With just under a month to go, it’s not long until Barcelona’s Cruïlla festival takes over the city’s Parc Del Forum and brings together some of the greatest national and international artists, legends and upstarts – from Loverboy’s forever teenage obsession Garbage to our current Catalan industrial queen, SVSTO. This year’s lineup is stacked…
Cruïlla takes place in Barcelona between 8-11 July. Located in the city’s Parc Del Forum, right next to the Mediterranean, you’d find it difficult to get a more gorgeous backdrop. Then there’s the lineup…
As always this year sees a really interesting and well-curated mix of artists playing the different stages around the festival – here’s Loverboy’s LGBTQ+ pick for Pride month…
1 – Garbage (Thursday)
Shirley Manson and the guys burst onto the Brit Pop scene in 1995 with theee anthem for angry gays and girls, ‘Only Happen When It Rains’ and followed it up with the song for all outsiders, ‘Queer.’ Ever since the band have specialised in making massive pop hooks with industrial rock influence on the production and some of the greatest visuals. Thirty years later the band are seasoned pros on the stage and show zero signs of slowing down. We caught them onstage two years ago and Shirley is as electric as ever.
2 – SVSTO (Saturday)
Who better to close out the festival at 4am than Barcelona’s very own queen of the afters, SVSTO? Drawing inspiration from the industrial edges of the city and its surrounding suburbs, she crafts electro-punk built for sweat-soaked clubs and last-call chaos. Think Marie Davidson, but swap Quebec chic for Catalan bite—molt més, and with attitude. Her 2025 album Crisis landed in our Top 10 of the year, and she’s already kicking off a new era with recent single “Bar Manolo.” Packed with serrated synths, booming 808s and razor-sharp local storytelling, SVSTO is pure late-night electricity in human form.
3 – Renée Rapp (Wednesday)
Renee Rapp is quickly becoming one of pop’s most exciting disruptors, serving powerhouse vocals, sharp wit, and zero-filter honesty on every stage she steps on. Her performances feel like a mix of concert and confessional, with big emotions, bigger hooks, and a magnetic presence that’s impossible to ignore. As a proudly queer artist, she brings visibility and attitude to the mainstream in a way that feels both joyful and defiant, making her a perfect fit for a festival crowd ready to sing (and scream) along.
4 – Sigrid (Wednesday)
Sigrid has built her reputation as one of pop’s most effortlessly uplifting live performers, delivering huge choruses with a kind of natural, no-nonsense charm that makes entire festival crowds feel like one big singalong. Her music balances emotional honesty with pure pop energy, turning heartbreak and self-discovery into something bright and anthemic. On stage, she brings a refreshing simplicity and joy, proving that sometimes all you need is a killer voice, great songs, and the ability to make thousands of people jump in unison.
5 – Judeline (Saturday)
Judeline is one of the most intriguing new voices in the alt-pop scene, blending dreamy production with a quietly magnetic stage presence. Her sound moves between intimate vulnerability and experimental pop textures, creating a world that feels both modern and slightly otherworldly. On stage, she draws audiences in rather than overwhelming them, offering a more hypnotic, immersive kind of performance. As part of a new wave of boundary-pushing Spanish artists, she brings fresh energy and a distinctive aesthetic that stands out in a festival lineup.
Cruïlla Festival is 8-11 July
Day tickets and weekend tickets are available now at www.cruillabarcelona.cat
