Suara Festival, Bali's premier music and arts festival, slated for this month (July 26-28), has released single day passes for its highly anticipated three-day event, alongside details regarding its rich programming across art, food, culture, performance and wellness bolstering its global attraction. Set against the stunning backdrop of Nuanu City during its soft opening weekend, Suara promises an unparalleled fusion of music, art, wellness, and community engagement, appealing to individuals of all ages and backgrounds. With a global contemporary lineup set to stun alongside the region’s best represented across nine stages, Nuanu City’s picture perfect location perched on cliffs overlooking the Indian Ocean on 44 hectares of rolling hills filled with magnificent flora and fauna, will offer an immersive and culturally inclusive experience from the jungle to the dancefloor. For international guests eager for an experiential holiday staying in nearby Canggu or those living domestically pining for a festive weekend escape, Suara is a must for lovers of wellness, music and artistic expression.
Suara Festival Unveils Extensive Arts and Culture Programming featuring the Best of Bali
Beyond the multi genre and highly-curated music programming, this year’s offering includes a stage takeover in partnership with Mandala for club members, their guests and premium ticket holders, as well as visual and larger-than-life installation art by the likes of renowned South African artist Daniel Popper as well as a variety of traditional Balinese performances, aerialists and fire twirlers will roam the festival grounds. An artisan market featuring merchants from across the island, as well as food vendors peddling flavours from Indonesia and the world will also cater to festivalgoers palates and shopping needs. Other elements include a relaxing and enriching wellness program and a family zone complete with a nanny service run by Jungle Kids, the Nuanu international kindergarten that emphasizes learning through play and nature-based experiences. Lastly, an impressive speaker lineup covering topics as varied as the Balinese philosophy of ‘Tri Hita Karana’, impact and innovation will leave festivalgoers feeling inspired and invigorated to carry forward learnings into the world post festival.
Now in its third year, Suara Festival is the mastermind of Nuanu City Founder and visionary Sergey Solonin and Alexander Shursh who together last year invited Do What You Love creative agency Owner Jason Swamy onboard as Co-Founder, CEO and Creative Director to catapult the festival onto the world stage. Bringing with him a wealth of global experience shaping the fabric of the cultural zeitgeist from the depths of the desert in Nevada to the beachside tropics of Thailand and many more places in between, Swamy is credited with helping birth the ‘deep house’ genre. Having previously held director level roles with Burning Man’s Robot Heart, Further Future Festival in the United States and Thailand’s Wonderfruit (Asia’s first sustainable music festival), alongside a slew of brands and cultural institutions like Edition, LACMA Art Basel, M+Museum and NetEase, Swamy has spent the last 25 years working with emerging and up-and-coming artists through to three-star Michelin chefs, Grammy and Oscar winners.
Swamy expressed his excitement, stating: ”While we have an incredible melting pot of artists from across Bali, Southeast Asia and the world who will grace one of our many stages in July, Suara is so much more than a music festival. It’s an odyssey through Balinese culture where nature, community and spirituality seamlessly integrate. This is known as ‘Tri Hita Karana’ and this philosophy is the essence of Suara whether we’re talking about food, music, visual and performing arts, wellness, or our family and speaker program.”
“The festival name means ‘voice’ in Indonesian and so our aim is to facilitate a platform for Bali to share its incredibly rich and unique heritage with the world. Coupled with our global entertainment lineup it really is the epitome of ‘East meets West’.”
In tandem with the release of single day tickets, the headline acts for each day of the festival are also announced. American alt-pop talent Neil Frances (Duo set) are slated to headline on the Friday, hypnotic vocalists HVOB (live) and W Hotels Global Music Director and DJ and producer LP Giobbi slotted for the Saturday, and Aussie folk favourites Angus & Julia Stone as the main Suara headline act to close out the festival on the Sunday evening. The headline acts are complemented by a bespoke roster of the world’s most respected indie artists including Brandt Brauer Frick making their Bali debut, singer/songwriter/producer Youngr, instrumental samplists and bouncy beatmakers Geju, Australian pop siblings Lastlings, GRAMMY-nominees Mansionair, award-winning melodic house and techno producer Rodriguez Jr. (live), Akumandra label founder Sainte Vie (live) alongside regional stars like Ramengvrl, Yung Raja, DJ Wordy, and Jonathan Kusuma. A host of collectives from across Asia Pacific will also be dialling up the dancefloor with their eclectic showcases taking place from day into night.
Suara Festival Co-Founder and Nuanu Founder Sergey Solonin also shared his enthusiasm for this year’s edition stating, "I am thrilled to welcome everyone to Nuanu as we open our doors for the first time during this year’s Suara Festival. This event symbolises our vision of creating a space where culture, art, and community thrive together. Suara Festival is more than just a celebration; it’s an invitation to experience the harmony and creativity that Nuanu represents.”
Adds Swamy, “This is not for the passive-minded. Rather it is designed to be participatory in every possible way. By bringing so many talented people and purveyors together and with so many lovers of music, culture and art set to join us from all over, we are reshaping the future of the festival experience. I couldn’t think of a better backdrop for it than the Island of the Gods. See you on the dancefloor.”
Nuanu meaning ‘in the process’, embodies a commitment to harmonious living. Its vibrant community of creators, leaders, and changemakers is empowered to foster a culture of positive change. Designed as an integrated ecosystem, the city is spearheading 32 projects and has eight recreational spaces for education, art and culture, wellness, experience, and nature-inspired living, envisioning a future where these elements seamlessly intertwine.
As a thank you to the locals, the festival has allocated a number of tickets to a number of nearby Balinese communities. With single day passes now available starting at US$91, Suara Festival invites music enthusiasts, families, and wellness seekers to embark on an unforgettable journey of discovery and connection. To purchase tickets and learn more about Suara Festival, visit suarafestival.com.
