The Metal Stage showcase, curated by Heavy Music Estonia, brings the raw power and intensity of the Northern heavy music scene—a fierce blend of metal spanning traditional to modern, folk to industrial. It's a stage where seasoned performers meet bold newcomers, pushing the boundaries of sound and emotion.
Prepare to encounter the most exciting, bizarre, and formidable acts from Estonia and beyond—honest, unrelenting, and fiercely passionate music for those who demand nothing less.
At Tallinn Music Week, Finno-Ugric artists take to the stage: Estonians, Setos, Finns, Sámi, Udmurts, and Hungarians.
The spectrum of musical styles is broad and delightfully idiosyncratic: you'll hear traditional songs and modern folk music, experimental electronica, as well as music tinged with post-rock and ambient.
What unites these acts is a Finno-Ugric cultural background, expressed through singing in their native languages or through the distinctive world of their sonic world.
Roots Session is a concert series that digs deep into music from every corner of the globe, pulling at roots and plucking leaves from diverse cultural traditions, while sharing the ground of great musicianship.
Blues, americana, roots rock, country, gospel, folk and even jazz—these are the building blocks that keep showing up in the Roots Session sound. Expect rock'n'roll that moves your hips and gospel that rattles your soul—all coming together at TMW in the Club of Different Rooms. Don't you dare miss it!
Classical:NEXT, the global networking and exchange hub dedicated to classical and art music, presents a meticulously curated concert programme at Tallinn Music Week that pushes boundaries and extends horizons.
From masterful interpreters to contemporary innovators and canon-breakers – they're all united by the forward-looking keyword "NEXT".
WTF is Finland? Perhaps the happiest country in the world—or so they say. Despite the long winters, deep dark forests (read: alcohol), and Santa Claus, Finland has carved out a unique place in the global music scene. It's a country with the highest number of metal bands per capita, and it's home not only to some of the world's finest classical musicians but also to incredible pop artists, songwriters, and world-class producers.
WTF is also Welcome to Finland—a showcase event and an excellent opportunity to discover Finland's hottest new sounds! Hosted by Music Finland and Teosto.
Feel the pulse of the Baltic grassroots music scene with Cindy & Kate at Uus Laine! This showcase brings together a wildly diverse lineup from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania—spotlighting the region's most forward-thinking pop, indie, electronic, and alternative sounds.
Expect raw creativity, unbridled passion, and genre-bending performances that capture the Baltics' uniquely modern identity. The atmosphere shifts from intimate, pin-drop listening moments to bold, high-energy performances, offering a vivid snapshot of the region's rising talent. Artists who've graced the TMW stage with Cindy & Kate have been snapped up for gigs as far-flung as Croatia, India, and Nepal—straight off the stage.
The Finnish record label Stupido Records, a name of real significance for Estonian music, brings its favourite acts to Von Krahl Bar from both sides of the Gulf of Finland and beyond. The night also celebrates the 40th anniversary of Estonian punk legend J.M.K.E.. The label, founded by Estonia and rock enthusiast Joose Berglund (back then known as Stupido Twins), released J.M.K.E.'s single 'Tere perestroika' as its very first record—a track that took the band into a foreign chart for the first time as an artist from Soviet Estonia. It's a night where punk, power pop, noise and performance art shake hands, and rebel history crashes into a bold present.
Paavli.LIVE is a concert series unbound by genre, taking its cues from experimental music, various shades of jazz, adventurous hip-hop, and so much more. Its distinguished guests have included Swans, William Basinski, Azymuth and John Maus—united by the singular nature of the artist and the exceptional quality of their music.
Daughters of Donbas – Songs of Stolen Children is a music and human rights project addressing the ~20,000 Ukrainian children abducted from occupied regions in Eastern Ukraine and taken to Russia.These moving songs are based on testimonies from the few children who have been rescued from Russian filtration camps and made it back to Ukraine. The project is led by Ukrainian-Canadian singer Marichka, winner of the Amnesty International Prize and former lead singer with Balaklava Blues and Lemon Bucket Orkestra. She has been travelling between Canada and Ukraine, working as both an embedded war correspondent and lead singer-composer of Daughters of Donbas.Songs of Stolen Children have made headlines worldwide, including coverage on the BBC, NPR, German national radio, Polish national radio, CBC, and more.
This is a special event. Access for TMW 2026 PRO Pass holders (limited seats!) or separate ticket (includes exhibition entry). TMW festival pass does not grant access to this concert.
Special guests Ruslan Trochynskyi, Rute Trochynskyi, and string quartet from Estonia.
Tuulikki Bartosik and Sander Mölder create a sound where Nordic and Baltic influences meet modern innovation. Their music is both minimalistic and rich—emotionally resonant and sophisticated—inviting listeners into a space where tradition evolves and new ideas emerge. Traditional tones are particularly evident when the Estonian kannel (a string instrument) is played, adding a layer of mystery and elusiveness. The duo bridges the gap between acoustic and electronic expressions, delivering a highly captivating performance that concludes on an upbeat note, with a rhythm reminiscent of Kraftwerk's Trans-Europe Express.
Their collaborative album Playscapes (2023) has garnered widespread international acclaim, including being named Folktronica Album of the Year by Swedish music magazine Lira. In 2025, they performed at the ESNS festival. Currently, the duo are completing a new album exploring the theme of home—drawing from their own experiences of living between worlds, extensive travels, and broader questions of displacement, war, refugees, and belonging in a fractured world. The project brings together music and visual art in equal measure, with Belgian-born, US-based Estonian videographer and director Frank Raudsepp creating the visual dimension. After a year of collaboration on these themes, the result promises to be both compelling and deeply resonant.
This is a special event. Access for TMW 2026 PRO Pass holders (limited seats!) or separate ticket (includes exhibition entry). TMW festival pass does not grant access to this concert.
