Dylan van Dael
Born in Bogotá and shaped by Berlin’s underground, Dylan van Dael is a boundary-pushing producer, artist, and musician. Since 2018, he has been crafting soundscapes that cross borders, producing for international artists and blending styles inspired by global encounters. His music serves as a meeting point of cultures, genres, and raw emotion. Whether in the studio or on stage as a guitarist, Dylan builds bridges between creative communities. Now, he brings that energy to Altstadt. Expect hypnotic textures, cinematic intensity, and a performance that speaks every language of feeling. At Hit The City, Dylan also unveils his first solo project as part of the music innovation program. A deeply personal release brought to life alongside Pokka, a 3D character reflecting the project’s immersive and imaginative world.
High Hi
Emerging from Belgium's fertile underground with the quiet assurance of those who know exactly what they're doing, this trio has methodically carved out a space where atmospheric experimentation and razor-sharp pop sensibilities coexist in perfect equilibrium. The Antwerp-based trio debuted with a dreamy, shoegaze-infused style that evolved across releases into a nuanced balance of introspection and accessible hooks.
Julia Adriana
What started in a student room in Rotterdam with just an acoustic guitar has grown into a warm blend of indie, pop and folk. Inspired by artists ranging from Joni Mitchell and The Eagles to Dutch legends BLØF, singer-songwriter Julia Adriana crafts songs filled with melancholy tones and enchanting harmonies. Her single Where R U Now was featured in Spotify’s New Music Friday playlist in both the Netherlands and Belgium. Her new EP Homemade Love is coming soon, and you can experience it live at Hit The City!
Casey MQ
Casey MQ mixes pop sensibility with classical training and a sharp ear for electronic production. After releasing his debut album babycasey in 2020, he’s collaborated with artists like Oklou, Eartheater, and Shygirl, and co-founded the queer virtual club Club Quarantine during lockdown. His latest record Later that day, the day before, or the day before explores memory and identity through rich, genre-blending songwriting. Expect a live show that’s honest, layered, and full of unexpected turns.
Emma Hessels
Sometimes, all you need is a moment where everything falls still. A space where emotions run wild, hearts race, and a voice not quite of this world touches the deepest corners of your soul. Singer-songwriter Emma Hessels offers exactly that. Armed with nothing but her voice and guitar, Hessels walks a fine line between longing, love, and loneliness with disarming grace. Her presence is both fragile and fierce. An impossible balance that makes her utterly unmissable. Since being named a laureate of Sound Track 2023, Emma has been winning hearts across the country, show after show. On May 9, 2025, she released her hauntingly beautiful debut single ‘Insular’, the first glimpse of her upcoming debut EP, set for release in October 2025.
IDER
IDER is the London singer-songwriter duo of Lily Somerville and Megan Markwick, blend moody indie rock and sleek electronics with haunting vocal harmonies rooted in their folk origins. The result? Raw, clever, emotionally charged pop that cuts deep and lifts high. Expect plenty of new material at Hit The City, as IDER’s third album ‘Late To The World’ dropped in February. Its tongue-in-cheek title reclaims the power of late blooming, doing things on your own terms, in your own time. Early singles ‘You Don’t Know How To Drive’ and ‘Know How It Hurts’ hint at a richer, bolder sound: cinematic, minimal, and laced with defiance. Live, IDER is intimate yet fierce. A spellbinding mix of softness and strength, heartbreak and humour. Come for the harmonies, stay for the honesty.
Little Moon
Step into the cosmic world of American indie folk band Little Moon, the dreamlike project of Utah’s Emma Hardyman. What began as a romantic album for her husband evolved into Dear Divine. A breathtaking exploration of love, grief, and spiritual rebirth, written in the wake of her mother-in-law’s passing and her own departure from the Mormon church. Her soaring vocals and lush, future-baroque arrangements evoke something between a Zelda soundtrack and Vashti Bunyan. On stage, she’s joined by close friends Bly Wallentine, Bridget Jackson, Chris Shemwell, Grace Johnson, and Nathan Hardyman, weaving a rich, emotional soundscape. It’s a transformative, celestial experience. An act of radical love and healing. Don’t miss it.
Death Sells
Death Sells, a four-piece from Eindhoven, forges a fierce connection between grunge, noise, and punk that grabs you and won’t let go. Get ready to be pulled into a world of tinnitus-inducing dissonance, bone-crushing riffs, and songs that feel more familiar than your average TikTok scroll. Buckle up — their live shows are raw, relentless, and unmistakably real.
Lézard
The ongoing collapse of civilization is a lot easier to stomach with a spicy groove — something Belgium-based collective Lézard has figured out fast. Beneath the band’s precise, almost functional geometry simmers a feverish hysteria: a Boogie Wonderland for oddballs, misfits, and lost souls you can’t help but join. Channeling the spirit of Devo, LCD Soundsystem, XTC, and Belgian pioneers Telex, Lézard has already turned heads with their ‘disco vogue’ brand of art punk. They wear their garish pop smarts like a too-tight three-piece suit on the hottest summer day — loud, unapologetic, and impossible to ignore.
LYVIA
LYVIA’s sound cuts through with raw, soulful melodies and sharp spoken-word verses, blending honesty and grit in equal measure. From busking on Nottingham’s streets to viral stripped-back street performances, she turns shy reflections into powerful anthems inspired by Amy Winehouse and Lauryn Hill. With sold-out UK tour under the belt, it’s clear that Lyvia’s live shows have become a charged space where being unapologetically yourself is the real power move.