5 artists you need to see at Neversea Festival 2023

Upon the shores of the Black Sea in Constanta, Romania, lies a four day summer music festival that’s a feast for the sense. From July 6 to July 9, Neversea is set to light up the sky with its eclectic mix of the acts in the worlds of dubstep, drum ‘n’ bass, minimal, reggaeton, rap, electronica, and more. From the same creative minds behind Romanian festival powerhouse Untold , 2023 marks Neversea’s fifth edition with a star-studded array of talent, visuals and stage production across six stages (The Mainstage, The Ark, Daydreaming, Retro, Balkaniada and Latino stage), cocooning the festival in an otherworldly nirvana upon the historic Constatan coastline.

Here are five acts that you must see.

Colombian singer-songwriter and producer J Balvin, or the “prince of Reggaeton” as he is otherwise known, is a legendary face that will be gracing the stages on the Black Sea shore. His vocal talent and charismatic performance style has not only birthed chart-topping hits such as ‘I Like It’, featuring Cardi B and Bad Bunny, but also worldwide recognition. He is the recipient of four GRAMMY nominations, five MTV music video awards, and a whopping 11 Billboard Latin Music awards, with the Guinness Book of Records acknowledging him as a “leader in the second-generation reggaeton revolution”. Expect the authentic sounds of contemporary South America on the Mainstage.

Concerned above all with the unifying power of music, Canary Islands-born, multi-talented DJ and producer Pablo Fierro is a force to be reckoned with. Not only is he the founder of Vida Records, which boasts a significant array of heavy-hitters from across the global club music scene, but his cross-border production collaborations with a host of international talents, including British jazz fusionist Giles Peterson, have earned him the title of a composer in his own right. His magnetically tropical sounds, supported by melodic exchanges of percussive instruments heavily inspired by his island upbringing, have landed him releases on major international labels, including Sony Music and Universal. He’ll be blessing the appropriately named Daydreaming stage with an energetic, genre-transcending performance that will make your body move like the vibrant sound waves that emerge from the festival speakers.

Forward-thinking Don Diablo is no stranger to the music world. With admiration from international superstars including R&B icon Rihanna, the Dutch-born DJ, digital artist and electronic music songwriter is a leading pioneer in the genre of future house. His boundary pushing production and performances earned him the Number One spot on Beatport’s future house ranking. Having graced the CDJs of numerous festivals, including the world renowned Glastonbury festival among a long list, Diablo has become somewhat of a festival rockstar, enticing crowds with his synth-laden transgressive soundscapes. His creative vision extends past audio-based expression, with hints at artistic collaborations with streaming giant Netflix’s award winning Stranger Things, floating around the DJ’s website and social media pages. Expect stage production on the Mainstage to mirror this legendary performance.

Romanian hip hop artist Killa Fonic began his musical endeavours through his father, who would regularly purchase quality hip hop tapes for his son, prompting him to join the Satra B.E.N.Z rap group. The collective eventually became one of the most significant trap groups to emerge from the European nation, enabling the genre to be pushed into the mainstream. Since his departure from the group, he has continued to leave his mark on the Romanian rap scene and surrounding culture with his active and influential social media presence. The Ark stage will be taken over by this artist — expect a potent medley across the worlds of trap, hip hop and electronica.

Romanian-born DJ ARIAS is set to bless her home soil with her usual energetic performances. Her mixes push the boundaries of the house genre as she successfully fuses elements of electro, breaks and global club sounds to constantly leave her audiences moving uncontrollably and craving more.

These acts are amongst a long list of performers spread across the six Neversea stages, including Claptone, Alok, Morten, Lost Frequencies, CKay, Paul Kalkbrenner, Lil Uzi Vert, and many more. Get tickets here

Tiffany Ibe is Mixmags Digital Intern, follow her on Instagram