guitar. And just like that, four tracks are over within just over 10 minutes.

Naomi Sharon

There’s a reason that Netherlands-based musician Naomi Sharon is the first female signee to Drake’s label OVO Sound. Having been releasing music for half a decade, she’s finally having her moment – and the busy room watching her at Machinefabrik quickly falls under her spell. A captivating presence stood beneath white strobes that shine down, her well-controlled vocal – especially on ‘Another Life’ and ‘Celestial’ – is showstopping. Like a new generation Sade, her range is seemingly endless yet effortless. An absolute star. 

Daniela Pes

Utterly spellbinding in the grand church-like setting of Stadsschouwburg, Italian artist and Music Moves Europe Awards nominee Daniela Pes brings her cinematic electronic soundscapes to ground-shaking life. Singing in Gallurese (the dialect of northern Sardinia where she was born) and swishing her hair around behind her equipment and laptop while her drummer and keyboardist up the ante, it’s a perfect midnight booking – especially for this vast venue, whose searchlight strobes scanning overhead add to the dramatic atmosphere. Somewhere between Bjork’s experimentalism, Enya’s etherealness and ela minus’s uncompromising industrial production, it’s a combination that’s unlike anything at this year’s festival. Utterly unique and transfixing.  

JACOTÉNE

Somehow only 19-years-old, Australia’s JACOTÉNE oozes soul and star power with a vocal range that recalls Celeste, especially ‘Don’t Let Him Say Goodbye’. Having previously seen her perform at London superclub Drumsheds, her growth within just a year is immeasurable; the way she stares directly into the eyes of those immediately in front of her shows a maturity far beyond her years. Having started penning songs aged 15, there’s no denying her once-in-a-generation talent; ‘you already know’, written back then and holding the room silent today, showcases her goosebump-inducing vocal. It won’t be long until she’s performing on huge stages for massive crowds. We wouldn’t get against her singing a Bond theme tune in the future, either.  

Kingfishr

A band who really make whichever space they play their own, Irish trio Kingfishr stand on the record shop counter, with the packed room – and a queue of fans with their faces and phones pressed up to the window – held in the palm of their hands. Their combination of traditional banjo, acoustic guitar and vocals – reminiscent of Mumford & Sons and the storytelling of Noah Kahan – is one of the biggest success stories of the festival. A master at getting the audience to sing the ooos and ahhs, it’s easy to see why, they’ve just signed to Atlantic and, the day after the festival, head on a European tour with James Bay. 

Ruthven

Fireman turned musician Ruthven, who is signed to the enigmatic Jai Paul’s label Paul Institute, brings some much-welcomed heat to the downstairs of Simplon. With orange-bathed visuals behind him, his emotive voice, which is capable of reaching an unbelievably high range, is spellbinding. With his bassist and drummer bringing a funky edge to the performance, along with his own keys playing, it feels like sitting in on the band’s jam session. Ending the show by getting the crowd to sing the harmonies alone with them before the finger-clicking finalé, the gig lands somewhere between Prince and The Weeknd. Ruthven has the potential to become one of the greats – London Fire Brigade’s loss is music’s gain. 

Maria Escarimento

Switching between upbeat hyperpop to “crying time”, fast-rising star Maria Escarimento brings the energy to a packed Grand Theatre. “All my songs are in Spanish,” she proudly proclaims, boldly unwilling to change her songwriting to suit a UK audience. She’s right not to: most of the crowd might not know what she’s singing about but there’s no denying the vibe, which is perfect for a tipsy Friday night, and turns the historic venue into a club. Clearly influenced by the experimental electronic production of the PC Music collective and, the synths build up to reach transcendental rave euphoria like her Swedish counterpart Namasenda. ‘Pretty Girl Swag’, meanwhile, with its neon strobes, is an undeniable Magaluf holiday anthem. And the sound engineer loves it just as much as the crowd, bopping around behind his decks – the punch-the-air Basshunter-style beats make it impossible to not smile and bounce.