The king of dancehall, the Jamaican Beenie Man, stages the bet for the genre together with Fyahbwoy with Forward Ever Band from Spain.

The Nigerian Flavour will showcase from the Main Stage the worldwide impact of Afrobeats, which will have in Jamkunda Stage another of its axes; while Samuel Blaser’s tribute to Don Drummond will bring the first show with jazz musicians in the history of the festival.

The international reggae festival Rototom Sunsplash (Benicàssim, from August 16 to 21) proposes in its new batch of confirmations, with which it completes the line-up of its 29th edition, a sonorous journey with a notable presence of roots reggae (Twinkle Brothers, Marcus Gad) that also dives into dancehall (along with figures such as Beenie Man) and afrobeats (Flavour). It opens for the first time to jazz (with Samuel Blaser’s tribute to Don Drummond, the legendary Skatalites trombonist) and explores eclecticism through the voices of Etana, Naomi Cowan or the Brazilian Bia Ferreira.

Half a hundred names sculpt this new artistic range that will parade on the five stages of the festival. The Jamaican band Twinkle Brothers leads the roots reggae line-up. Iconic band of the golden age of reggae in the 70’s, the anthems of the Ashton, Ralston and Norman Grant brothers’ formation have surpassed generations. Rototom Sunsplash will also welcome this summer the roots reggae, committed and meditative ‘made in’ New Caledonia of Marcus Gad, who will perform with his band, Tribe, and a horn section.

From the Caribbean Virgin Islands returns Midnite, the St. Croix band, this time led by Ron Benjamin, producer, co-founder and brother of Vaughn, Midnite’s charismatic frontman and voice, who passed away in 2019. Ron Benjamin will present in Benicàssim a preview of his next solo album, without renouncing the classics of Midnite, and his intense spirituality openly Rastafarian, with which he will pay tribute to his brother.

The dancehall bursts with force from the hand of the king of the genre: the Jamaican Beenie Man, nominated at the last Grammy Awards 2024. Joining from the national scene is Fyahbwoy, considered the Spanish dancehall artist of reference, with his band, Forward Ever Band.

Rototom also confirms the participation of Jamaican Etana, with her eclectic reggae that mixes elements of soul, r’n’b and afrobeats spun by her powerful voice.

From the Caribbean island also welcomes singer and songwriter Naomi Cowan, one of the emerging talents of reggae. Daughter of singer Carlene Davis, Cowan played Marcia Griffiths in the biopic about the king of reggae ‘Bob Marley: One Love’, released this year.

Adding musical eclecticism and militancy to Rototom’s artistic proposal is the arrival of Brazilian singer, composer, multi-instrumentalist and activist Bia Ferreira, standard bearer, as she says, of “black women’s music”. An advocate of music as a tool for education and emancipation, her lyrics speak of feminism and stand up to racism and homophobia.

For his part, Nigerian singer, instrumentalist and producer Flavourwith 5 million followers on Instagram and more than 3 million on YouTube, will showcase the global impact of Afrobeats in a show with a band and dancers, and will lead from the Main Stage the bet on this genre to the African epicenter of the venue: Jamkunda Stage.

Rototom Sunsplash also confirms the festival’s first jazz show -with touches of ska-: Samuel Blaser Routes–A Tribute to the Music of Don Drummond. A tribute by Swiss trombonist Samuel Blaser, embodied in his renowned album ‘Routes’, to the legacy of Don Drummond, the legendary Jamaican trombonist, member and composer of many songs of the band Skatalites, whose 60th anniversary will be celebrated in 2024. This unique show will be performed by the quintet led by Blaser and joined by Cuban violinist Omar Puente, Alex Wilson (keyboards), Colin McNeish (bass), and Kenrick Rowe (drums).

Along with these new names with which the Main Stage and Lion Stage sculpt their staging, the line-up in the other three areas that animate the long nights of the festival is also fully sculpted.

More names for the Dancehall

Thus, the dancehall style adds new incorporations to its area par excellence. An ad led by Becca D. The British DJ and presenter, with 11 years of MTV career, created in 2017 her own music platform -with 2 million views- to promote Jamaican culture and artists through live sessions, interviews and documentaries. He will be joined in his set by the young and promising artist Tessellated as mc. Dancehall 2024 will also celebrate the 25th anniversary of Northern Lights and Heavy Hammer who, along with the also confirmed Lampa Dread, are part of the area’s resident DJ crew.

Costa Rica will be triply represented with the proposals of Docta Rythm Selecta; Dj Luiz Dub and Selecta Empress. Joining the edition are the Swiss collective All’Chemist; Fenshi Sound from Germany; TNT Sound (Italy); and the Belgians East End Rock and Skylarkin’Sound. The national scene welcomes Plan B -dj of Los Chikos del Maíz; Urban Corner from Murcia; Dirty Raw (Valencia-Barcelona) and the Guinean, based in Barcelona, Dj Owey. The crew of dancers on this stage includes Irie Queen from Madrid, Kultcha (from the French collective Mouv’ment Dancer’Z), Jaqueline & Stephanie (from Enough Dance Crew from Sweden), Lizzy (Brukwine, from USA), Telitah (Vigo) and Alicia (dj and dancer from Madrid based in London).

Screening of Afro-Modern Music at Jamkunda Stage

Jamkunda Stage‘s artistic bet is rich. The stage aims to bring together several of the main collectives that are promoting Afro-modern genres (from Afrobeats to Afrohouse) in Spain, such as AfroBrunch, Oyofe, Follow the Party and Zsongo, and the Italian collective Afrobeats Roma, which will bring its AfroVillage party. Each of them will offer a night full of surprises with a show specially designed for Rototom.

In addition, as special guests on Jamkunda Stage will be, from London, one of the official dj’s of AfroNation in Portugal, Dj SoGood, and also the young promise of Afrobeats in Spain, Alu. All of this will be hosted by master of ceremonies Shopsydoo with comedian WizProblema and dancer Makuriya.

Another novelty of the stage will be AfroCommunity, a special evening with all the collectives participating in this edition of the festival to celebrate the new Afro music.

Dub Academy expands its planetary corner

In its aim to become a planetary meeting of the Sound System culture, the Dub corner of Rototom Sunsplash announces the following artists El Gran Latido (Colombia); Yugo Taguchi (Japan), who will perform along with the already announced Greenlight, Serena and Lasai; Agobun from France and Coco & Rowsi (Barcelona-Mallorca). They are joined by Jah Tubbys ft Dixie Peach & Macky Banton, Kibir La Amlak, Selectah Tuti and a secret show to be unveiled live during the festival.