HOW WOMEN TAKING THE STAGE DEFINED RIVERLAND FEST 2026?

In its sixth edition, held August 21–23 in Arriondas, Riverland brought together more than seventy artists and once again mixed established names with others who are still carving out their place in the scene. Rather than just featuring those who already have mass following, Riverland also showcases those who may have one in a few years. 

This edition has made it particularly clear just how women are playing an important role in this new scene. Six Sex, TK Mami, Juicy Bae, Bea Pelea, Natalia Lacunza, Kristina, Taichu, Rebe, Akriila, Olivia Babe, and Metrika, among others, have performed at a festival that no longer views urban music as a closed genre, but rather as an increasingly broad space where trap, reggaeton, pop, rap, and styles much harder to classify coexist. 

Not all of them are coming to the Riverland stage from the same place. And that is why it is interesting to bring them together. Natalia Lacunza has an incredible career behind her, and a style very different from the other artists on the lineup. Her appearance at the festival is not so much about making a name for herself as it is about continuing to grow the audience that has been with her for years. Juicy Bae, for her part, belongs to a generation that has helped push the boundaries of Spanish urban music. 

The lineup also features names like Akriila, a Chilean artist who has become one of the most distinctive figures on the new Latin American scene. Her presence at Riverland also helps illustrate the extent to which the festival has moved beyond focusing only on Spain. This year’s lineup has incorporated significant Latin American representation and has strengthened the connection between scenes that, just a few years ago, might have seemed more distant with artists like Taichu and Six Sex.

And, of course, there’s also a place for those who are just starting to gain traction and fill a stage. The festival set aside a specific space for rookies alongside more established artists. We got to enjoy artists with a lot of potential, such as Main Costa and Iza TKM.

Performing in front of thousands of people, sharing the stage with artists whom they looked up to until recently, and seeing how an audience that may not yet know them responds can serve as a small turning point.

Metrika and L0rna, for example, had already been part of Riverland lineup in 2024 and 2025. They are returning a year later at a different point in their careers and with a much larger audience. This is particularly interesting because it allows us to observe how their standing within the same scene can change in just twelve months.

That is why, rather than wondering who the big name at Riverland 2026 is, it would make more sense to ask who will return next year as a different artist. Because if Riverland wants to be a kind of barometer for urban music, its value lies not only in what happens over three days. It also lies in returning in a few years and seeing how many of the names that today seem to be just starting out ended up filling stages.

Words by @joaquinxbc