ICELAND AIRWAVES to Add COBRAH, ALIEN CHICKS, LEITH ROSS to 2026 Lineup

Ahead of upcoming showcase events in London and New York City; Iceland Airwaves, Reykjavík’s acclaimed  music festival and accompanying industry conference has detailed the third wave of artists set to perform at the twenty-seventh edition of the festival in Iceland, with official showcase programming taking place across 5th - 7th November.

Iceland Airwaves has become one of Europe’s hottest spots for new music discovery. A dedication to future talent from the across the globe has seen everyone from Florence and the Machine, Young Fathers and James Blake to Fat Dog, Magdalena Bay, Saya Gray and Icelandic heritage artists like Björk and Sigur Rós grace its stages; often using the festival as a springboard for the development of their early careers.

Following in their footsteps in 2026 will be homegrown Icelandic talents Spacestation, a fast-rising blend of indie-rock, shoegaze and psychedelia whose counter-cultural energy has rocketed them into the spotlight; Vesturbær singer-songwriter Una Torfa, who has twice been awarded the Iceland Music Award for her remarkable precision and vivid lyricism; and the reunited Sycamore Tree, returning to the spotlight ahead of their highly anticipated fifth album.

Bringing international flair to the lineup, Swedish experimental-pop-visionary Cobrah will also perform at Iceland Airwaves 2026; bringing her self-described “gag-worthy”  live show to Iceland for the very first time. She is joined by UK trio Alien Chicks, whose blend of punk, rap and jazz will replicate the energy of the South London music scene; while Canadian singer-songwriter Leith Ross will offer a more tender, emotive performance via their introspective indie-folk.

They will join the previously announced Sex Week, The Itch, Any Young Mechanic, Andervel, Jamie Woon, Heartworms, Adult DVD, RAKEL, knackered and many more in performing across various venues in Downtown Reykjavík from 5th - 7th November. Iceland Airwaves 2026 will also present a series of very special events with Shygirl at City Hall, and The Streets and Daði Freyr & The Iceland Symphony Orchestra at the city’s waterfront opera hall, Harpa; with discounted add-on tickets available to purchase now.

Tickets for Iceland Airwaves, and travel packages in partnership with Icelandair are available now. For more information visit https://icelandairwaves.is/tickets.

For those eager for a taste of Icelandic talent before the festival rolls around, two very special Taste of Iceland x Iceland Airwaves showcase events have been confirmed for London (10th September at Colours, Hoxton) and New York City (1st October at Pianos); offering an opportunity to experience some of Reykjavík’s hottest new prospects before they take to the official Airwaves stage. 

See here for more details on Taste of Iceland London, and here for more details on Taste of Iceland NYC.

Iceland Airwaves 2026 

Festival Lineup, 5th - 7th November:
(New additions in bold)

Adult DVD (UK) | Agent Fresco (IS) | Alien Chicks (UK) |  Amor Vincit Omnia (IS) | Andervel (IS) | Any Young Mechanic (AU) | Apex Anima & FRZNTE (IS) | Arima Ederra (US) | Arny Margret (IS) | Axel Flóvent (IS) | Bana Zahiti (XK) |  bed (JP) | Bjarni Daníel (IS) | Birnir (IS) | Blood Harmony (IS) | BKPM (IS) | Bleech 9:3 (IE) | BLUAI (BE) | Brynja (IS) | Brynja Rán (IS) | CeaseTone (IS) | Cell7 (IS) | Cobrah (SE) | David Bay (DE) | Dove Ellis (IE) | Dumbhead (AU) | Einakróna (IS) | Emma (IS) | Emmsje Gauti (IS) | Esmeralda Road (UK) | Falinn Gjóður (IS) | Flesh Machine (IS) | Formal Sppeedwear (UK) | Gosi (IS) | Haukur Páll (IS) | Heartworms (UK) | HÉR (PL) | Inspector Spacetime (IS) | Jamie Duffy (IE) | Jamie Woon (UK) | JEFF3 (DK) | Joe & the sboys (FO)  | Jónfrí (IS) | Júníus Meyvant (IS) | Juno Paul (IS) | Kaktus Einarsson (IS) | knackered (IS) | KOIKOI (RS) | Leith Ross (CA) |  Liim (US) | LiteFun (IS) | LÓN (IS) | Lucy Dreams (AT) | Mackenzie Leighton (FR) | MAMMÚT (IS) | Mar Pujol (ES-CT) | Marsibil (IS) | Nori (UK) | Oyama (IS) | PISS (CA) | PIXY (UK) | Pollyfromthedirt (UK) | punktò (LT) | RAKEL (IS) | Revenge of Calculon (UK) | Róshildur (IS) | RSP (FO) | Sævar Jóhannsson (IS) | SAKARIS (FO) | Sandrayati (ID/PH/IS/US) | SCAM (IS) | Sex Week (US) | Skeler (AU) | someshiit (TW) | Spacestation (IS) | Spouses (IS) | State of Grace (IE) | Sycamore Tree (IS) | SYL (DK) | TÁR (IS) | The Gnomes (AU) |  The Itch (UK) | Them Flying Monkeys (PT) | Tunghoyrt (FO) | Úlfur Úlfur (IS) | Una Torfa (IS) | Valborg Ólafs (IS) | Vicky Sometani (UK) | Victoryland (US) |  virgin orchestra (IS) | Warhaus (BE) | Worldpeace DMT (UK) | Yaelokre (PH/IS) | YARD (IE) | 9m88 (TW)

Special Events Lineup: