The Great Escape has announced a raft of new names for its 2026 edition, including Bella Kay, Bimini, PVA, Charlotte Plank and more. The annual festival previews emerging music newcomers in Brighton, England. This year is the festival’s 20th anniversary edition and it will take place between May 14-17.
On Tuesday (March 31) over a hundred new names were added to the lineup, including Arxx, Bella Kay, Ben Ellis, Bimini, Ceebo, Chase Icon, Do Nothing Gans, Girl In The Year Above, Girl Scout, Kerr Mercer, Madmadmad, Max Winter, My First Time, PVA, Sassy 009, Sunday Mourners, The Orchestra (For Now), The Skinner Brothers, Tom Rasmussen, Tommy Barlow, Tsatsamis, Xanadu, Y + More.
Bella Kay’s inclusion will be her first live performances in the U.K. since the success of her song “iloveitiloveitiloveit,” which peaked at No. 2 on the U.K.’s Official Singles Chart and at No. 18 on Billboard’s Hot 100 earlier this month. Rising star Nectar Woode will also appear on the bill, as well Ben Willis, The Haunted Youth and more. See the full lineup for the festival so far below.
Previously-announced names for the festival include The Kooks, Peaches and more. For the second year running, Billboard U.K. will host a stage at the Deep End venue on the Brighton seafront; rising indie-rockers KEO will headline the programming on May 15. Mercury Prize winners English Teacher headlined the Billboard U.K. Live event in 2025.
Since its inception, the festival has hosted early performances from Stormzy, Sam Fender, Dua Lipa, Fontaines D.C., Adele, George Ezra, Lewis Capaldi and more.
