The set times are out, group chats are in meltdown, and fans are already plotting impossible routes between stages. With the dust of another London summer settling over Victoria Park, the girls, the gays, and anyone with a carefully curated playlist are still very much in for a treat.
There is a certain inevitability to Lorde being the artist drawing thousands east on 22nd of August. Few musicians have spent the past decade transforming youth, heartbreak and self-reinvention into such a compelling body of work, and her return to the festival stage feels fittingly triumphant. Yet the real intrigue of this year’s All Points East line-up lies beyond the headline slot.
Look past the top billing, and you’ll find a collection of artists quietly reshaping the future of pop.
Sienna Spiro arrives with the kind of momentum that feels impossible to ignore. Her music is steeped in drama and vulnerability, carried by a voice that often sounds far older than her years. There’s a theatricality to her songwriting that gives her songs real weight, making her one of the day’s most exciting prospects.
Elsewhere, 2hollis embodies the restless energy of a new generation. Blurring the boundaries between electronic music, hyperpop and internet culture, his work feels unpredictable and entirely of the moment. Expect the sort of performance that leaves people asking, “Who was that?” long after the set has ended.
French producer and songwriter Oklou offers a different kind of escape. Her ethereal blend of delicate melodies and futuristic production creates a world that feels both intimate and expansive. Audrey Hobert, meanwhile, brings a sharp observational eye to modern pop, crafting songs that feel conversational, self-aware and refreshingly human.
For those willing to venture beyond the obvious, artists such as NinaJirachi, Erin LeCount, EAR and ML Buch capture the festival’s spirit of discovery. Rather than simply filling out the bill, they’re pushing at the edges of genre and proving that some of the most exciting ideas in contemporary music often happen away from the main stage.
Nell Mescal‘s emotionally candid songwriting is also likely to resonate, offering moments of vulnerability amid the excitement of the day. Devon Again and Elle Coves further strengthen a line-up rich with alternative pop voices and emerging talent.
Of course, there will be major moments. Lorde will command the headlines, with PinkPantheress, Zara Larsson and Djo ensuring there is little downtime between sets. But the best festivals are rarely defined by the names printed in the largest font.
They’re defined by the artists discovered while wandering between stages, the performances that stop you in your tracks, and the songs that follow you home long after the final encore. At All Points East, those moments look set to be everywhere.
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Words: Ross Mondon