, which translates to ‘South of the Sun’, has brought international fans to sun-soaked Copenhagen for a warm August weekend of music since 2022. Every summer, the festival takes over the serene and idyllic Valbyparken, just a stone’s throw from the city centre, creating a surprisingly tranquil backdrop for a weekend filled with some of the biggest names in music. The set times are split between two main stages, Under Himlen (Under the Sky) and Over Havet (Over the Sea), with no clashes between acts. This was one of the festival’s greatest strengths, allowing visitors to see every artist without having to rush between sets or sacrifice one performance for another. The 2026 edition also introduced a new stage, De Første Stråler (The First Rays), which hosted a selection of upcoming folk, indie, and rock acts in a more intimate tent.
The festival’s new VIP area, Soldbyen (meaning ‘Sun City’), offered the perfect place to unwind away from the crowds of the main stages. Nestled to the left of Under Himlen, the relaxed area featured an elevated viewing platform of the main stage, private cocktail bars, food spots, and the greatest addition: the ‘Lover’s tent’. Each day, the tent spun hypnotic electronic tracks under a red illuminated ‘LOVERS’ sign, with visitors dancing and jumping right until the gates closed.
The highlight of the festival was Saturday headliner . The pop juggernaut brought together a medley of songs from her 14-year career. Her set opened with debut hit ‘Royals’, met with a thunderous roar from the crowd, followed by a string of hits including 2025’s ‘What Was That’ and fan favourite’s ‘Buzzcut Season’ and ‘Supercut’. A moment of pause came with a heartfelt rendition of ‘Liability’ which saw the New Zealand-born singer emotionally sing over a slow piano. The energy was turned up again with ‘Girl, so confusing’, with the thousands strong crowd screaming Charli’s verse before Lorde burst in with the iconic line “Well honestly I was speechless when I woke up to your voicenote”.
That energy carried over into ‘Green Light’ which was easily the best song of her set, and maybe even the whole weekend. The high-octane banger from her sophomore album had the crowd erupting and singing along. Groups of strangers turned towards each other to scream “Oh, I wish I could get my things and just let go // I’m waiting for it, that green light, I want it”. An electrifying moment of catharsis was followed by closer ‘Ribs’. Midway through the performance, Lorde spoke candidly with the crowd about a free Palestine and the dangers of A.I, which felt sincere and considered. She ended the Friday night on a high that festival goers would be chasing for the rest of the weekend.
Main stage Under Himlen was home to Syd for Solen’s pop and indie rock acts. was one of the weekend’s bright moments, bringing a hazy, emotionally-charged, anthemic sound to the masses. Despite sombr’s music often feeling intensely personal, there was a looseness to the set that paid off. Surrounded by a growing crowd of new fans, those same songs felt more communal: he spoke vulnerably about body issues and life under the limelight as a young star, but he kept it light and honest.
Under a massive X sign, The xx delivered the kind of stripped-back, atmospheric performance that has made them one of Britain’s most enduring indie acts. Their minimalist sound felt perfectly suited to the open surroundings of Valbyparken, with Romy and Oliver Sim’s vocals carrying the festival into the night. There was something almost hypnotic about watching thousands of people fall into the quiet rhythm of The xx’s moonlight minimalism. Where most headline sets demand constant movement, theirs encouraged the crowd to simply stand and take it in.
Second stage Over Havet leaned more into R&B offerings. brought Alt R&B along with her distinctive vocal delivery. Her set was slick and euphoric. Lenae oozed confidence from the get go, immediately commanding the stage. The sultry ‘Love is Blind’ and pop hit ‘Love Me Not’ were big crowd pleasers, full of soulful harmonies and dreamy melodies, whilst her vocals cut through with an effortless quality. As one of the weekend’s more dynamic performers, she proved that smaller stages can produce some of a festival’s bigger moments. Later that night, offered one of the weekend’s more intimate performances, bringing his emotionally raw blend of alternative R&B and indie soul. His set went beyond simply singing live, his use of a soundboard made each live rendition unique, and his band delivered some rich vocals to uplift the performance. The instrumentals felt very Prince-like, in the best way, with earthy gritty vocals on top. ‘The Dress’ was a standout song. Each vocalisation was unguarded and earnest, and the crowd sang every word back to him. It was a welcomed slow paced set amongst some more explosive performances at the festival.
closed out the festival with exactly the kind of high-energy chaos you want from a final set. The New York duo wasted little time getting the crowd moving, with ‘UMPA’ proving an early highlight. Its clanking, abrasive production, which recalls some of M.I.A. ‘s experimental work, sent festival goers jumping and throwing themselves into every beat. ‘Tommy’ had a psychedelic, bass-heavy beat that kept the momentum going before the finale of ‘Bon Bon’. The thumping, hedonistic track is flawless from start to finish and proved the perfect way to bring the weekend to a close. By the end, the crowd was completely electric, with Fcukers providing a fittingly chaotic full stop to three days of music galore.
Syd For Solen is equally well equipped for those who arrive hungry. Food options ranged from oysters to generously filled gyros and pizza, with Sticks’n’Sushi bringing a more refined option to the festival grounds. An ice cream stand offered cool relief from the sun, while the dedicated wine bar was the perfect way to unwind. The variety felt notably more considered than most festivals, making eating feel less like a necessary pit stop and more like part of the experience.
From emotive pop anthems to hypnotic electronic excursions, Syd For Solen proved that a festival doesn’t need to be overwhelming to make an impact. Their 2026 edition boasted an impeccable lineup, picturesque setting and plenty to discover beyond the main stages, making a compelling case for Copenhagen as one of Europe’s essential festival destinations.