Everything We Saw at Primavera Sound Barcelona’s Blockbuster 26th Edition

Since its humble beginnings in Barcelona’s Poble Espanyol back in 2000 Primavera Sound has become one of the biggest festivals in Europe, if not, the whole world. With an initial focus on the alternative scene, the sounds that the festival fostered over the years have matured and become a part of the zeitgeist. Now in its 26th edition the behemoth takes over Parc del Fòrum, along with venues across the Catalonian capital with its a la Ciutat gigs, putting on over 300 concerts in a week. The festival sold out five months in advance in great part because of its three headliners Charli XCX, Sabrina Carpenter, and Chappel Roan. Primavera Sound Barcelona 2025 was the only festival where fans could witness this trifecta manifest live. Not only that, but it was the first time that Primavera got to boast three female acts as its headliners. Many complained upon the announcement, claiming that Carpenter and Roan are too new to be headlining such a massive event (you could also see some pop-skepticism from those who claim to be too cool for it). However, after an unforgettable weekend, it is clear to us that the relative youth of these artists is intrinsic to the lineup’s construction as a whole. You could see an emphasis on acts established over the past ten to fifteen years across all genres of the festival. Not all acts are as fresh of a face as Chappell, yet there aren’t as many “legends” around, more acts in the true middle (some might say peak) of their artistic journey. Primavera kepts its core as a thoroughly difverse showing if the current music scene, we broke all the shows we saw in conceptually separated segments.

At long last, FKA Twigs

If you’ve been going to the festival for the past few years, you know what it means to see FKA Twigs step on to the beachside stage. The elusive British artist has been announced as part of the lineup for the past two editions of the festival only to cancel a couple of weeks before her scheduled appearance. As the festival drew closer fans waited with bated breath to see if the third time was truly a charm, and what a charm it was. Twigs brought her multifaceted artistry to life in what felt more like a work of art than a traditional festival set. With her new album Eusexua having more of a dance and electronic sound, it was only right that she kicked things off with her love of choreography. The frenetic, glitched out beat of Drums of Death pulsed through the audience as she moved with a muscular precision that matched her top tier dancers. Twigs’ physical prowess shined the brightest once she came out in six-inch heels and a massive metal pole descended onto the stage. Her new ballad 24hr Dog played as Twigs delivered a pole-dance masterpiece, contorting through the air before thousands of fans. This was the type of performance that allows for backing tracks. Pushing forward, she flexed her idiosyncratic taste for global music jamming to the more rhythmic hits off of her previous album Caprisongs. As her set came to a close, her operatic vocal range took centre stage. Long-time fans were given catharsis as her falsetto shined over the pulsating bass of Two Weeks. She said goodbye with a piano-rendition of Cellophane, taking long pauses between each verse to allow her audience to take it in. 

The pop trinity brought to life

Walking into Parc del Fòrum, you are greeted by a massive statue of the PowerPuff Girls. For those not terminally online, this monolith represents the Pop Holy Trinity headlining this year’s lineup: Charli XCX, Sabrina Carpenter, and Chappel Roan. Not enough can be said for the crowds these women pulled in, the mainstages flooded with thematically dressed fans multiple sets before each of them took the stage. Starting in reverse order, however, we must first give flowers to the newest member of the trinity: Chappell Roan. 

The Midwest Princess served fans a camp laced rock-opera on the festival’s final day, with a gothic castle and stagehands dressed as monks to boot. Fans broke into tears before she even stepped onto the stage. As the music swelled, Chappell appeared through the stage blasting Super Graphic Modern Girl dressed as an insect fairy godmother. Sonically, the show was elevated by an all-women rock band, adding funk and psyche-rock bridges between tracks to keep the audience dancing and guessing what song could be next. Her rock sensibility shined brightest when, in the midst of all her hits, she broke out into a cover of Heart’s Barracuda. “Yes, even the VIP section. I see you motherfuckers,” screamed Roan as she demanded the crowd to put up anything pink in the air as she closed with the anthemic Pink Pony Club.

The most seasoned of the three gave us a full-circle moment on opening day: Charli XCX & Troye Sivan Present Sweat. Both artists performed separately in last year’s edition, however, Brat was one week away from taking over the summer and they hadn’t been on a double-headlining stadium tour through the US. Now they are back and stronger than ever, especially Charli who’s crowd work felt in stride with the bravado in her music as she screamed “Barcelona, where the fuck you at?.” She strutted, spit into the camera, and rarely lifted her raver shades throughout the show. Sivan celebrated his 30th birthday on stage, delivering a softer melodic pop palette that alternated with Charli’s abrasive club classics. The touring pair finally met as the show culminated in techno-infused rendition of their hit 1999 and the Talk Talk remix. 

Sabrina brought the most theatricality of the three, putting together her very own vintage variety show. Humorous 70’s style commercial breaks introduced songs, notably her brand new single Manchild (which debuted that same day). Her dancers treated us to a couples dance competition and her final pose for Juno featured a t-shirt cannon. Much like the other two headliners, Carpenter’s set represented what has made her stick out over the past year: sincerely yearning (horny) lyrics, undeniable pop production, and a sense of humour that pulls it all together. 

A new generation of rock 

The festival’s directors have pointed out that there was another triple threat present, a rock trinity featuring Idles, Fontaines DC, and Turnstile. However, we think there was something even larger at play. The Barcelona festival leaned heavily on a whole generation of bands that have risen in stature over the past fifteen years (an era where some might argue that rock has lost its edge, mind you). This wave started off strong as Idles took the Revolut stage and brought their love-fueled rage on a Thursday night. Frontman Joe Talbot belted his trademark growl as guitarist Lee Kiernan joined the massive mosh pit that spun before them. The set peaked in an extended version of their punk classic Never Fight a Marn with a Perm, with the band drawing out the build up before the crowd erupted into screams of “concrete and leather.” 

Friday belonged to the girls with guitars. Wolf Alice kicked it off, returning to the scene after a four year hiatus. Frontwoman Ellie Roswell commanded the crowd with their new single Bloom Baby Bloom, fittingly, at Primavera. They were followed by Haim, who are also back after four years of silence. The three LA sisters opened triumphantly playing The Wire with a force that screamed “we’re back, bitches.” The rest of their set featured their insane instrumental chemistry as well as a comedic back and forth with a massive sign that spelled out different things the sisters are quitting ahead of their upcoming album I Quit. Nothing could prepare us, however, for what happened once Wet Leg came on. Scheduled directly after Sabrina Carpenter and Spanish rockers Carolina Durante, frontwoman Rhean Tisdale came out to the most packed in Cupra stage we have ever seen. There was not one seat on the stairs and no end in sight to the standing crowd as the rock outfit from the Isle of Wight dared us to catch these fists. 

The final day saw some of the most intriguing groups perform new music. First we saw Black Country, New Road play their new record Forever Howlong, which sees them enter a new era of folk-laced chamber pop, in its entirety. The band's virtuosic playing, however, remains untouched while the new vocals from the group's female members brings luminosity to what initially was a much darker project. The golden hour was perfect for the next band, as Irish rockers Fontaines DC brought the melodic trajectory of their newer work to what has always been an energetic performance. They all oozed confidence as vocalist Grian Chatten glided through classics like Boys in the Better Land and newer releases like It’s Amazing To Be Young. The rock portion of the festival closed on the highest of highs. Turnstile, the biggest hardcore band in the world, came out to blow your eardrums away. A day after the release of their new album Never Enough, they gave us more than we could ask for. Vocalist Brendan Yates flexes his now iconic acrobatics, spinning through the air and landing perfectly to the break on Blackout and swinging his mics stand around for Holiday. The Baltimore band also showed the more meditative side of their new sound. After the thrashing start of Look out for me, they all left the stage and let the wavy, electronic section of the song play out over shots of still water. Don’t get it twisted, though, they then rushed back on stage and closed out to a muscular performance of their Birds as multiple mosh pits erupted.

A thriving on the Spanish scene

Year after year the festival welcomes more and more people from around the world, with the lineup reflecting that global sensibility. The latest edition saw people from 136 countries descending onto the capital of Catalonia. Whether you live in Barcelona or fly in for the show, however, the lineup is always a great opportunity to tap into burgeoning and established Spanish acts. If you showed up early on Thursday, you would be treated to the post punk electronics of Ultralágrima. As I interviewed multiple English-speaking attendees, they named the Valencian duo as the best discovery they made at the festival. They named the spaced out yet rhythmic 500 Balas as a stand out. 

Much like the headliners, the Spanish portion of the lineup felt like a look into the future of pop music. Early on we were treated to the blissful vocals of Amore as she glided through Delirio. The Murcian singer combines bedroom pop and Spanish folkcore for a sublime sound. She also injected her performance with levity, after all, this is someone who named her debut album Top Hits, Ballads, etc…Accompanied by cabaret style dancers, they would lay on the floor “dead” during one song and clap flamenco castanets on their ass for another. Saturday opened with another of the scene’s most promising acts as Xenia took the Cupra stage. Her blend of angelic vocals and dark pop enchanted us, blending directly into the next show. Astride her now iconic dancer/servant, Andalusian rising star Judeline took to the Estrella Damm stage. This was the pop singer's second time on the Primavera lineup but notably her first on a main stage. The past year has seen her profile grow significantly as she dropped her debut album Bodhiria, which features dark, witchy bangers like Brujeria as well as melancholic gangster ballad Zarcillos de Plata. Her stage presence was undeniable, sporting a red beaded piece as she rode and antagonized.. For those international fans who loved Rosalia, you might have been lucky enough to see the next Spanish superstar on any of these sets. If you only came for English music, that’s your loss. 

Closing thoughts

The 26th edition of Primavera felt classic yet new in many ways. Classic in the sense that pop history was made, a crowning moment of all the work Charli has done over the years as well as cementing of new artists like Chappell Roan and Judeline. Sonically it was the year that the lineup has leaned the most on the pop genre, a glistening diamond with many shades and faces all across the stages. On the rock side we did get to see legends like LCD Soundsystem and Kim Deal, however, it was evident that the focus was on rising acts. We did see a decrease in genres that have been heavily featured in the past such as Hip-hop and R&B, while electronic music remains a Primavera guarantee. Every edition is full of unforgettable moments, yet it seems that this one will stand the test of time as a whole.