By Rasmus Løwenstein, volunteer at Roskilde Festival’s Media House
Tonight, Jennie makes history as the first K-pop headliner at a festival in Denmark.
But another shift is running through this year’s programme too: festivalgoers are more than ready to sing, dance and lose themselves in music beyond English.
The new thing is not that Roskilde Festival presents music from across the world. It has done that for decades. The new thing is the scale. Non-English-language music has moved from the curious corners of the programme to the stages where mass singalongs, huge crowds and big festival moments happen.
In short: you no longer need to understand every word to understand the energy.
Here are some of the artists putting your ear for language to the test.
Spanish has become a major force in music in recent years – far beyond the Spanish-speaking world.
Rapper Young Miko is one of the biggest voices from that wave, which, alongside artists such as Bad Bunny, has helped put Puerto Rico firmly on the musical map.
Expect an atmospheric show of trap, reggaeton and Latin pop when Young Miko plays the Arena stage on Friday at 15:00.
Step into a ritual introduction to traditional qawwali with master singers Rizwan and Muazzam Mujahid Ali.
Qawwali is rooted in a spiritual singing tradition that can be traced back to Sufi rituals of the 13th century. Rizwan and Muazzam Mujahid Ali sing soulful vocal phrases from a tradition especially widespread in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.
You can experience the duo for the first time since their Roskilde Festival concert in 1999 when they play Eos on Friday at 18:00.
Since breaking through with the band Liniker e os Caramelows in 2015, Liniker has only moved upwards.
Her beautiful voice and magnetic presence blend Brazilian traditions with pop, soul and R&B. Following a critically acclaimed and Grammy-winning album, she released Caju in 2024 – a record about self-acceptance and healing.
Come and be part of Liniker’s inclusive, colourful universe when she plays the Arena stage on Saturday at 19:30.
When AySay take the stage, expect Kurdish and Anatolian traditions to meet Nordic-inspired indie and electronic music – an original sound that feels like a fresh breeze through the music scene.
With Luna Ersahin’s beautiful vocals and charismatic presence at the front, you can look forward to a powerful experience when AySay play at Eos on Friday at 12:00.
The Bolivian duo Los Thuthanaka’s self-titled 2025 album arrived like a gust of fresh mountain air, knocking listeners sideways, and was named album of the year by Pitchfork.
The sibling duo dig deep into their roots in the Aymara culture of the Andes, bringing to life a culture rarely given this kind of stage here.
Take a musical journey with Los Thuthanaka on Friday at 21:00 on Fauna.
Can’t Get Enough Music from Around the World?
Here is the full list of international artists you should experience on Friday and Saturday.
Saad Tiouly – Moroccan psychedelia. Friday at 19:00 on Fauna.
Bruno Berle – Brazilian pop. Saturday at 18:30 on Gloria.
Bad Gyal – Catalan reggaeton. Saturday at 22:00 on Arena.
Luisa Almaguer – Mexican poetry. Friday at 18:30 on Gloria.
Kin’gongolo Kiniata – Congolese rhythms. Friday at 23:00 on Fauna.
Lamisi – Ghanaian futuristic pop. Friday at 21:00 on Fauna.
Los Mirlos – Peruvian rhythms. Saturday at 17:00 on Eos.
Igorrr – French fusion. Saturday at 19:30 on Lagune.
Sara Parkman – Swedish folk music. Saturday at 14:30 on Fauna.
Heinali & Andriana-Yaroslava Saienko – Ukrainian medieval music. Saturday at 14:30 on Gloria.
1111 – Spanish grooves. Saturday at 20:30 on Gloria.
Ata Kak – Ghanaian highlife. Saturday at 22:30 on Gloria.
