If you could create your own festival from scratch, who would be on the lineup?
In this episode, we put the question to the group with a festival fantasy draft. Everyone has to build their ideal festival, choosing the name, location, vibe and opening act:
What actually makes a festival unforgettable?
It’s not just about booking the biggest names. The right festival needs a clear identity, a location that fits the mood and a lineup that takes people somewhere.
In This Episode
- Why a festival needs more than a collection of popular artists.
- How the location can shape the entire experience.
- The importance of choosing the right opening act.
- Whether artistic credibility matters more than commercial appeal.
- How to balance nostalgia, energy and discovery across a lineup.
- The difference between a festival that looks good on paper and one people would actually want to attend.
The Drafted Festivals *SPOILER ALERT*
"Soul Frequencies" by Alexander T
An immersive hip-hop festival at Victoria Park in London. The idea is to celebrate artistry over hype, with Denzel Curry chosen as the opening act. His energy, stage presence and creative approach make him the perfect artist to set the tone and immediately let the crowd know this is not just another mainstream festival lineup.
"Luxury Flows Fest" by Sam
The setting is deliberately grand (Blenheim Palace), matching the festival’s luxury rap aesthetic. All about laid-back confidence, positivity and smooth energy needed to get the day started properly.
"Diamond in the Rough" by Neil
It’s a choice built around pure performance energy.
The Big Question
The draft highlights one of the biggest challenges in festival curation: how do you create a lineup that is commercially appealing without losing its personality?
The biggest artists might sell tickets, but the most memorable festivals usually have something more. They have a point of view. They create a specific atmosphere, give people something to discover and make the lineup feel like a journey rather than a random list of names.
The opener gets the crowd moving. The middle of the day builds the atmosphere. The headliner delivers the payoff.
At least, that’s the theory.
Who would headline your perfect festival? Where would you host it, and which artist would get the difficult job of opening the day?
