10 Oct 2024
In Pictures: Popaganda 2018 ends the summer
Festivals Music

In Pictures: Popaganda 2018 ends the summer

Tove Styrke

As tradition has it: first we do Popaganda, then we do autumn. The pop festival is basically an institution that officially ends the festival summer in Stockholm.

The festival started out 2002 at Frescati, and since 2008 it has been staged at Eriksdalsbadet, which is a perfect location especially when the weather permits swimming in the outdoor pool area (there was rather a limited number of swimmers this year due to Friday’s rainy weather).

Popaganda is always cozy and familiar, and you will definitely run into people you know and maybe even make new friends. The crowd consists of a nice mix of pop nerds and hipsters, teenagers and recycled teenagers. The festival area is small and the two stages alternate throughout the day so that when one stage finishes, the other kicks off. Well, this year there was also an added bonus of the Pool Sessions as well, where a small, dingy stage was dragged to the middle of the large swimming pool, with one surprise artist each day.




But let’s get down to the music that was on offer this year. Here we bring our photos of each artist on the bill (in the order that they performed).

 

Jens Lekman
Jens Lekman had the opening spot of the festival and he entertained the earlybird crowd with his rather clever brand of storytelling

 

Pale HOney
Gothenburg rockers Pale Honey were the first ones out on the smaller stage

 

Grant Pool Session
The first day’s short Pool Session brought us the amazing debut artist Grant, whom we really would have liked to see in a full set

 

Sarah Klang
Sarah Klang, the self-dubbed saddest girl in Sweden, has an amazing tone to her voice and really does bring on the melancholy vibe

 

Hanna Järver
Hanna Järver delivered her straight-cut pop in Swedish, recounting stories of mundane everyday things and relationships

 

Little Dragon
Electro-indie band Little Dragon from Gothenburg wrought some dreamy landscapes with their music      [Photo: Karen Pérez Guzmán]

 

Slowdive
UK band Slowdive brought some rather beautiful and romantic shoegazing pop to the crowds

 

Scottish indie rockers Franz Ferdinand delivered their 2000s classics as well as fresh material and really got the crowd going  [Photo: Karen Pérez Guzmán]

 

Caesars
1990s Swedish indie favorites Caesars (originally known as Caesar’s Palace) were clearly a welcome addition to the lineup as many had waited years and years to get to see them

 

Johanna Söderberg, First Aid Kit
The first festival day reached its climax with Sweden’s own internationally acclaimed country/folk sisters First Aid Kit, who played a string of their hits
Johanna (above) and Klara Söderberg (below) said it felt great to be back on hometurf, as the festival was held very close to where they grew up. The first time they played the festival 10 years ago, Klara was just 15 and Johanna 17.




Lova
The second festival day kicked off with the fresh pop sensation Lova, whose catchy tunes got everybody in a good mood

 

Linnea Henriksson
Big stage opener Linnea Henriksson continued in the sunshiny and playful mood, even bringing on those soap bubbles

 

Pale Waves
Manchester goth poppers Pale Waves clearly had their own following taking the front row, and vocalist Heather Baron-Gracie’s stage antics were really entertaining

 

Saturday’s Pool Session brought us Sibille Attar on that small stage floating in the big pool

 

Mwuana
Mwuana got to represent the Swedish rap scene at this year’s festival

 

Manchester-based Bipolar Sunshine brought some style and luxurious indie pop to the Popaganda stage

 

Tove Styrke
The highlight of the festival was Tove Styrke, who returned to wow the home crowds having been touring the world with Lorde and Katy Perry. She truly is a brightly shining Pop Star in capital letters.

 

Young Australian band Parcels brought such a funky groove it got people dancing

 

Metronomy
British electronic music group Metronomy also got people moving to their tunes

 

Exorsisters
Jenny Wilson’s performance started off with an effectful dance routine illustrating the message of her song Exorcism
Jenny Wilson
Jenny Wilson went on to prove why she is one of the most respected artists and songwriters in Sweden

 

Veronica Maggio
The closing spot of the festival went (for the second time) to the superstar of Swedish pop Veronica Maggio
Cheerleaders Veronica Maggio
Veronica put on a big show with cheerleaders, confetti rain and fireworks




So thanks for all the great music at Popaganda, and ’til next year!

 

Photos (unless otherwise indicated): Nina Uddin


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