From Wednesday the 15th to Saturday the 19th, the biggest showcase festival in Europe, ESNS, will take place in Groningen, The Netherlands.
At ESNS, more than a hundred Dutch artists will take the stage. To help you navigate the incredible variety, Dutch Music Export has handpicked a selection of must-see Dutch acts for each day. Don't miss out on these standout performances!
OUR SELECTION :
NAOMI SHARON (Soul & Jazz R&B)
Machinefabriek
Thu 16 JAN - 22:50-23:30
Naomi Sharon, born and raised in Rotterdam, has carved a niche in the global music scene with her special sound and authentic storytelling. Her musical journey reflects a deep connection to her Dutch and Caribbean heritage, creating a tapestry of influences that sets her apart as a true artist. Having signed with OVO Sound as their first female artist, she garnered attention for her collaborations with renowned producers such as Noah "40" Shebib, Alex Lustig and Beau Nox. Additionally, Naomi was recognized as one of Spotify's R&B Rising 2024 Artists To Watch. Naomi Sharon is nominated for the Music Moves Europe Awards 2025.
FRENNA (Hip Hop)
Oosterpoort Grote zaal
Sat 18 JAN - 20:00-20:45
Frenna broke through in 2014 as a member of rap act Strictly Family Business (SFB). His third solo album Francis went platinum in two weeks and got him the prestigious Edison Award, and by the end of 2019 Frenna was the most streamed Dutch artist on Spotify. The artist, born in The Hague, has since broadened his horizons, dropping his first English solo track ‘Come Thru’ in 2021. His 7th studio album Pink Summer came out in July, featuring Murda, Dopebwoy and an international remix by Davido and DYSTINCT.
ARP FRIQUE & THE PERPETUAL SINGERS (Soul & Jazz)
Oosterpoort Kleine zaal
Wed 15 JAN - 22:00-22:40
Arp Frique returns with The Perpetual Singers starring Brandon Delagraentiss (‘son of a preacher man’ from Houston) and legendary LA-born singer Rocq-E Harrell. His new journey channels his love of organic, funk-based music full of obscure synths, bubbly basslines and swirling guitars to bring a new-old hybrid which you can describe as P-funk meets gospel-disco. Arp Frique is the alter ego of Rotterdam multi-instrumentalist Niels Nieuborg, through which he expresses his love for music from Suriname, Cape Verde, Ghana, Nigeria and Jamaica.
COLLIGNON (Electronic)
Minerva Praediniussingel
Thu 16 JAN - 21:00-21:40
Meet COLLIGNON, the brainchild of well-known keyboardist and producer Jori Collignon, best known for his work with Nobody Beats The Drum and Skip&Die. In 2022 he dropped his solo debut Lagoinha, while the live version of COLLIGNON evolved from solo project into a fully-fledged band with Gino Bombrini (Komodo) on drums and percussion and Yves Lennertz (Yin Yin) on guitar. The result is seriously energetic, up-tempo music, with Yves’ wild and exotic melodies and Jori's characteristic soundscapes. At the end of 2024, COLLIGNON will present their new album Bicicleta.
STEVIE BILL (Pop)
Platosonic
Sat 18 JAN - 13:40-14:00
Oosterpoort Foyer Grote zaal
Sat 18 JAN - 20:45-21:30
Meet Stevie Bill, the Dutch girl from Amsterdam who lives in New York City. She writes about change, heartbreaks, the joy of being a girl, and the nostalgic feelings you get in your twenties. She graduated from the prestigious Clive Davis Institute at NYU, in 2023, and describes herself as a classic songwriter with a twist, blending oldies with R&B vocals, folk, and rock influences. Her second EP I Was A Platinum Blonde came out in September.
PERSONAL TRAINER (Alternative Indie)
Huize Maas Main
Fri 17 JAN - 21:30-22:10
Oosterpoort Kleine zaal
Saturday to Sunday night 19 JAN - 00:00-00:45
Essentially the project of Willem Smit (working with co-producer/collaborator Casper van der Lans) on record and a live band, Personal Trainer showed a facility for DIY indie-pop exuberance and experiment in sync with 2022’s debut, Big Love Blanket. Now signed to Bella Union, the Amsterdam band returns re-energised with Still Willing, a multi-faceted gem of an album full of shining contrasts and spry melodies, surprising arrangements and subliminal sounds, playful lyrics and self-reflection.
KYBBA (Electronic)
Huize Maas Main
Friday to Saturday night 18 JAN - 01:30-02:10
Kybba is the Amsterdam-based DJ and producer taking the urban/dancehall scene by storm. Founder of the ‘Basshall Movement', he is the pioneer of basshall, blending Latin & Caribbean vibes into outstanding musical projects with his versatile production style. Kybba has garnered hundreds of millions of views and streams, and in 2024 embarked on a massive tour across multiple continents, performing at major festivals & selling out all his own club shows from Amsterdam, Paris Berlin and Barcelona to Bogota, San Jose and Medellin.
PARA.DICE (Soul & Jazz)
Oosterpoort Kunstpunt
Sat 18 JAN - 17:45-18:30
PARRA.DICE dreams of a free world without restrictive genres, labels and other useless cages. The nine-headed f/x (female/non-binary) collective consists of a unique combination of three horns, a violin and an extended rhythm section. Their music is a bundle of narrative melodies and percussive rhythms, fusing a lush range of musical colors into a grooving whole. PARRA.DICE have already played many festivals, and celebrated their EP release in a sold-out EKKO in 2023.
BNNYHUNNA (Soul & Jazz)
Machinefabriek
Fri 17 JAN - 20:00-20:40
As a Ghanaian kid in Amsterdam, Benjamin ‘Bnnyhunna’ Ankomah discovered how to express himself through music. In church, he learned to play the piano, guitar and drums. Later, he produced songs for Gaidaa, Rimon and Dolapo, and toured the world with Jose James, Arp Frique and Yung Nnelg. For his own, unorthodox message, he experiments with photography, video and poetry. His fusion of jazz, Afro, hip-hop and R&B is influenced by legends such as Fela Kuti, Pharell and Kendrick Lamar and is particularly well captured on his debut album ECHOES OF PRAYER.
FUTURE HUSBAND (Indie)
Platosonic
Sat 18 JAN - 12:50-13:10
Oosterpoort Foyer Grote zaal
Sat 18 JAN - 16:15-17:00
Future Husband is a Dutch four-piece known for blending cinematic soundscapes, synth-pop grooves, and introspective lyrics for music that feels both timeless and fresh. Their journey began in 2021 with ‘Ritual’ from their debut EP I Love You Forever, which earned heavy rotation on 3FM and introduced a wide audience to their atmospheric style. Latest single ‘Terra’ is a love letter to the planet, capturing their commitment to creating cinematic, resonant soundscapes that leave a lasting impression. Their debut full-length is expected in March 2025.
MORPHEUS (Pop Alternative)
Platosonic
Thu 16 JAN - 16:10-16:30
USVA
Thursday to Friday night 17 JAN - 00:50-01:30
Morpheus made a remarkable entrance in 2023 with his debut EP Morphosis. His sound, crafted for the lonely soul, intertwines orchestral elements with modern production and digital beats, resulting in a captivating pop-noir experience. The Amsterdam musician views his songwriting as a form of alchemy that transforms his inner darkness into something powerful and radiant. In 2024, Morpheus released his second EP, ‘The Ascent’, collaborating with renowned artist and producer Thomas Azier.
JACK SHORE (Electronic)
Oosterpoort Foyer Grote zaal
Sat 18 JAN - 22:15-23:00
Jack Shore is an American/Israeli record producer and social media personality, who relocated to the Netherlands and established a new studio in Amsterdam. Coming from an ultra-Orthodox background he discovered music and decided to drop out of his religious high school to chase this passion. Alongside his own music, he has produced and recorded countless international artists and bands, and he is full of (viral) ideas like commenting on classic Dutch tunes like 'Watskeburt' on TikTok, right though to throwing a boiler around a gym at ADE.
CUT_ (Indie Electronic)
Het Paleis
Thu 16 JAN - 21:40-22:20
Pioneer artists Sebastiaan Dutilh and Belle Doron have been shaping indie electronic from the Netherlands for 10 years as CUT_. They scored a mega hit, when ‘Out of Touch’ was synced in the Netflix serie ‘Elite’, and have set a raw and danceable standard with new album, Flip the Switch. The past year the duo designed a live show focused on inclusion and accessibility as part of the EU funded project ‘Revelland’, where, featuring extra sensory elements, the band creates a mystical setting in which the audience become participants in a ritual. A godlike voice leads people through this sensory spectacle which aims to connect them to each other. CUT_ is part of the Revelland project, which aims to take live music performances to the next level by transforming them into multisensory events: making them more immersive and inclusive.
MURDA (Hip Hop)
Grand Theatre
Thursday to Friday night 17 JAN - 00:50-01:30
From Rotterdam to Istanbul, Önder 'Murda' Doğan has traversed borders and cultures, establishing himself as a prominent figure in the music scene. Known in the Netherlands for hits like 'Rompe' with Priceless and Frenna, 'Shutdown' with SFB, and his debut EP ‘De Turkse Pizza EP’, Murda's global impact became undeniable when he soared to the top of the charts in Turkey, accumulating nearly 1.5 billion streams on Spotify. With European, Australian and North American tours under his belt, Murda is now gearing up for his next album release.
LION STORM (Electronic)
Huize Maas Front
Friday to Saturday night 18 JAN - 00:50-01:30
LIONSTORM is the Netherlands’ first explicitly queer music duo. Ski and Stars have their own signature aggressive clownesque style and make music based in the horrorcore, reggaeton and industrial metal genres. Their work mostly revolves around queerness, female sexuality and breaking taboos. Think of them as the lesbian love child of Tommy Cash and Death Grips. The duo will always question the norm, resulting in bans on YouTube and Instagram but that only makes their fire burn more intensely.
ANOTHER TASTE (Soul & Jazz)
Oosterpoort Kunstpunt
Saturday to Sunday night 18 JAN - 23:45-00:30
s it boogie? Is it 70’s funk? Obscure disco? Or an ode to Burgess? Another Taste is neither and it’s all Indefinable yet universal. Being responsible for several releases on the Space Grapes imprint (Mad Honey, GALXTC, Jambonne), the 7-headed, mad eclectic collective from the Netherlands reinvents itself with every release to bring people together in funky, delirious delight.
JAïR FARIA (Pop Alternative)
Oosterpoort Bovenzaal
Sat 18 JAN - 19:15-19:45
Jaïr Faria is a rising star, known for his special mix of pop, neo-soul and indie rock. He started his career aged 15 on a collaboration with his renowned father Glen Faria. His music, including the single 'Do Better,' reflects the challenges of young queer love. After winning the Grote Prijs van Nederland contest and a tour of several major Dutch festivals, he will close 2024 with a debut EP in November and his very first headline show on December 7 at the Melkweg in Amsterdam.
HOUSEPAINTERS (Alternative)
Oosterpoort Bovenzaal
Sat 18 JAN - 22:15-22:45
Housepainters started during covid-19 with Tom Ogilvie (Teddy’s Hit) and Marnix Wilmink (Mauskovic Dance Band) making music inspired by cinematic scores and adding vinyl samples alongside ambient recordings of Amsterdam’s Waterlooplein market. They were then joined by Anna Fleuri Wolters, from the DIY punk scene in Groningen, and their sound mixes no wave-punk, dub and disco with elements of Neue Deutsche Welle, New York’s dance-punk, club-culture and directors like Wim Wenders, David Cronenberg and David Lynch. The result is gloomy yet upbeat tunes best played at night.
SUPERSTRINGS (Electronic)
Oosterpoort Binnenzaal
Saturday to Sunday night 18 JAN - 23:15-00:15
SUPERSTRINGS is a dynamic ensemble of five emerging Dutch artists reshaping the trance scene. With a profound nod to the golden era, they embrace the turn-of-the-millennium emotional trance anthems and parties. Whether they are collaborating with Ferry Corsten, killing it at SLAM! Radio’s Mixmarathon or performing at Smeerboel or in sold-out venues, it’s all about ‘showing your emotions!’ 🐬💚
BABY BERSERK (Electronic)
Oosterpoort Binnenzaal
Wednesday to Thursday night 16 JAN - 01:20-02:00
Electronic no wave outfit Baby Berserk is making a thrilling return with their new album Slightly Hysterical Girls With Pearls – expected at the end of 2024 – further pushing the boundaries of their eclectic sound. Known for their seamless blend of music and fashion, the Dutch trio captures the essence of contemporary nightlife, balancing the raw live band energy with the infectious pulse of club music. Their latest work promises a refreshing and invigorating boost for the mind, body, and soul.
DE NIEMANDERS (Alternative)
Platosonic
Sat 18 JAN - 12:00-12:20
Oosterpoort Binnenzaal
Sat 18 JAN - 17:45-18:30
Between December 2022 and January 2024, collective De Niemanders searched Dutch refugee asylum centers for singers, musicians and their music and stories. The resulting album is a sincere collaboration with the people they met. It is a hodgepodge of all kinds of singers and languages, and tells stories of their intense journeys, dreams, family, previous lives 'at home' and their current situation as refugees. The creative brew tacks between swinging afrobeat, high life, desert rock, rootsy psychedelia and the alternative rock that Rocco Ostermann (Donnerwetter/Shaking Godspeed) and Wout Kemkens (Iron Jinn/Shaking Godspeed) are known for.
TEXOPRINT (Punk)
Mutua Fides
Friday to Saturday night 18 JAN - 00:50-01:30
The Netherlands’ most intense noise rock trio has changed its name but not its identity. Texoprint (formerly known as Kalaallit Nunaat) is a factory specialized in producing noise at the highest level. They've released their third EP Mumble in April and have played their busiest festival summer yet, including performances at Supersonic’s Block Party in Paris, alongside many shows across Europe.
ZEP (Alternative Electronic)
Machinefabriek
Friday to Saturday night 18 JAN - 00:00-00:40
Having just gotten back from a North American and Asian tour, one-man band ZEP played his biggest show so far in a sold-out Melkweg during ADE. The young Dutch multi-instrumentalist is definitely moving through life at the same maddening pace as his music. With his background as a Conservatory alumnus, and strongly connected with the skate/break/hiphop/electronic scene, he has fine-tuned the art of delivering a head-on collision of breakbeats and rock in a raging whirlwind of a show that explodes with hip hop and punk energy.
THE VICES (Alternative)
Oosterpoort Grote zaal
Sat 18 JAN - 17:00-17:45
The Vices present a contrasting mix of Britpop and surf rock. Imagine Cage The Elephant and The Strokes having a love-child who happens to possess a live-energy that reminds one of the early Chili Peppers. With child-like fun and relentless ambition they can easily play tight and explosive or playful and danceable. This all resulted in their first club tour and Nothing But Thieves taking The Vices on their European tour. The hype is now spreading to the USA, where the band did their first headline tour in 2024. Second album Unknown Affairs came out in 2023.
LIBRARY CARD (Punk)
VERA
Thursday to Friday 17 JAN - 01:30-02:10
Platosonic
Fri 17 JAN - 12:00-12:20
Expressive yet thoughtful, abrasive yet melodious, explosive yet introvert: Rotterdam’s Library Card are a band of contrasts. The tight-knit unit of four entirely different characters formed mid-2021, drawing inspiration from Detroit post-punks Protomartyr, cult Glaswegian art-rockers Life Without Buildings and the poetry of Anne Clark. Spearheaded by Lot van Teylingen, whose spoken word rapidly alternates between sardonic and sincere, Library Card has quickly gone from a first gig in May 2022 to supporting OSEES, playing a host of Dutch tastemaker festivals, and touring in Germany, France, Denmark and Austria.
ROBIN KESTER (Alternative)
Het Paleis
Fri 17 JAN - 23:00-23:40
Robin Kester displays an exceptional sound on her debut album Honeycomb Shades; a quirky mix of pop, electronic music, and psychedelics, full of dark hypnotic tension. The Dutch artist, songwriter and producer has steadily conquered both the domestic and foreign markets with airplay on stations such as BBC Radio 6 Music, FIP, KCRW and KEXP. Live, her band injects the songs with a spontaneous energy at major festivals such as SXSW and Pinkpop and on tour in support of Villagers and MUSE. In September, Kester released the wondrous, atmospheric EP Patch.
BEST REGARDS,
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