For more than 20 years, Norway’s Øya Festival has been setting the agenda for what a modern music festival can be. Programming a progressive 50/50 split between male and female artists, Øya is renowned for line-ups which blend international global stars with the best domestic talent. Factor in an environmentally friendly and sustainable ethos that’s applied to every element of its organisation, plus the beautiful setting of Tøyenparken, Oslo, and it’s clear to see why Øya is regarded as one of the continent’s most essential festivals.

Now Øya Festival unveils its first wave of artists who are confirmed for its 2023 event, which runs from August 8th - 12th 2023. Headlining the festival on Saturday 12th August is Sigrid, the Norwegian pop sensation who continues to rewrite the rulebook for the modern pop archetype with her current album ‘How To Let Go’. The set continues Sigrid’s long-standing relationship with Øya, having debuted at the festival in 2017 as she was emerging with ‘Don’t Kill My Vibe’ and then in 2019 when she drew a headliner sized crowd for her late afternoon slot.

Headlining on Friday 11th August is Håkan Hellström, the Swedish singer-songwriter who sold 280,000 tickets over the course of four stadium shows in Gothenburg this summer. Having made his breakthrough in 2000 with the song "Känn ingen sorg för mig Göteborg", Hellström’s prolific and much-loved musical output includes nine studio albums, with eight reaching number one on the Swedish Albums Chart.

Øya’s first rush of international artists is led by the utterly unique new wave innovators DEVO. This represents one of the few European shows as the ‘Whip It’ men embark upon their farewell and 50th anniversary tour, and represents one of their first shows on the continent in many years.

Further international artists include FKA twigs, who followed this year’s acclaimed ‘CAPRISONGS’ mixtape by being crowned Godlike Genius at the NME Awards; influential leftfield pop artist Caroline Polachek, who will release her new album ‘Desire, I Want To Turn Into You’ early in 2023; provocative UK rap star Shygirl; Australian punk sensations Amyl and The Sniffers; Afro-influenced art pop from Obongjayar; and hypnotic pop from TV Girl.

As we’ve come to expect, Øya is proud to present an array of leading Norwegian talent from almost every genre imaginable. The line-up includes Marstein, the domestic hip-hop star who reached an international audience with ‘Frida Kahlo’; rapper Jonas Benyoub who has just released a Deluxe Edition of his ‘ZeroLove’ album; and ARY, a contender to become the country’s next international alt-pop breakthrough artist. The bill also spans everything from rip-roaring punk (Daufødt) to ‘90s-tinged indie-pop (Veps) and modern jazz (Gard Nilssen’s Supersonic Orchestra).

Øya also leads the pack in terms of running a festival in a way that is as environmentally sustainable as possible - creating a reputation as the world’s greenest festival, leading to accolades from the European Festival Awards and the AGF (A Greener Festival) Awards. The site operates free of fossil fuels, with 98% of its power being renewable and all construction machinery is run on biofuel. That progressive approach is also applied to everything from recycling (75% of all waste is recycled, having been sorted by hand) to travel (98% of attendees arrive by bike, foot or public transport).

Tickets are now available from Ticketmaster, priced at 3,664 NOK / £300 for a week-long pass, 1,304 NOK / £107 for a day ticket, or 1,959 NOK / £160 for a week-long youth pass valid for those aged 12-17. Øya Ekstra tickets add a range of VIP benefits including exclusive camping, bar and toilet facilities, and are priced at 5,179 NOK / £424 for the week, or 1,809 NOK / £148 for a day ticket.