Tallinn Music Week 2026 lineup revealed with 186 artists from 38 countries
The international new music festival Tallinn Music Week(TMW) is shaping up for the 18th edition from9–12April. 186 artists from 38 countries are set to transform Estonia’s capital into a global sonic celebration.
Festival passes are available at the best price until 9th February via the TMW webshop. Showcase tickets are available via Piletilevi PLG.
“Festival for tomorrow’s music, arts and ideas” TMW takes place for the 18th time this spring, with the music festival running from 9–11 April across Tallinn’s venues from Telliskivi Creative City to St John’s Church. The genre-crossing programme ranges from Finno-Ugric traditional music to global pop and rock, and from jazz and choral music to modern fusion styles.
The festival presents 186 artists from 38 countries. Special spotlight falls on the 80 Estonian acts, whilst the largest number of international performers—26—comes from Finland, followed by Canada (11), France, Latvia, and Sweden (9 each), the UK (7), Germany and Poland (6 each), and Denmark, Belgium, and Ukraine (5 each).
TMW’s special spotlight falls on Estonian music. Amongst the 80 domestic artists are both internationally acclaimed names and local stars setting the pace for tomorrow’s sound. Shoegaze ensemble mariin k., singer-songwriter Alonette, flute duo Kuula Hetke, and metal band Intrepid have all recently graced leading European festivals, demonstrating the boundary-crossing versatility of contemporary Estonian music. The lineup also features Duo Ruut, who reached Glastonbury Festival last year, and folk-pop ensemble SADU, who have won the hearts of local audiences.
“The voice of young Estonia is represented by, amongst others, the Kurvad Uudised label’s DJ trio KLAP, margiiela—one of the boldest voices in Estonian alternative rap—and hardcore punk band Skoone, whose debut LP Inimeste inimene claimed last year’s best album title from local critics. Celebrating its 40th year of activity at TMW is Estonian punk legend J.M.K.E..
Audiences will hear beloved soul diva Rita Ray, the theatrical neo-vaudeville blues duo Kaisa Ling & René Paul, and South of Savoy, who blend American roots music with Estonian swamp mythology. Pushing boundaries of electronic music are meta-artist kiwanoid, mechanical music machine master Erik Alalooga, composer Sander Saarmets’s project V4R1, and performative group Apparatus&Apparata. From Australia comes Estonian-born electronic folk pioneer Olev Muska.
Estonian choral music giant Veljo Tormis’s folk song–based compositions enter into dialogue with jazz and electronic textures in performances by Maarja Aarma, Karl Madis Pennar, and Mikk Kaasik alongside the Estonian Television Girls’ Choir. Accordionist Tuulikki Bartosik and composer-producer Sander Mölder present a new programme exploring home, belonging, and displacement.
The programme also includes two special concerts in collaboration with Estonian Music Days festival. Girls’ Choir Ellerhein presents new works by composers Mariliis Valkonen and Kristo Matson, whilst Tallinn Chamber Orchestra performs at Club HALL with soloists Vambola Krigul and Joonas Mikk in the concert-performance “The Birth of Light”.
TMW features remarkable artists from across the world.
Ukraine’s music ambassadors at TMW include Ziferblat, who gained recognition at the Eurovision Song Contest, underground dance music producer and BodyParts label founder Olga Korol, and the music and human rights project Daughters of Donbas: Songs of Stolen Children. Led by Amnesty International laureate and Ukrainian-Canadian singer Marichka, the project gives voice to children rescued from Russian filtration camps.
Amongst the Finns are new gen pop act Goldielocks and jazz ensemble Kadi Vija 3 (both Emma Award nominees) and space rock cult band K-X-P. Sweden is represented by Grammi laureate Lena Jonsson’s trio, who bring rock star charisma to folk tradition; Latvia by experimental darkwave duo the body of a swan; and Poland by hip-hop-jazz-club hybrids Omasta and the daltonists.
French-Swiss saxophonist Léon Phal has risen to become one of the most exciting jazz musicians of his generation in just a few years. London desert rockers The Howlers combine blues and garage rock with a psychedelic charge, whilst Belfast’s TANAKA VII fuses velvety R&B and afro-fusion, Congolese group Kin’gongolo Kiniata blend punk and urban symphonies, and South Korean Dasom Baek improvises boldly with traditional instruments. Canada brings seven-time Juno nominee and reggae fusion artist Ammoye, alongside yacht-pop princess Paris Pick.
In March, finalists from the Heavy Music Band Battle competition will be added to the festival lineup.
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The TMW programme running from 9–12 April 2026 consists of a music festival, music industry conference and city festival.
TMW 2026 music festival passes and PRO passes providing access to the music festival and conference are on sale at the TMW webshop. Festival passes are available at a discounted price until 9 February. Individual tickets for TMW 2026 concerts and club nights are on sale at Piletilevi PLG.
The TMW festival is organised by Muusikanädal NGO and Shiftworks in collaboration with numerous programme partners and co-curators.
TMW 2026 music programme Estonian curators: Damn.Loud, Estonian Choral Association, Estonian Music Days, Estonian Heavy Music Association, Fenno-Ugria, Funk Embassy, Glitch Please, I Land Sound, Jazz Union, Kurvad Uudised, Legendaarne Raadio, OOPUS, Paavli Culture Factory, Reivile Minuga, Roots Session, Tier Music, UNESCO City of Music Tallinn, Viljandi Folk Music Festival, Võnge Festival, Üle Heli Festival
International curators: Blowup, Cindy & Kate, Classical:NEXT, LONA Musik, Music Cities Network, Music Finland, Playground Music, Skaņu Mežs, Stupido Records, Yugofuturism; Talentcoach with Icons Creating Evil Art, MTA Production, BD Pop, and Sensus; Women in Music Canada with Estonian Music Week and VEMU museum
TMW’s strategic partner in music is Music Estonia. The festival is supported by Nordic Hotel Forum, Telliskivi Creative City, Cultural Endowment of Estonia, the City of Tallinn and UNESCO City of Music Tallinn, and the Canadian Embassy.
From 2026–2028, the European Cohesion Fund is supporting Tallinn Music Week’s marketing efforts, promoting Tallinn and Estonia as an attractive cultural tourism destination.
TMW is a founding member of the FoMC federation uniting international music conferences and showcase festivals, a member of the European talent exchange programme ESNS Exchange, and a partner festival of the global gender equality initiative Keychange and the European global music platform UPBEAT.