Utrecht's Le Guess Who? Festival Announces First Wave Line-Up

CairoScene

29-05-2025

Featured on the bill are over 100 regional and international artists such as Fatima Al Qadiri, Saint Abdullah and Dirar Kalash.
May 29, 2025
Utrecht's Le Guess Who? Festival, renowned as one of the most forward-thinking festivals dedicated to spotlighting global creativity, has recently revealed the first wave lineup and guest curators for its 2025 edition.
Taking place from November 6th to November 9th, this year's Le Guess Who? will bring six trailblazing guest curators and a massive lineup of over 100 regional and international artists to perform across 20 venues in the heart of the Dutch city. American-Indian musician, activist and community organizer Amirtha Kidambi curated a subversive music program that showcases her interpretation of 'Outernationalism' – a concept introduced by the late composer Ryuichi Sakamoto.
Joining her is South African drummer and percussionist Asher Gamedze with a curated program celebrating the vibrant progressive music scene of Cape Town. Berlin-based Colombian DJ/producer and curator Edna Martinez will also be bringing the world of PICÓ to the festival's stage, offering a glimpse into the sound system culture of Colombia's Caribbean coast.
Guest curators also include Gyrofield, a rising producer hailing from Hong Kong, multi-hyphenated musician and visual artist Lonnie Holley, China's own visionary contemporary artist Tianzhuo Chen, along with British-Italian experimental drummer and composer Valentina Magaletti and Berlin's producer and musician Ziúr, who are curating a joint program together.
The main lineup for Le Guess Who? features Senegalese-born Kuwaiti musician and conceptual artist Fatima Al Qadiri, Palestinian sound artists Dirar Kalash, Iranian-Canadian duo Saint Abdullah, and Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali Ensemble (nephews of qawwali master Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan). Nicolas Jaar is also joining the bill again this edition, presenting a collaborative project with Pakistani-American artist Ali Sethi.
A limited number of discounted four-day festival passes, as well as individual day passes for Le Guess Who? 2025, are now available for purchase at the official Le Guess Who? website.