Le Guess Who? Announces Full Lineup with MENA Acts Taking Centre Stage

Following its first wave of announcements in late June, Utrecht’s ‘Le Guess Who?’ festival, renowned for spotlighting global creativity and transcending genre and geographical boundaries, has revealed the full lineup for its 2024 edition.

Running from November 7th to the 10th in Utrecht, The Netherlands, this year’s festival boasts a diverse array of artists curated by Arooj Aftab, Bo Ningen, Crystallmess, DARKSIDE, Mabe Fratti, and Touching Bass, with a strong focus on cross-cultural connections and musical innovation. The initial wave of announcements set the stage for a dynamic edition, with over 100 regional and international artists to perform across 20 venues in Utrecht’s city centre.

Highlights from the first wave included Aftab's curated lineup featuring artists like Egyptian singer and producer Dina El Wedidi, Syrian/Lebanese alt-pop group Bedouin Burger, California-based surrealist blues poet Aja Monet and neo-soul artist Meshell Ndegeocello. The general program also featured Palestinian rapper/producer duo Shabjdeed and Al Nather, alongside Montreal-based Lebanese DJ/producer Liliane Chlela and the Andalusian string quartet Flare, emphasising the festival’s commitment to showcasing diverse global talents.

The latest additions to the lineup further highlight the vibrant sounds of the MENA region, featuring standout acts like Egyptian rapper Abyusif, who continues to captivate audiences with his raw, unapologetic style and genre-defying Arabic rap.

Another highlight of this year’s edition is Chromesthesia, a 13-hour performance presented by British-Egyptian historian Hannah Elsisi, debuting on November 9th. This ambitious project delves into Afro-diasporic rhythms and the history of Afro-descendant electronic music, featuring choreography by Congolese performer Natisa Exocé Kasongo and audiovisual design by Dutch-Sudanese artist Tarik Barri. The performance lineup includes South Africa’s Sho Madjozi, known for her dynamic fusion of Tsonga, English, and Swahili with genres like gqom, Afro-pop, and hip-hop; New York R&B vocalist Yaya Bey, who draws on her Caribbean roots to pay homage to her father, Ayub Bey (Grand Daddy I.U.); and Lamin Fofana, whose work explores themes of movement, migration, alienation and belonging.

Also joining the project are DJ Babatr, celebrated as the Godfather of raptor house, and singer Betsayda Machado, whose music reflects the ancestral legacy of her community in El Clavo, Venezuela.

Artist such as 3phaz and Maurice Louca, both leading figures in Egypt’s experimental arts scene, will be lending their innovative sounds to the project, solidifying Chromesthesia’s statement on the interconnectedness of sound, identity, and migration, aligning perfectly with the festival’s mission to celebrate diverse global creativity.

Further enriching the program are MENA-inspired initiatives like Sounds of Places, a project led by Radio Alhara that made its debut in 2024 in the Cremisan Valley, one of the last remaining green spaces near Bethlehem, Palestine. At Le Guess Who?, the residency’s artists will present works that explore the sonic essence of this unique landscape. Featured performances include Christmas in Mourning, a collaboration between electronic musicians Sary Moussa and Abed Kobeissy, and the Greek Orthodox tenor of the Church of the Nativity, Laurence Sammour; Beirut’s Yara Asmar, who performs a piece based on recordings of her sound installation permanently installed in the vanishing Cremisan Valley; and Julmud, an interdisciplinary artist based in Ramallah, Palestine, in collaboration with British/Palestinian movement creative Sasha Shadid.

With tickets selling fast, this year’s festival is set to be an unforgettable convergence of cultures, sounds, and stories. For those eager to experience the pulse of MENA music in an international context, the 2024 lineup offers a unique opportunity to see regional sounds resonating on a global stage. For more information and ticket availability, visit Le Guess Who?’s official website.