Following a successful initial announcement that featured Paste favorites like Dove Ellis and the breakout act Adult DVD, the Iceland Airwaves festival has officially unveiled its second wave of artists. This latest roster spans a wide array of continents and musical generations, further cementing the festival’s reputation as a global hub for discovery.
Among the highlights, 2024 Best of What’s Next artist Sex Week is set to perform, building on the momentum of their acclaimed appearances at New Colossus Fest earlier this year. They will be joined by the UK post-punk outfit Heartworms, whose debut album Glutton For Punishment was a standout release in 2025. The lineup also features the London-based DJ Shygirl, a frequent fixture on our Best New Songs lists, and the Atlanta-based band Lucy Dreams, who continue to impress years after their initial emergence on the scene.
The festival remains deeply committed to showcasing local Icelandic talent. This year’s bill includes 2025 Iceland Airwaves PLUS Award winner RAKEL, the evocative multilingual folk artist Andervel, and the high-energy electro-pop group SCAM, among many others.
For those based in New York, the festival has announced a special treat: in October, the Taste of Iceland x Iceland Airwaves showcase will take place at Pianos on the Lower East Side. The event will feature a performance by SCAM, with additional artists to be announced in the coming weeks.
Beyond the music, Iceland Airwaves continues to serve as a vital industry nexus. The festival’s two-day conference will host critical discussions on the future of the creative industries. Notable panels include “Anybody in There? Human Curation in the Age of the Algorithm,” which examines the impact of digital curation on music discovery, and “From Local to Global: Against The Odds,” a session exploring how smaller nations like Iceland successfully navigate the global music market.
