Benicasim I Thursday, 20 August 2026.- Rototom Sunsplash heads into the final stretch of its 31st edition this Friday, 21 August with a festival day that champions one of the festival’s hallmarks: the connection to the roots of reggae. The penultimate night will feature Protoje, Bushman and Twinkle Brothers as the main protagonists on the Sun Stage — three generations and three approaches to Jamaican music united by consciousness, spirituality and the power of roots cadence.

The elegant, sophisticated sound of Protoje (Sun Stage, 1:00 AM) will spotlight the contemporary evolution of reggae without losing sight of its essence. A key figure in the reggae revival movement, the Jamaican artist has decisively helped return the genre to its spiritual and conscious roots from a thoroughly modern aesthetic. At the helm of the In.Digg.Nation collective, with whom he will take the stage, he has built a language of his own in which roots dialogues with hip-hop and soul, shaping a fresh, refined proposal of enormous personality.

Protoje will close a Sun Stage that will have immersed itself hours earlier in the deepest roots alongside Bushman (10:50 PM) and Twinkle Brothers (9:05 PM), guiding this new encounter with the living history of the genre.

Formed in 1962 in Falmouth by brothers Norman and Ralston Grant, Twinkle Brothers are an institution of roots reggae. With a career spanning more than six decades, they have built one of the most prolific careers in Jamaican music, with over 60 albums released.

For his part, Bushman is one of the most powerful and recognisable voices in contemporary reggae. Raised in St. Thomas, Jamaica, under the influence of the church and rural life, he has infused his music with a marked spiritual identity, which became his hallmark. His emergence in the 1990s positioned him as one of the natural heirs to the tradition of great figures like Peter Tosh. Since then, Bushman has remained faithful to a solid, timeless roots sound, with messages championing social justice, Rastafari philosophy, love and respect for nature.

For its part, the Lion Stage programme will intensify its cross-cultural character with a trio that once again connects generations, but also territories and musical languages: Macka B, Natalia Doco and Bleu Soleil.

British artist Macka B, an essential figure in UK reggae and dancehall, symbolises with his more than three-decade career that bridge to the history and sound identity of Jamaican music.

In a geographical and stylistic leap, Argentinian Natalia Doco arrives to bring a more spiritual and folkloric dimension. The artist, based in France, has developed a proposal that connects Latin American roots with European singer-songwriter traditions, organic rhythms, Spanish guitars and a voice charged with mysticism. Her work explores femininity, nature, creative freedom and spiritual connection, in a proposal that turns each performance into a sensory journey.

The electronic counterpoint will come with Bleu Soleil, a French duo formed by Antonin Parmentier and Nino Faerdig. Their blend of reggae, dub, electronics and pop-folk has placed them among the most stimulating emerging acts on the European scene.

Lady Leshurr brings her flow to the Dancehall

The Dancehall will welcome one of the most dynamic voices in British urban culture on this penultimate festival day: rapper and producer Lady Leshurr. Her proposal, halfway between grime, British hip-hop and a contagious pop energy, has made her an artist of enormous versatility, capable of moving between the punch of rap and the dance floor with a style of her own.

Ital Power Soundsystem: the tradition of British dub takes over the Dub Academy

Meanwhile, at the Dub Academy the night will focus on Ital Power Soundsystem, a reference in high-fidelity reggae, dub and roots from West London.

Amateur talent takes centre stage in the cultural programme

The extra-musical programme will also have one of its standout moments at the Teen Yard, which this Friday will host the first of two sessions of the Battle of Promises, an initiative returning to the festival for the third consecutive year and taking a new step in this edition with a special international edition.

The format is designed for young amateur artists from different countries, who will have the opportunity to present their songs before a professional jury and the international audience of Rototom. The proposal focuses on emerging talent and the cultural diversity that characterizes the festival, turning the stage into a meeting point for new voices and styles. The grand final will take place on Saturday 22, on the last festival day.

Rototom transforms its inclusive passes into four social impact projects

Alongside culture, Rototom once again activates its social dimension in this edition through the campaign linked to inclusive passes, which grants free access to the festival for children under 13, people over 65 and people with disabilities. The organisation will allocate the full 10 euros — a symbolic, one-time payment — of each inclusive pass to the actions of four NGOs and social entities. Each beneficiary can choose, when collecting their pass at the box office, which project they want to allocate their contribution to.

The four selected initiatives cover different areas, from care for people with brain damage to hospitalised children, humanitarian emergencies and the training of prison populations. The donations will be managed by the organisations Fundación Ateneu Castelló (which will allocate funds to ‘Together for Brain Health: CRAPPS Life Room’); Payasospital, which will channel contributions towards ‘Smiles for hospitalised children in the Valencian Community’; UNRWA Spain, to support its ‘Humanitarian Emergency in Gaza’ project, aimed at supporting the population of Gaza through humanitarian aid, healthcare, shelter, education and protection; and Stand Up For Jamaica, which will develop, with the contribution of the Rototom audience, an action to improve computer classrooms and facilitate access to vocational and university training for people deprived of liberty on the Caribbean island.

Concerts in the prisons of Castellón and Albocàsser

For another year, Rototom, through the Exodus Foundation, has brought the festival atmosphere and part of its 2026 line-up to the prison population. This past Wednesday, 19 August, Ilan Amores performed at the Castellón II prison in Albocàsser (where César Caldera gave a yoga session on Monday), and this Thursday, 20 August, the Castellón I prison hosted performances by Alana Sinkëy, Lasai (one of the names on the Rototom 2026 line-up) and Doctor Nadie.