By Demi Nankman
All Images are credited to Julia Bootsgezel
Lowlands, one of the biggest Dutch festivals, feels like a bomb full of energy, excitement, and people who simply can’t keep their feet still for three days straight. Whether it’s dancing, rushing from act to act, jumping and pushing in the moshpits, looking for friends, or just enjoying the huge diversity of (musical) acts. Lowlands kept surprising us with the variety of performances, and thankfully also with a lineup that included plenty of queer, Black, and female artists.
Friday started off with chaos, sexiness and (queer) black stars, topped off with a bit off raw movements
Many of the artists radiated visible and tangible enthusiasm, and the crowd instantly caught it. We kicked things off on Friday with CMAT, who completely owned the stage with her big presence and expressive performance. Her self-proclaimed “very sexy band” (which we definitely won’t deny) joined right in with their flamboyant characters and wild dance moves. CMAT’s music is a blend of country, rock, and sometimes a little bit of opera, all wrapped in a sugary queer coating that makes the whole show wonderfully unexpected.
Then came Deadletter, a post-punk band from London, who pulled the entire crowd into a magical moment. The lead singer pushed his way right through the middle of the audience, thousands of people dropped to their knees, the tension built, and then at his signal, people jumped and chaos exploded. The interaction with the crowd was wild with mosh pits, crowd surfers, and pure energy everywhere. A moment we’d like to relive.
Amaarae, known for tracks like Sad Girlz Luv Money and Angels in Tibet, stepped onto the stage as a self-proclaimed “Black Star,” a direct nod to her new album. Even though she stood on stage alone, the crowd went off from the second she appeared. As she puts it: when you see her, you get the full “Black Star experience.” And honestly, it was amazing to see that kind of representation at Lowlands.
Another Black (queer) artist we were hyped for was Cat Burns. She’s emotional, relatable, and writes songs about the feelings we all have but can’t always put into words. With her track Girls, she’s unapologetically queer and out loud about it.
Lowlands also makes space for other art forms beyond music. On Friday, we went to a dance performance about growing pains by Evelien Jansen and Tom van Wee. It turned out to be one of the most powerful dance performances we’ve seen in a while. It started slow, then suddenly burst with energy, the dancers moving seamlessly together with raw, powerful movements that made the whole audience freeze in awe. Every muscle radiated emotion, tiny details but so strong at the same time. A chance to enjoy movements while giving your own body some rest.
Saturday, a flirtatious day where our feet couldn’t keep up.
At Lowlands you often feel like you have to run, because you don’t want to miss a thing. There are so many incredible acts that it sometimes means literally sprinting from Raye to FKA Twigs, and back to the Main Stage to be just in time for Chappell Roan. Saturday was one of those days where there were almost too many good acts in a row. Even at Lowlands, FOMO is real.
The day started with Suki Waterhouse. Wind blowing through her hair, a fur coat draped over her shoulders, and with her mix of rock ’n roll energy and sensual dance moves, she felt like a surreal dream. Her powerful vocals cut through the mic, with a harpist playing in the background and a killer guitar solo that took everyone by surprise. Her slow, sultry songs pulled you into the moment, wrapped in purple lighting and magical visuals.
On the stage right next door, the frontman of Good Neighbourhood charmed the audience with playful dance moves, skipping across the stage with flirty ocean-blue eyes. During their cover of Espresso by Sabrina Carpenter, the whole tent couldn’t help but sing along at the top of their lungs.
After that we made our way to The Beaches, a fully female band with raw, powerful vocals and endless energy. The Beaches shouted it themselves: “Let’s party, you guys party harder than anybody else, baby!” And at Lowlands, that’s true. Few places know how to party like this. Every moment feels like a celebration surrounded with joyful people all around, just grateful to be part of it.
Then came Raye. She came out in a stunning dress with black sunglasses, and kicked off with a choreography that she admitted feeling nervous about, but carried out amazingly. What happened during her show was something truly incredible, something you can only experience first hand. Her voice filled the enormous stage with ease, kicking off strong with her bad-bitch anthems.
Then she paused for Ice Cream Man, a song about sexual abuse. And the energy completely shifted. Rarely have we felt so much collective emotion from so many people at once. Raye herself sang through tears streaming down her face, while the crowd tried to lift her up with cheers. Many women in the audience also broke down crying, held close by their friends. Some even left, overwhelmed.
She ended by sharing that music is her medicine, and that this song literally saved her life. She hopes that this song can be a hug for everyone who needs it, and that evening it definitely was. Heavy as the topic is, it’s reality, and it’s important to keep speaking about it and to keep supporting each other. With tears still on her cheeks, Raye ended with the words: “Damned if I let myself be ruined by a man, because I’m a brave woman.” And honestly, we couldn’t have said it better. Raye not only gave us a powerful show, she also showed us how powerful she is.
Chappell Roan was the first queer artist to ever close the Alpha stage, making her a true headliner. Her fairytale-like performance felt like stepping straight into a fantasy movie. She didn’t just meet expectations, she went far beyond them.
Chappell’s show wasn’t only magical to watch, it also created a safe space, especially for queer women, to truly be themselves. And we love that she carved out that space at a festival as big as Lowlands.
Sunday, a rainy day full of iconic surprises that can only happen at Lowlands
Sweaty, dancing people moving from act to act, hour after hour. Your body’s exhausted but you still want to soak up everything that’s left. And then, on Sunday, you’re lying on the famous Lowlands hill overlooking the biggest stage. The Noord Nederlands Orkest – a true Lowlands phenomenon – is playing. From the hill, you hear Grieg, Beethoven, and Dvo?ák, while drizzle falls on the crowd. Classical music is blasting, but down below moshpits break out, and people start rowing on the ground. Laid-back moshpits to classical music. Honestly, it doesn’t get more iconic than that.
Later that day, the Lima stage surprised us with not one, but two highlights: Sarah Julia, a Dutch band formed by two sisters, and Lair, a funk band flown in all the way from Java that shook Lima to its core.
Sarah Julia play English indie-folk, and their angelic voices and tender looks captured the audience instantly. You could hear and feel that they’re sisters, perfectly tuned to each other, supported by beautiful harmonies from the rest of the band. They sang with so much emotion that people in the crowd hugged each other, standing still just to soak it in. Sweet, dreamy music wrapped in warmth that landed right in people’s hearts. It was their very first time at Lowlands, nevertheless the audience gave them huge cheers, walking away smiling and full-hearted.
After Sarah Julia, Lair took the stage, and they brought pure fire. Using instruments built from an old sugarcane factory in their hometown, paired with a small choreography and diva-like looks, they turned their set into a massive party. The crowd kept clapping, dancing, smiling and believe it or not, they got groovier with each song. What made people scream for one more song.
Sunday had this dreamy vibe overall, with acts like Black Country, New Road. Their music seeped into every part of your body, the perfect soundtrack for the last day of Lowlands, when people just want to soak up every final note. Eyes closed, slow head bangs, floating along with unexpected instrument combos like strings played by a bow on an electric guitar. With violins, flutes, and everything in between, it felt like drifting on a cloud.
One of the most anticipated shows of the day was Lola Young. She proved she’s so much more than her two popular hits and honestly could’ve easily handled the main stage. It felt like all of Lowlands showed up for her performance. The tent overflowed, even outside it felt messy to catch a glimpse of her.
As expected, Fontaines D.C. got the whole crowd moving from the very first track. Even after days of partying, people still found the energy to mosh, jump, and scream lyrics at the top of their lungs. Irish flags waved across the audience alongside Palestinian flags. Fontaines used their platform to speak up too, with the words “Israel is committing genocide, use your voice” flashing across the big screens. The crowd screamed “Free Palestine” along with the band. It was a powerful closer.
So, how would we describe this fever dream called Lowlands?
Lowlands is iconic in every sense—a three-day whirlwind where boredom simply doesn’t exist. From breathtaking performances to chaotic mosh pits, from punk to classical music, every moment pulses with energy and connection. Even its quirkiest traditions, like the sea of sticks raised during the final night’s party, are part of what makes it unforgettable.
But Lowlands is more than just a music festival. It’s a vibrant meeting ground for art, science, and social awareness. You’ll find powerful messages woven into the atmosphere—Palestinian flags, political stickers, and artists using their platform to speak out—reminding us that music and community can spark meaningful change.
In the end, Lowlands is a place where anything goes, where strangers become allies, and where connection—through sound, expression, or shared experience—is everything. It’s a festival so full of life it feels endless, yet it always leaves you wanting more.
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