Sónar confirms cancellation of 28 artists due to festival's link to Israeli KKR company

Organizers of Barcelona's biggest electronic music festival, Sónar, have confirmed that 28 artists have pulled out of playing at the June festival due to the festival's links to the pro-Israeli investment fund KKR.

The artists have canceled their performances as the company partially owns the festival.

Some of these artists who have renounced performing at Sónar are EYRA, oma totem, DJ Paca, Tiyumii, as well as Dania + Mau Morgó, DjSport, Emma dj, Forensis & Bill Kouligas, dj g2g, Heith, James K, Günseli Yalcinkaya & Andrea Belosi. Some were scheduled in the Sónar by Day and others in the Sónar by Night.

Sónar, as well as other music festivals acquired by KKR, have been mired in controversy over the last weeks as the pro-Israeli fund's involvement in the events has come to light.

The Barcelona-based festival was part of the Superstruct Entertainment company, which Providence Equity Partners sold to KKR and other investors in October last year. "This was a purely financial transaction in which we had no involvement, no say, and no vote," Sónar organizers wrote in a public statement online.

Sónar had already publicly distanced itself from the actions of the pro-Israeli investment fund KKR. However, many attendees had expressed their concerns and to "clarify" a number of points and respond to questions, Sónar prepared an FAQs page on their website.

After the Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) fund's involvement in festivals such as Sónar, Viña Rock, FIB, and Arenal Sound came to light, some musicians refused to play at the events, and 70 international artists demanded explanations from Sónar.

The festival says they condemn the genocide of the Palestinian people and that their position "is clear and unequivocal."

Organizers also say that the money does "not at all" go to KKR and that they have never or "will ever send a single euro to KKR." The festival claims that after the organizing costs are incurred, "all profits are reinvested, in their entirety, in future editions of Sónar."

And assure that the relationship with Superstruct is "merely administrative" and that they do not have any "direct relationship with KKR."

The cancellations will "not affect the overall experience," as they are working to confirm replacements.

For those attendees who are asking for refunds after deciding not to attend the festival, Sónar has set up a process to centralise all refund requests and will respond to each individually after getting in touch with the team at help@sonar.es.