Bestival 2016
Festival guide
Following last year’s “Summer Of Love” extravaganza, this year’s Bestival is themed “The Future” and promises a “laser-loaded mega-structure” – AKA a 20m-tall replica rocket – boasting a “state of the art db audio array processing sound system”. Elsewhere you’ll find a pyrotechnics-laden “Purple Rave” Prince tribute, plus four days of superb musical entertainment. Here’s who we’d recommend watching if you’re on the Isle Of Wight between 8th and 11th September.
Top picks
MØ
Though No Mythologies To Follow established Karen Marie Ørsted as a talent to watch, the Danish singer’s subsequent singles have truly propelled her to global stardom. Following Major Lazer-collaborations ‘Lean On’ and ‘Cold Water’, and this summer’s MNEK-produced ‘Final Song’, Ørsted is currently putting the finishing touches to her second album. Get a sneak preview at Bestival.
Kano
More than a decade on from his debut, and six years on from Method to the Maadness, Kano recently received a much-deserved Mercury Prize nomination for his fifth album, Made In The Manor. Ahead of the result, you can catch the East Ham MC tearing through his new material at Bestival, and bounce along to classics like ‘Hustler’, ‘Mic Check’ and maybe even ‘P’s &Q’s’.
Billie Marten
North Yorkshire’s Billie Marten was just 12 years old when she first began posting covers online, and four years on she’s now signed to the same label that discovered Mumford & Sons and Wolf Alice. If you love minimalist, emotive indie-folk, redolent of Lucy Rose and Laura Marling’s early work, don’t miss her set at Bestival, where she’ll be previewing material from her debut, Writing of Blues And Yellows.
Big names
Don't miss
More from the line-up
- I was scared; I didn’t want people to be able to see into my soul.
- When we take a step back and reflect on what has happened this year, it’s been crazy.
- Most of my friends didn’t even know I played music until a few years ago...
- My inner happiness depends on me being loud, and telling everyone what I want.
- Without meaning to, I ended up writing quite a personal record.
- I want to get on stage and go crazy. I’m not ready to sit on a stool and sing ballads.