Thursday was a day of contrasts, with performances ranging from synth pop to reggaeton, to experimental electronic and house music. The day kicked off strong with Awwz, a Barcelona-based DJ who played the first tunes of the day and was joined by another local artist, Demmy Sober, to sing a few songs live. The message was clear: women empowering women, creating community, and supporting each other.
By the end of Awwz’s set, ACERO cover star Rojuu turned all the attention to him with a big entrance: he was carried to the SonarPark stage by a group of nazarenes, typical characters/figures of the Catholic festivities during Easter celebrations. His concert was that of a rockstar (mosh pit included), and sang early hits like Umi as well as songs from his two new albums, Kor Kor Lake and Starina.
In the meantime, Sega Bodega presented a much more intimate concert at the SonarHall stage after having toured Europe these past months, with his dreamy voice matching perfectly the ethereal setup he had as a backdrop. Another dream-like performance was Eartheater’s, who received a standing ovation from the audience at SonarComplex – the stage with more experimental proposals.
On the other hand, Ms Nina brought the ass and the sass to this year’s festival, with a devoted audience that sang along hits like Nasty or Tu sicaria, and even covers of Don Omar’s Dile and Lorna’s Papi Chulo. At SonarVillage, Lady Shaka was also making people dance with her genre-bending DJ set, which included songs ranging from remixed Maori folk to Rosalia’s Motomami.
Chico Blanco’s live performance was another highlight of the day. With incredible energy and trippy visuals on the background, the Granada-based artist sang some of his most known hits including WTF is in my cup and Gominola. Right after, Australian sensation Partiboi69 brought the humour and quirkiness to the festival in a fast-paced DJ set married with Y2K visuals including Tekken fights and cowboys.
At the same time, Finnish duo Amnesia Scanner was bringing their post-apocalyptic performance to SonarHall, with a multiscreen setup, lots of smoke, and even live singers. Equally experimental was Uruguayan DJ Lechuga Zafiro, who closed the SonarPark stage. But the perfect ending to Sónar’s first day was Jayda G, who lit the SonarVillage stage on fire with her unique blend of house music and live vocals. Beautiful and uplifting.