Cala Mijas: the rising local talent to see at this year’s festival

3 May, 2023

In partnership with Cala Mijas

Later this summer, Cala Mijas will take place in the south of Spain, welcoming The Strokes, Florence + The Machine, Arcade Fire and more to the Mijas festival which will showcase both international and local talent on the Costa Del Sol. A last hurrah for some final blasts of sunshine, avant-garde electronics and some beach time after a hectic summer of parting? Count us in.

Held in the Sonora Mijas venue (Aug 31 – Sep 2) the festival places an equal focus beyond the music, recognising that the event must service the community as much as it does the people down in the pit. Recognised as B Corp company – alongside Bilbao BBK Live – they seek to limit their impact on the environment, use and uplift local crew and provide a safe space for all to enjoy. Little surprise, then, that it applies to the line-up too, where the festival has made a concerted effort to showcase local talent from the region and country. These are the essential local names to get to know at Cala Mijas this summer.

Amaia

Who: Former Eurovision hopeful turned promising pop hero
Key track: ‘El Encuentro’
What you can expect: The Pamplona-born artist represented Spain at the Eurovision Song Contest 2018 so already knows what it takes on the most demanding and extravagant stages. Cala Mijas, we imagine, will be less intense but equally exciting, her chance to play cuts from her 2022 record ‘Cuando No Sé Quién Soy’ and dramatic, seismic new single ‘Fiebre’. Old habits die hard, eh?

Ballena

Who: Spain’s spritely answer to Rolling Coastal Blackout Fever and the War On Drugs
Key track: ‘Dolores’
What you can expect: The group’s shared backstory includes stints in bands like Notes ToMyself, Módo Bélica, Negroazulado and more, but together the individual members found kinship and camaraderie in this shared new venture. Three albums, including 2022’s ‘Fuerteamor’, showcase the breadth and vim of their musicianship, their indie-rock anthems perfect for sunny festival afternoons.

Buganvilia

Who: Rising DJ and producer at the cutting edge of the country’s electronic scene
What you can expect: She makes up one-third of all-female DJ crew B2BBS, a key new addition to the Spanish scene that includes a recent, pounding appearance on Boiler Room. Expect plenty more big bears at Cala Mijas, but with some delightfully unique twists and turns in her slot.

Cala Vento

Who: A speedball of indie, punk-pop and beyond
Key track: ‘Conmigo’
What you can expect: The music video for ‘Conmigo’, from their recently released fourth album ‘Casa Linda’, is a welcome introduction to the duo: what starts out as an apparent homage to Arctic Monkeys‘ ‘Cornerstone’ video (clock the red sweater) proves the band’s ability to to turn the quickest, catchiest riff into something that’s hard to shake, all amidst dance-like-nobody’s watching vibes. Bring your finest moves to their set if you want to stand out.

Compro Oro

Who: Ghent-based Latin jazz troupe proving the lush, scenic route can be equally riveting
Key track: ‘Greetings From The Colony’
What you can expect: The band’s three albums thus far have proved increasingly inquisitive, pushing their sound and that of the scene into freaky new places – from Ethiojazz to Afro-Cuban, everything is on the table and up for grabs. In 2020, they collaborated with Murat and Esma Ertel, frontman of Istanbul’s cult psych-folk band BaBa ZuLa and last year dropped a new record ‘Buy The Dip’. A welcome home at Cala Mijas’ open-minded crowd surely awaits.

Judeline

Who: Meticulously plotted pop by a rising star confident in her vision
Key track: ‘Zahara’
What you can expect: Judeline already had a co-sign from Bad Bunny when he placed her on the cover of a personal playlist, but the local artist has so much more to give than others’ approval. Centering her Andalusian heritage and culture, her recent double A-side ‘Tanger Y Zaraha’ allows her vocals to soar in both banging and more cerebral sonic soundscapes. Recent global success for Rosalía and Nathy Peluso have encouraged Judeline to dream big and plot out her next phase.

Juicy BAE

Who: Andalusian all-rounder bringing a flair for dramatics to her tunes
Key track: ‘ORO’
What you can expect: To stand out in a trap scene as competitive as Spain’s, you need to be pushing boundaries, forgoing expectations and at the top of your game at all times. Juicy BAE showed that on her 2022 album ‘PTSD’ she could be, ‘Por Ti’ and ‘Shorty’ showing dexterous songcraft.

La Plazuela

Who: A vibrant, proud hybrid of electronica, pop and flamenco
Key track: ‘Tangos De Copera’
What you can expect: There’s shades of Jungle and Hot Chip in the duo’s colourful new album ‘Roneo Funk Club’, but something deliciously unique to what they do. When the insistent bassline of ‘Peiname Junana’ steers the track through countless genres and vibes, it’s hard not to be enticed into their world.

Niños Luchando

Who: The expansive new project from Granada-born Javier Bolívar
Key track: ‘Bien’
What you can expect: Following the end of his previous band Aurora, the musician pivoted to trendy electronic epics with his recently released collection ‘Territorio’. Although he might be in his mysterious phase – the head in hands look in his press photos is intentional – the full hearted and ambitious beats of his new project remain memorable and full of personality.