AXEAN Festival 2026 wrapped up its latest edition in Bali, bringing together artists, music professionals, industry delegates, and audiences for three days of performances, networking, and cultural exchange.
Held for the third consecutive year at Jimbaran Hub, the annual music showcase and conference welcomed more than 4,000 attendees, including private events—nearly twice last year’s attendance. The growing turnout reflected AXEAN’s expanding reach and its role in connecting Southeast Asian music communities.
For co-founder and co-team leader Piyapong Muenprasertdee, also known as Py, one of the festival’s highlights was seeing audiences move naturally between different genres and cultures. Indonesian headliner Ndarboy Genk brought this spirit to life with a performance featuring dangdut, koplo, and Javanese pop, turning the crowd into a communal dance floor.
Connecting Southeast Asia Through Music
Beyond performances, AXEAN continued its focus on creating opportunities for music industry connections through speed meetings, pitching sessions, and panel discussions. Partner activities included brunches hosted by Sounds Australia, programming by Korea Spotlight by KOCCA, and initiatives involving France’s Centre national de la musique (CNM).
The festival also placed emphasis on informal connections through its VIP lounge, supported by The Orchard, and its closing after-party, giving artists and delegates opportunities to connect outside structured industry sessions.
One of this year’s major milestones was AXEAN’s partnership with KEXP, marking the Seattle-based music platform’s first presence at an Asian festival. As KEXP’s first Asian festival partner for its Live at KEXP program, AXEAN hosted 12 performances by Southeast Asian artists, filmed at Locca Sea House and Puri Bhagawan in Bali.
The festival also expanded its audience experience with a Southeast Asian street food hawker center and an arts and crafts area, alongside a three-stage setup supported by TuneCore and Empire.
Looking ahead, AXEAN Festival plans to build on its regional connections while strengthening Southeast Asian music’s presence within the wider Asian music ecosystem. With more collaborations, music discovery initiatives, and a songwriting camp planned after the festival, AXEAN continues to position music export and regional exchange at the heart of its mission.
Since launching in 2020, AXEAN Festival has featured more than 290 artists from 23 countries, welcomed over 530 delegates from 36 countries and territories, and reached more than 46,000 virtual viewers and nearly 22,000 live attendees across its editions.
