Charli XCX, Fontaines D.C., Khruangbin, Beth Gibbons among first names on line-up

Charli XCX, Fontaines D.C., Khruangbin, Beth Gibbons and more are among those listed in the first names for Flow Festival 2025.

The festival is set to return to Helsinki next year and run for three days between August 8 and 10. It will be held at the historic Suvilahti power plant area in the Finnish capital.

Today (December 5), the first wave of artists have been announced, including pop sensation Charli XCX. The news of her heading to Finland for the 2025 edition of Flow Festival amid a huge 2024 for the singer, following the release of her hit album ‘Brat’. The LP soon became a cultural phenomenon and sparked Brat Summer, as well as being later followed by a star-studded remix album.

Fontaines D.C. have also been added to the bill following a huge 2024 so far. Earlier this year, the band shared their critically-acclaimed album ‘Romance’, and were soon hailed by Elton John as “the best band out there at the moment”.

Elsewhere, Khruangbin have been confirmed, and news comes as the group shared their fourth studio album, ‘A La Sala’, earlier this year. The album was given a glowing four-star review from NME, and described as seeing the band capture “a stripped-back but still potent sound”.

Former Portishead vocalist Beth Gibbons has joined the bill too, following the release of her debut solo album, ‘Lives Outgrown’. Shared back in May, the project came 10 years in the making, and included singles such as ‘Lost Changes’, ‘Reaching Out’ and ‘Floating On A Moment’.

Others on the first announcement for Flow Festival 2025 include Bicep, Kneecap, Montell Fish, Joy Orbison, Avalon Emerson, Veronica Maggio, Autechre and more. Check out the new update from organisers above, and visit here to buy tickets.

Fontaines DC at Bergenfest 2024 on June 12, 2024 in Bergen, Norway. (Photo by Per Ole Hagen/Redferns)

This year’s edition of Flow Festival saw huge sets from Pulp, PJ Harvey, The Smile and Fred Again.., as well as performances from Jessie Ware, Denzel Curry, Overmono and Body & Soul. The festival was founded in 2004 as an intimate club event with 4000 attendees, but the 2024 anniversary edition was estimated to draw in over 90,000 guests.

More acts for 2025’s instalment are set to be announced at a later date.

Headliners of the 2023 Flow Festival lineup included Blur, Wizkid, Lorde and Christine & The Queens, who joined the likes of FKA twigs, Caroline Polachek, Suede and Devo.

In a review of that edition, NME wrote: “Whether you catch any of these world-beaters, or choose to spend the evening in any of the quieter, weirder corners of the site, Flow is a festival unique in its appeal and superb in its execution.”

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