Sónar 'distances itself' from pro-Israeli investment fund owner, expresses 'solidarity' with Palestine

Sónar has publicly distanced itself from the actions of the pro-Israeli investment fund KKR, which acquired the music festival in the summer of 2024. 

Barcelona's biggest electronic music festival, as well as other music festivals acquired by KKR, has been mired in controversy over the past days as the pro-Israeli fund's involvement in the events has come to light.

In a statement published on social media, Sónar has expressed solidarity with "the Palestinian civilian population in Gaza, caught in the midst of an ongoing humanitarian catastrophe."

The festival has stressed that they have no interference or control over KKR's investments or decisions.

After the Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) fund's involvement in festivals such as Sónar, Viña Rock, FIB, and Arenal Sound was revealed, some DJs have refused to play, while 70 international artists have demanded explanations from Sónar.

Some days ago, it emerged that KKR had acquired Superstruct Entertainment in 2024, a group that is behind more than 80 music festivals around the world, which had previously acquired Sónar in 2018. 

Last Thursday, Sónar published a first statement, which was widely criticized by commenting fans for not mentioning Gaza or the Palestinian people at all. On Monday, the festival published the above statement, available in English in the last two slides, in which they acknowledged that their "lack of a sufficiently clear public response" caused "unease and concern." 

"We want to make it explicitly clear that Sónar distances itself from any action taken by KKR. We have no influence over - nor, of course, any control whatsoever - over their investments or decisions." 

"Our independence remains intact across all areas that define Sónar's identity," the statement adds.