25 JUNE – DAY 1
Benjamin Clementine / Devendra Banhart / MARO
Benjamin Clementine, acclaimed by critics and adored by audiences, winner of the prestigious Mercury Prize, is an artist who defies categorisation. His work blends elements of baroque pop, classical music, soul and experimental music.
Clementine is a poet – he writes his own songs, which adds an extra layer of depth to his music. In his work, he explores personal and existential themes, as well as those related to identity, love and loss. His baritone voice is powerful and poignant, yet also soothing and sincere. It is this unique blend of form and content that makes Clementine one of the most intriguing voices in contemporary music.
Devendra Banhart is one of the most important figures in the ‘freak folk’ and ‘New Weird America’ movements; an artist who has long defied categorisation, combining music with visual art and moving freely between genres.
His work is based on a combination of acoustic sounds, psychedelic harmonies and his own unique sensibility, whilst his concerts take the form of personal, unpredictable stories – balancing between intimacy and stage expression.
MARO is a Portuguese multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer from Lisbon.
Her music is sparse in its use of elements but emotionally intense. Combining elements of pop, folk and alternative, she creates intimate compositions that unfold in a focused manner and linger with the listener long after the final note.
25 June / Thursday
7:00 pm - MARO
8.30 pm - Devendra Banhart
10:00 pm - Benjamin Clementine
26 JUNE – DAY 2
The Blaze (DJ set) / The Blessed Madonna / HAAi
HAAi is an Australian DJ and producer . She has performed at major music festivals such as Glastonbury and Primavera Sound, quickly winning the acclaim of both audiences and critics.
A distinctive feature of her sets is their fluidity and the gradual build-up of drama. HAAi guides listeners through successive phases of sound, allowing the music to unfold over time, without abrupt changes or obvious climaxes.
The Blaze is a French duo that is now one of the most recognisable acts on the contemporary electronic scene, combining music with cinematic visual storytelling.
The duo’s music is based on pulsating synths, deep vocals and slowly building tension. Their tracks unfold gradually, allowing sounds and rhythms to resonate in the space. It is electronic music focused on emotion and atmosphere, where dance and contemplation coexist.
The Blessed Madonna has been shaping the sound of the contemporary club scene and the way we think about music for years. Her sets do not stick to a single genre – they move freely between house, disco and techno, building tension where others opt for the obvious.
The artist has performed at the world’s biggest festivals, such as Glastonbury, Coachella and Tomorrowland. She has collaborated with Dua Lipa, creating the album Club Future Nostalgia, and with Kylie Minogue, amongst others. Together with Fred again.. , she is behind the track Marea (We’ve Lost Dancing).
26 June / Friday
7:30 pm - HAAi
9:30 pm - The Blessed Madonna
11:00 pm - The Blaze (DJ set)
27 JUNE – DAY 3
Beirut / Charlie Cunningham / Efterklang
27 June / Saturday
7:00 pm - Efterklang
8:30 pm - Charlie Cunningham
10:00 pm - Beirut
Beirut is the project of Zach Condon – composer, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist – which began with Gulag Orkestar (2006), an album that brought him instant and international recognition. Recorded almost entirely by himself, full of Balkan influences, nostalgia and skilfully crafted arrangements, it is still regarded as one of the most important releases in independent music. It was through this album that Condon’s distinctive style became known – warm, acoustic, emotional and deeply rooted in a love of instruments from distant, often culturally remote, corners of the world.
Beirut returns to the Malta Festival stage in grand style; the artist played his first concert in Poland here in 2007.
Charlie Cunningham is one of the most interesting contemporary British songwriters, combining acoustic sensitivity with a modern song form. The artist builds his songs around the sound of the nylon-string guitar, creating compositions with a clearly defined rhythm, yet at the same time melancholic and introspective character;as a result, Cunningham’s concerts have an intimate, focused atmosphere, in which the tension between silence and sound takes centre stage.
The concert at the Malta Festival will be the first opportunity to hear him live in Poland.
Efterklang is a Danish band founded in 2000 by Mads Brauer, Casper Clausen and Rasmus Stolberg. From the outset, it has operated as an open-ended project – with a distinct core, yet constantly expanding to include new collaborators and contexts.
Over the years, the band has gradually developed its sound, drawing on elements of pop, indie rock, post-rock and electronica. At the heart of their work remains the relationship between sound, space and community.
28 JUNE – DAY 4.
Two Door Cinema Club / Kacperczyk / King No-One
28 June / Sunday
7:00 pm - King No-One
8.30 pm - Kacperczyk
10:00 pm - Two Door Cinema Club
Two Door Cinema Club are made up of Alex Trimble, Sam Halliday and Kevin Baird. The trio began writing music in Trimble’s parents’ garage and dropped out of university to focus on the band. The risk paid off – their self-released debut EP, Four Words to Stand On, was released in January 2009, garnering positive reviews and attracting the attention of music blogs.
Most recently, in 2024, the band embarked on a sold-out, 30-date tour of amphitheatres across the United States, ending the year on a high note with a sold-out tour of Australian arenas, culminating in an extraordinary performance at the iconic Sydney Opera House.
Kacperczyk – a duo formed by brothers Maciek and Paweł – are among the most intriguing voices on the young Polish alternative scene and will be the sole Polish act in the international line-up for the four concert days of the Malta Festival. Their work combines indie sensibility with pop energy and a distinctive lyrical style that balances irony and sincerity.
The duo’s sound is built on energetic guitars, synths and a distinct rhythm, which gives their songs a live dynamic.
King No-One are a British indie rock band from Leeds, active since 2013, who have been building their identity outside the mainstream from the very beginning. Their music stems from experiences and realities that are directly reflected in their lyrics and sound – direct, honest and firmly rooted in their origins.
Their music blends elements of indie rock, pop and alternative, relying on distinctive melodies, a guitar-driven sound and a direct message. On stage, this translates into raw, honest and highly energetic performances – based on close contact with the audience and an energy that quickly rubs off on the listeners
MUSIC STAGE
