‘We Must Support The Fundamentals’: ESNS 2025 Takes Stock

The sold-out 39th edition of ESNS (Eurosonic Noorderslag) concluded Saturday, Jan. 18, counting 333 up-and-coming European acts from 33 countries showcasing their talent to some 40,000 music fans and music biz professionals.
Anna van Nunen, managing director of ESNS, expressed her satisfaction with the success of the 39th edition: “ESNS25 has once again proved that music is both our cultural heartbeat and an investment that pays dividends. Across Groningen this week, from intimate venue showcases to major performances at De Oosterpoort’s main stage, and through inspiring sessions at the ESNS Conference, we’ve seen how our European music ecosystem thrives when properly supported – connecting grassroots venues with international talent agents, major festivals with sustainability experts, and emerging talent with industry professionals.
“To maintain this momentum,” she added, “we must support the fundamentals: the rehearsal spaces, the small venues, and the talent development programmes across Europe. ESNS continues to show that when we invest in music’s foundations, we create both cultural and economic prosperity.”
See: Talking The Beating Heart Of ESNS With Managing Director Anna Van Nunen

ESNS program director Robert Meijerink added, “the diversity of European music was brilliantly showcased at ESNS25. We witnessed outstanding performances from Daniela Pes, Big Mama and Bassolino from our Focus country Italy, MRCY (UK), Sylvie Kreusch (BE), Maquina (PT), Meule (FR), CVC (UK), Personal Trainer (NL) and Kosmonauci (PL) among many others. It’s especially exciting to see artists like Music Moves Europe Awards winners YAMÊ (FR), Judeline (ES) Kingfishr (IR), Naomi Sharon (NL), Night Tapes (EE), Uche Yara and nominees like Loverman (BE), Woomb (BG) and Zimmer 90 (GER) breaking through internationally.”
According to van Nunen, you could see the immediate impact it had to have those artists performing in front of a professional audience that could take their careers to the next level. “Artists are already securing festival bookings through the European Talent Exchange,” she said, “and from the data we receive through ESNS Radar and Analytics, we see that their international fanbases are growing rapidly. ESNS remains committed to presenting not just future headliners but also those diverse sounds that make European music so rich and diverse.” Robert Meijerink adds: “This is exactly why festivals rely on us to discover their final programming pieces, whether for main stages or more intimate settings.”
35 Years Of Breaking Borders In Europe: A Chat With ESNS Head Of Program Robert Meijerink
In 2024, ESNS’s European Talent Exchange led to 335 shows by 132 acts from 33 countries, performing at 95 festivals across 34 countries. The 2024 results demonstrate the program’s broad appeal across Europe, with diverse representation in the top bookings list, including artists from England, Ireland, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland and Slovenia. The English band Fat Dog leads the list as the most booked artist, securing 15 bookings. European Talent Exchange remains committed to expanding opportunities for European acts within Europe and on the global stage.
Since 2003, the European Talent Exchange has helped 2,292 European artists from 36 countries perform 5,675 shows at 197 partner festivals across 44 countries, by ESNS’s own admission.
