European Music Day is celebrated at the contemporary culture center of Matadero Madrid and in 2026 it will take place from June 19 to 21, coinciding with International Music Day, with performances by Ángeles Toledano, Rita Payés and María Arnal on Friday the 19th, and Depresion Sonora, Pablopablo and Alizzz on Saturday the 20th, in addition to DJ sets such as Gazzi and Akazie.
The festival also includes family concerts at Nave Una on the 20th and 21st at 12:00 noon with Le Parody and La Fantástica Banda, and the participation of Cineteca Madrid from June 16 to 21 with a cycle of screenings dedicated to the relationship between music and cinema. In this article we review the main names of the cartel.
June 20: the poster between the roots and the experimental
Maria Arnal
Recognized for her work between electronic and traditional music, and previously for having been part of the duo Maria Arnal i Marcel Bagés, Maria Arnal has released one of the key national albums of this year, ‘AMA’, a work full of layers where she explores the possibilities of the human voice, offering a tight fusion of pop and avant-garde.
Rita Payes
Trombonist and singer who fuses jazz, bossa nova and signature song, Rita Payés is one of the exquisite voices of current music and, thanks to outstanding albums such as ‘Imagina’ (2019), she has made her Mediterranean style known throughout the world, conquering international figures such as Jon Batiste, who invited her to his latest album.
Angeles Toledo
One of the emerging voices of contemporary flamenco, Ángeles Toledano achieved recognition in the music industry with her album ‘Sangre Sucia’, earning nominations for the Ruido Prize and the Academy of Music Awards. An album that mixed flamenco tradition with current sounds and approaches to investigate the female experience and the body.
June 21: alternative pop and rock day
Alizzz
His great solo albums ‘There has to be something else’ and ‘Reckless driving’ have radically distanced him from his avant-garde work with C. Tangana and have left behind a handful of unforgettable pop-rock and pop anthems. Recently, his single ‘Callaíto’, against internet trolls, has hit the nail on the head again.
Sound Depression
A reference for post-punk and the Spanish new wave thanks to great albums such as the recent ‘Los Perros Don’t Understand Internet’, Depresion Sonora is among the most influential proposals of the national underground of the last five years; His minimalist style and his emotional lyrics, full of everyday life and disaffection, have made him a tremendously popular name also in Latin America.
pablopablo
His intimate proposal between pop and experimentation has made him a reference for current author pop, being a key – and very recognizable – composer for artists like Guitarricadelafuente. With a voice that enchants and a compositional sensitivity between classic and modern, Pablo Drexler continues presenting ‘Canciones en Mi’, one of the best albums of last year.
