Youth Unveil the Vibrant Pulse of Sónar Festival 2024
Teens Media Network has been covering the Sónar festival, the world's premier event for electronic music and digital arts. It has been an incredible opportunity for TMN youth reporters and creatives to experience firsthand how such an important event is brought to life.
French duo Air’s live celebration of Moon Safari’s 25th anniversary at Sónar by Night. Photo by Pol Rodriguez for TMN.
The Sónar festival celebrated its 31st edition, amplifying the best music from around the world, from emerging talent to renowned artists like Air, Kaytranada, Jessie Ware, Paul Kalkbrenner, and Floating Points. But music isn't the only thing that makes Sónar the most innovative event in the world. The festival features a session called Sónar+D, which showcases the innovations shaping the future of the creative industries. By far, the Sónar festival is synonymous with music, creativity, and innovation, and it was an incredible opportunity to cover such a unique and incredible event.
Sónar +D: Cutting-Edge Creativity
Sónar+D is a platform for collaboration, experimentation, and the exploration of the latest trends in digital culture. It offers a constantly evolving program of performances, talks, workshops, exhibitions, and installations, designed for emerging artists, companies, startups, and seasoned professionals. Sónar+D is where innovation meets culture, blending technology, creativity, and music under one roof.
We had the opportunity to explore some of these innovations, such as a project by Maria, a young student from Barcelona attending Aalto University of Finland. She showcased her invention, "Spectrum Mirror," a MIDI controller linking music to human movements. As a musician and performer, she developed the device to avoid returning to the computer during performances, allowing her to create samplers and rhythms with hand movements. You can watch our interview with Maria in the following link.
Other great innovations from young people included Thinh Truong’s "Unwove Memories," a sculpture with light and patterns that turns memories into a tapestry using binary code. This project rewrites the story of Colonia Güell, shifting the focus from Gaudi’s architecture to its community. You can watch the interview with Thinh in the following link.
Images below: Public experiencing the novelties at Sónar+D. Photo by Sónar.
Knowledge Exchange and Connections: Workshops, Panels, and Networking
The diverse talks were a highlight for learning and networking. In a special forum moderated by Eduard Alarcón, a researcher and professor at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya’s BarcelonaTech, a group of experts and thinkers addressed the present reality and future of AI in relation to the arts and cultural industries. The panel discussed the pros and cons of AI, agreeing that while technology itself isn’t inherently bad, its operators could be.
Another highlight was the AI & Web3 Creative Summit, part of the +RAIN Film Festival 2024 program, hosted by the Universitat Pompeu Fabra Ventures in collaboration with Sónar+D. The summit featured creative workshops like Tardes de Prompting - Music and Audio, presented by Stability AI, and spaces for networking such as the BMTH Pitch Session & MusicTech Dialogues.
Moderated by Eduard Alarcón, a group of experts addressed the present reality and future of AI in the arts and cultural industries. Photo by Pablo Herrera for TMN.
Performances: From Laurel Halo’s Jazz-Electronic Fusion to Lee Gamble’s Abstract Choreography
Cutting-edge performances are part of Sónar’s DNA. Complex+D and Stage+D, located within Sónar by Day, feature the most innovative and experimental performers, offering forward-thinking music, bold choreography, striking stage design, and stunning visual elements.
Laurel Halo delivered 2023's most beautiful record, ‘Atlas,’ a collection of ambient jazz featuring saxophonist Bendik Giske, musical polymath Coby Sey, and cellist Lucy Railton. Her meditative performance on grand piano, augmented by synthesizer drones and accompanied by Leila Bordreuil on cello, was a festival highlight.
British producer Lee Gamble presented his latest album, Models, using AI-generated synthetic voices that sing in an almost wordless language. Collaborating with Spanish choreographer Candela Capitán, the performance featured lighting design by Jacqueline Sobiszewski and was co-produced by Sónar and Krakow’s Unsound festival. The piece explored the intersection and limitations of technology with human emotions, streaming live on Instagram.
Images below: Lee Gamble in collaboration with Spanish choreographer Candela Capitán at Sónar by Day. Photo by Sónar.
Espai Oníric: An Immersive Experience
Part of Sónar by Day includes installations showcasing the most advanced use of technology for creative expression. The immersive experience at Espai Oníric, presented by Catalunya’s leading digital studios, was a standout. The line to get in was well worth it, with daily showcases from studios and artists like Onionlab, Desilence, Eyesberg, blit.studio, Sevi Iko Dømochevsky, and Jordi Massó, all experimenting with audio-visual technologies.
Images below: Espai Oníric at Sónar by Day. Photo by Sónar.
Emerging Artists: From Techno to Dembow, with a Queer Perspective from BCN
Sónar is also a space to discover new talent. We experienced Hadren’s first show at Sónar and interviewed him afterward. At 22, Hadren is a producer, sound designer, singer, and DJ from Barcelona, blending deconstructed club, avant-pop, ambient, techno, and dembow from a queer perspective. His performance was astonishing for a first-time performer at a festival like Sónar.
We also spoke with Meritxell de Soto, a young DJ from Barcelona performing at Sónar for the first time. Transitioning from playing piano at the conservatory to DJing for creative freedom, Meritxell turns her sessions into authentic performances, captivating audiences with her whole-body approach.
Meritxell de Soto performing at Sónar by Day. Photo by pablo Herrera for TMN.
The Big Performances: From Air to Jessie Ware and Paul Kalkbrenner to Floating Points
Sónar is renowned for its major performances. From Air’s live celebration of Moon Safari’s 25th anniversary to Jessie Ware’s diva performance, and from Richie Hawtin’s visionary techno to Laurent Garnier’s evergreen blend of house and techno, the festival delivered once again. Highlights included Kittin’s b2b set with David Vunk and Floating Points’ geometrically perfect club music, reaffirming Sónar’s unique position in advanced music.
Images below: Air, CASISDEAD, Verushka and Jessie Ware performing at Sónar by Night. Photos by Aina Pascual and Pol Rodriguez for TMN.
Echoes of Inspiration from Sónar 2024
Overall, the Sónar festival was an incredible experience for TMN young reporters to cover and share with our audience. It offered a rich exploration of music, technology, and creativity, providing young audiences with a glimpse into the future of these dynamic fields. We look forward to seeing how this experience will inspire the next generation of creatives.
The festival was more than just an event; it was a transformative journey that opened our eyes to the boundless possibilities at the intersection of art and technology. The hands-on encounters with innovative projects, groundbreaking performances, and insightful discussions ignited our passion and curiosity. We witnessed firsthand how technology can amplify artistic expression, bridge cultural gaps, and create new forms of interaction and connection.
Sónar 2024 not only showcased the pinnacle of current creative industries but also sparked conversations about the future, encouraging us to think critically about the role of technology in shaping our world. This experience has undoubtedly left a lasting impression on us, inspiring us to pursue our creative dreams with renewed vigor and a broader perspective. The memories and lessons from Sónar will continue to resonate with us, driving our aspirations and endeavors in the years to come.
Sónar by Night. Photo by Pol Rodriguez for TMN.
