As part of Braga25, a year-long celebration of Braga as the Portuguese Capital of Culture, SQUARE—a new four-day event— is getting ready to showcase Portuguese creativity on a global stage, enriching the city’s cultural scene. Building on last month’s first music lineup announcement, today SQUARE reveals its latest wave of international artists set to perform at the event.
Among the ten artists selected from Open Call submissions is Catalan singer and producer Adelaida, who combines her affinity with plants and spirits to create gothic nursery rhymes that explore the transformative power of voice under the full moon. Joining her is Ana Arsuaga from the Basque Country, whose project Verde Prato fuses pop, electronica, and folk elements with Basque oral traditions. Energetic dance-driven quintet Skanderani, also hailing from Spain, channels vibrant Afrobeat and tribal rhythms into an improvisational soundscape, while Portugal’s System Sophie, the alter ego of Sofia Ribeiro, delivers high-energy DJ sets that seamlessly mix IDM, EBM and Jungle. Fellow Portuguese artist Zancudo Berraco (Henrique Apolinário) experiments with deconstructed techno and trance, emphasising the relationship between sound performativity and physicality in his improvised compositions. Expanding the event’s global reach, Brooklyn-based Nigerian/London artist Halima explores themes of self-discovery and cultural identity through a unique fusion of folk, jazz, and R&B, while award-winning Brazilian artist Jadsa mixes MPB, rock, blues, and neo-soul with electronic elements, earning recognition for her innovative contributions to Brazilian music. Chile’s avant-garde rapper Planta Carnivora crafts outsider narratives that defy genre conventions, while Norwegian band Psudoku reinvents grindcore with a prog twist, pushing the limits of musical expression.
In addition to the Open Call artists, ten more names have been handpicked by SQUARE’s Creative Partners. Among these, ANTCONSTANTINO, nominated by Brazilian festival Novas Frequências, stands out for blending modern funk with the vibrant energy of Rio, São Paulo, and Minas Gerais. Antonio Fernández and Pedro de Dios (Guadalupe Plata), selected by Spain’s Monkey Week, present Cantes Malditos (Cursed Songs), a groundbreaking flamenco-blues album exploring themes of death and loss. Continuing the Spanish lineup, progressive Galician festival Sinsal introduces the duo Fantasmage, known for their energetic fusion of punk, pop, and rock. Slovakia’s FVLCRVM, discovered by the innovative Slovakian showcase Sharpe, merges niche club genres with mellow pop to evoke a reinvented ’90s vibe, while Scottish free-jazz pioneer and dancer Maggie Nicols, championed by London’s legendary Café Oto, is celebrated as a pioneering figure in improvisational music and advocate of women in the arts. Moroccan DJ and producer Guedra Guedra, supported by the Spanish/North African IWA Fest, crafts high-energy soundscapes that blend tribal polyrhythms with contemporary dance innovations. Introduced by the COSMOS network of the Dutch festival Le Guess Who? is another Moroccan project. Retro Cassetta is a creative outlet of Badreddine Haoutar (aka Snoopy), who revives North African music from the ’80s, ’90s, and 2000s, creating a nostalgic, ambient sound using rare cassette gems and handmade tape loops. Lusophone leaning MIL Festival presents Yeri & Yeni, a duo from Cape Verde and Sintra who celebrate their heritage through a fusion of Cape Verdean, Portuguese and African sounds. Brooklyn-based project Gushes, led by Jennae Santos and introduced by the New York state arts centre Basilica Hudson, merges hyper-rhythmic guitar loops with Afro-Latin beats and ’70s prog rock, creating performances that celebrate liberation and psychedelia. Rounding out the lineup is Panamanian guitarist and singer songwriter Ricardo de León, selected by River Down Records, whose improvisational prowess captivates audiences with rich, explorative compositions.
More than just a showcase, SQUARE is an artist-driven networking platform dedicated to progressive and grassroots practitioners who champion diversity and innovation, connecting independent promoters with emerging cultural movements. Today SQUARE is also excited to announce its first conference speakers, including Austin Robey, co-founder of Ampled and Metalabel and expert on collective ownership in digital creative economies; Brahim El Mazned, Artistic Director of the Timitar Festival and an advocate for sustainable cultural development; and Diana Glusberg, Artistic Director of Buenos Aires’ Niceto Club, who brings over 26 years of experience bridging local and global music scenes. Also speaking will be José Da Silva, founder of Lusafrica, Kriol Jazz Festival, and Atlantic Music Expo, known for his dedication to preserving Cape Verdean music; cultural journalist, film programmer and writer Joshua Minsoo Kim, whose words appears in Pitchfork, The Wire, and Cinema Scope; and Laura Diaz (aka CARNEOSSO), founder of Brazil’s TETO PRETO and MAMBA NEGRA, celebrated for her influence on the underground resistance scene. Lenny Watson, co-founder of London’s community-owned Sister Midnight venue, supports grassroots initiatives by decentralising ownership models, while Kenyan composer Nyokabi Kariũki brings a rich exploration of African musical traditions. Lastly, London-based Afro-futurist XEXA, a Guildhall School alumna with São Tomense heritage, merges African rhythms with contemporary soundscapes for a distinctive sonic experience. These speakers set the stage for further announcements as SQUARE continues its exploration of cultural identity and artistic innovation.
www.squarefestival.pt
