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Why Sónar Festival Is Still Facing Boycott Calls

Sónar stage with artist cancellations listed
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Adil

Despite dropping some sponsors, the Barcelona event hasn’t met BDS demands. Artists and activists say: it’s not enough.

The clock is ticking. With less than a week before Barcelona’s iconic Sónar music festival kicks off, pressure is mounting. Over 70 artists have already pulled out, and more are reconsidering their participation. Why? Because Sónar, owned by Superstruct Entertainment, still refuses to fully uphold the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) guidelines despite global outcry.

🛑 What Has Sónar Done So Far?

After months of sustained pressure, Sónar has made some visible moves:

  • ❌ Dropped McDonald’s and Coca-Cola as sponsors (both BDS priority targets)
  • 🗣 Publicly condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza
  • 🏛 Backed Barcelona’s city call for Fira (its venue) to drop Israeli arms manufacturers

Sounds good? Not quite.

📢 What Sónar Hasn’t Done

Sónar has yet to:

  • 📄 Commit to ethical guidelines on programming and partnerships
  • 🧾 Uphold BDS guidelines within its operations
  • 💬 Engage transparently with artists and the Palestinian-led BDS movement

Instead of full transparency, it has issued vague statements and distanced itself from parent company Superstruct, which is majority-owned by KKR – a private equity firm heavily invested in:

  • Israeli surveillance and tech firms
  • US weapons manufacturing
  • Projects that displace Indigenous communities in Canada

PACBI, the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel, is clear: this isn’t enough. "We need meaningful solidarity, not PR spin."

🧨 Why Superstruct and KKR Matter

Superstruct owns over 80 festivals globally. That includes Sónar, Field Day, Mighty Hoopla, and Boiler Room. KKR, its parent investor, recently appointed David Petraeus, former CIA director, as head of its Middle East board. This isn’t just music. It’s geopolitics.

Barcelona’s culture minister says KKR is "not welcome" in Spain’s cultural scene. Some cities are cutting ties. So why is Sónar still dragging its feet?

🎧 Artist Resistance Is Growing

From London to Barcelona, the artist-led revolt is spreading:

  • ✅ Mighty Hoopla and Boiler Room have publicly committed to BDS principles
  • ❌ Sónar remains vague

Even Palestinian DJ Sama’ Abdulhadi, who is still scheduled to perform, has called on Sónar to "go further."

🧭 Boycat Recommends

Until Sónar fully commits to BDS principles:

  • ❌ Don’t attend or support the festival
  • 📢 Encourage artists to withdraw
  • 🗳 Demand ethical policy transparency from music festivals

📲 Download the Boycat app to track boycott ratings, discover ethical festivals, and hold brands accountable.

Solidarity isn’t a slogan. It’s a choice.