One of Bristol’s biggest festivals is set to return for its fourth year in a row, welcoming the hottest stars straight off the back of an incredibly successful awards season.
Triple Grammy-winning Doechii will head up the Sunday. FORWARDS began teasing her appearance days before the stacked lineup was unveiled, with an alligator appearing on billboards across the city; a nod to her latest album Alligator Bites Never Heal.
The Tampa-born rapper will be performing on the Sunday, alongside BBC Music’s 2023 Introducing Artist of the Year Olivia Dean, Moonchild Sanelly, The Silhouettes Project, Alemeda and Snapped Ankles.
But she’s not the only artist on the lineup who has been making waves, with two recent BRIT Award winning artists – Ezra Collective and co-headliners The Last Dinner Party – taking the stage at Clifton Downs. These unmissable headline acts will also be joined by Scottish producer Barry Can’t Swim and singer Jorja Smith.
The city’s deep love for drum and bass has also not gone unrepresented in the lineup, with Fabio & Grooverider and The Outlook Orchestra locked in to hit hard on the final day of the festival.
Other acts due to appear include Confidence Man, Orbital, local artist Katy J Pearson, Mount Kimbie, English Teacher, Happy Mondays, Ishmael Ensemble and The Rituals Orchestra and Mermaid Chunky.
FORWARDS is recognised as one of the country’s most progressive festivals, placing international music acts side by side with major social initiatives and timely debate. Since its inaugural event in 2022, FORWARDS has quickly grown to become one of the city’s most popular live music offerings.
FORWARDS Festival 2025 takes place from 23th-24st August 2025 at Bristol’s Clifton Downs and tickets are available here.
featured image: @khaliphotography
