With the current worldwide COVID-19 vaccination process under way, and a growing number of concerts, tours and festivals being announced by the day, our dream of finally getting back together in community to witness our favorite bands and artists is about to come true. But it’s today’s announcement of the 2022 edition of Barcelona’s Primavera Sound Festival that has us all screaming in unison.
After being canceled for two consecutive years, Primavera Sound is finally able to celebrate its 20th anniversary with what the organization considers its best lineup in history—it is once again gender-equal and features over 400 artists and counting.
For the first time ever, the festival is spread over the course of two weekends at its usual Parc del Fòrum location, and it’s taking over city venues during the days in between, which translates into 11 days of live music to make up for lost time.
The first weekend (June 2-4) reflects the organization’s best attempt at retaining most of the festival’s original 2020 lineup, led by the long-awaited and exclusive Pavement reunion, trip-hop legends Massive Attack, and psych-rockers Tame Impala, plus the addition of Nick Cave and the Bad Seed and many more. If you can’t make it to the first weekend, the second one (June 9-11) will still retain some of the shows, and adds huge names like Dua Lipa, Grammy Award-winning rapper Megan Thee Stallion and the grand return of Lorde.
On June 5-8, ticket holders will be able to enjoy show after show in venues all over Barcelona, including second performances by some of the headliners. For its closing day, Primavera Sound spills over Barcelona and into Sant Adrià de Besòs for the Brunch on the Beach event featuring sets from Nina Kraviz, Peggy Gou and more.
Of course, Spain is well-represented in the program, with shows from the likes of El Madrileño himself C. Tangana, iconic Mallorca singer María del Mar Bonet, pop trio Cariño, flamenco artist María José Llergo and rock titans Triángulo de Amor Bizarro. Latinx and Latin American acts are also in the house, including R&B star Kehlani, Remezcla favorites Helado Negro and Ela Minus, Brazilian drag icon Pabllo Vittar, Ecuadorian producer Nicola Cruz (performing both a live set and a DJ set) and Argentine rock outfits El Mató a un Policía Motorizado and 107 Faunos, among many others.
Because we can barely contain ourselves in excitement, below is—over a year before the festival takes place—our list of Latinx and Latin American artists to watch out for at Primavera Sound 2022. See you in Barcelona!
Pelada
The high-octane club music duo formed by Colombian-Canadian lead singer Chris Vargas and producer were part of the festival’s original 2020 lineup, and they’ll surely make the Primavera Sound crowd sweat with their explosive live show and songs from their amazing debut album Movimiento Para Cambio.
DJ Playero
For the second consecutive edition, reggaeton royalty DJ Playero is heading to Barcelona to give the Primavera Sound audience a masterclass in reggaeton. He’s performing twice in the festival, so there’s no excuse to miss his set.
Paloma Mami
On the festival’s second day, up in big letters, Paloma Mami’s name sticks out. The Chilean rising star blends R&B, hip-hop, and reggaeton for the broken-hearted, and we’re sure her sweet voice will be irresistible to the Parc del Fòrum audience.
Las Ligas Menores
Buenos Aires quintet Las Ligas Menores will finally have their time at one of the many Primavera Sound stages in 2022, and since they’ve been previewing songs in the last few months, like the stunning “La Nieve,” we can sense we’ll be getting a new album just in time for the festival.
Tainy
Reggaeton superstar Tainy is set to bring the house down on June 11. The Boricua producer has a long list of international hits, and we’re just expecting him to lay palo after palo after palo on us.
Cazzu
One of the brightest stars in Argentina’s musical panorama is Cazzu, and it makes sense that she’s joining the Primavera Sound party next year. With banging jams that borrow from trap, hip hop and reggaeton, nothing can go wrong with Cazzu’s performance.
Bándalos Chinos
Hailing from Beccar, Argentina, Bándalos Chinos will debut at Primavera Sound with their dreamy brand of indie pop, like they showcase on their 2020 album Paranoia Pop. There’s still a whole year left before the festival, so fingers crossed on getting some great new music on their set.
Sangre Nueva
One of the projects we’ve been holding our breath for since being announced in the Primavera Sound 2020 lineup is Sangre Nueva, so we’re ecstatic to see that they’re still on. We’re positive that the supergroup—formed by producers Kelman Durán, Florentino, and DJ Python—will share a completely warped version of reggaeton, and we can’t wait.
Sonido Tupinamba
Argentina-born, Barcelona-based Sonido Tupinamba hosts shows on Radio Primavera Sound and Dublab and tours the world with DJ sets fueled by her taste in African and Latin American music, blended with house, disco, and funk. This sounds just perfect for those epic Primavera Sound after hours.