11 Acts From The UK You Need To Watch At Mad Cool Festival In Madrid This Summer

Fresh off of releasing her third studio album, Radical Optimism, Dua Lipa is headling loads of festivals this year (including Glastonbury - where I'll also be seeing her).  From “Hallucinate” to “Houdini”, OG classics like “New Rules”, and don’t forget last summer's Barbie Bop “Dance The Night”, Dua has SO many pop bangers - I fully expect to lose my voice the first night from singing along to every. single. lyric.  

If you somehow haven’t heard of Michael Kiwanuka, you may at least recognise his hit song “Cold Little Heart” from the opening credits of the HBO show, Big Little Lies. In addition to Brit Award and Grammy Nominations, Kiwanuka took home the BBC's Sound of 2012, and won the Mercury Prize in 2020. I've never seen him live, but I cannot WAIT to hear his beautiful voice and soulful sound – I'm expecting to feel ALL the feels at his performance.

If you’re looking to get down to some jungle while in Madrid, look no further than Nia Archives. Her 2023 EP,  Sunrise Bang Ur Head Against the Wall, reached number one on the UK Dance Charts, she was nominated for a Brit Award for Rising Star, oh…and, she opened for Beyonce at her Renaissance tour in London. Not a bad CV so far, and I just know she'll have us break out a sweat. (Just a warning though – songs like "Crowded Roomz" might want to make you dance and cry at the same time).

Jessie Ware is modern proof that disco never dies.  No stranger to making a successful album, Ware has seven Brit nominations, two Mercury Prize nominations, and five top ten albums.  With recent hits like “Free Yourself” and “Pearls”, and classics “What’s Your Pleasure”, and “Spotlight”, Ware brings an amazing energy to the stage and will easily make festival crowds say, “That! Feels Good!”. 

Brighton has offered the UK a lot in terms of talent, and one of the best to come from down south is Bonobo. Bonobo’s blend of house, tech, and hip hop is a sound that has been loved across the globe and many travel lengths to watch his mind-bending performances. If you want to truly lose yourself in music, he’s not one to miss.

Arlo Parks is a singer-songwriter who brings beautiful poetry to her indie-pop-meets-R&B style of music.  Her debut album, Collapsed in Sunbeams, received critical acclaim, peaking at number three on the UK charts, and earned Arlo several Brit Award and Grammy Award Nominations, and won the 2021 Mercury Prize for Best Album.  Most recently, Parks co-wrote “Ya Ya”, for Beyonce.  She is not one to miss!

Bring Me The Horizon is a staple British rock band who have been around since 2004, however their 2024 has seen them reach new heights.  From winning their first-ever Brit Award for Best Alternative/Rock Act, to currently being the most streamed rock band in the world, the release of their seventh studio album, POST HUMAN: NeX GEn, has come just in time for festival season. 

If you opened TikTok even once in the last year, you’ll be no stranger to Kenya Grace’s hit song “Strangers”.  Grace’s first TikTok video of the song was viewed over 11 million times, with fans begging her to officially release it.  She followed that up with another video which got 38 million views, and when she officially released the track, it rose to Number 1 on the official charts.  This song gets me going every time I hear it on TikTok, I am PUMPED to hear it live! 

James Arthur initially rose to fame by winning The X Factor in 2012, but it’s his song “Say You Won’t Let Go” that you will definitely know if you didn't initially recognise the name. With nearly 4 billion streams worldwide, the record spent 43 weeks in the UK charts and reached number 1 in more than 10 countries. I'm expecting a massive crowd of people, all with their arms in the air, swaying back and forth once he starts singing it, and I have chills down my spine already. 

In 2004, Keane were the biggest-selling British artist in the UK, and 20 years later, they have embarked on an anniversary tour to commemorate their debut album, Hopes and Fears. Their hit song“ Somewhere Only We Know” has been streamed over a billion times and is sure to get the festival crowd singing along.  If you're looking for some nostalgia and a trip down memory lane, Keane will take you there.

Tom Odell is a British singer-songwriter sure to bring a beautiful and emotional performance to Madrid.  He won the BRIT Awards Critics' Choice Award in 2013 and has been moving crowds ever since.  While his hit song, "Another Love", was released in 2012, it recently had a recent resurgence, returning it to number 10 on the UK singles Charts in January 2023.  I'm already imagining how powerful this is going to be to hear live.