Axel Ahlgren
COBRAH, Alien Chicks, Leith Ross added to line-up for Iceland Airwaves
Iceland Airwaves has announced the third wave of artists for its 2026 edition, returning to Reykjavík between 5-7 November.
The third wave of artists announced today includes Swedish experimental-pop artist COBRAH, London alt-rock trio Alien Chicks, and Canadian singer-songwriter Leith Ross. This is in addition to newly added Icelandic talent including indie rock outfit Spacestation, singer-songwriter Una Torfa, and the recently reunited indie pop duo, Sycamore Tree.
The artists revealed today join previously announced acts including Liim, Any Young Mechanic, PISS, The Itch, and more. The 2026 edition of the showcase marks over two decades since the festival's 1999 launch in an airplane hangar, now promoted by Sena Live with support from founding sponsor Icelandair and the City of Reykjavík.
The three-day official showcase programming runs from 5-7 November, with Airwaves hosting special performances from Shygirl, The Streets and Daði Freyr with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra at the city's Harpa concert hall across the surrounding dates.
There will also be an accompanying two-day conference programme running 5-6 November, with topics "Anybody in There? Human Curation in the Age of the Algorithm", which will examine the revival of authentic discovery and niche communities amid an algorithm-divided industry, and "From Local to Global: Against The Odds", which explores how smaller territories continue producing notable creative talent despite geographical and market disadvantages.
Tickets for Iceland Airwaves 2026 are available now, including package travel and festival tickets in partnership with Icelandair from icelandairwaves.is
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