Opening artists by Year

Here is a list of artists who have played at the WOMEX Openings since the first official concert in 2003.


2023 - 2022 - 2021 - 2019 - 2018 - 2017 - 2016 - 2015 - 2014 - 2013 - 2012 - 2011 - 2010 - 2009 - 2008 - 2007- 2006 - 2005 - 2004 - 2003

WOMEX 23 A Coruña: Resounding Picasso

  • Caamaño & Ameixeiras (Spain)
  • Karmento (Spain)
  • Expresso Transatlântico (Portugal)
  • Niño Josele (Spain)
  • Tarta Relena (Spain)

WOMEX 22 in Lisbon: Lisbon Sounds

  • Beatriz Felício (Portugal)
  • Club Makumba (Portugal)
  • Expresso Transatlântico (Portugal)
  • Júlio Resende (Portugal)

WOMEX 21 in Porto: Porto Refolk Express

  • Retimbrar with Uxía (Portugal/Spain)
  • Sopa de Pedra (Portugal)
  • Seiva (Portugal)
  • Galandum Galundaina with Pauliteiros de Miranda (Portugal)

WOMEX 19 in Tampere: Arctic Fire - Pohjoiset Tulet

  • Pauanne (Finland)
  • Pekko Käppi (Finland)
  • Suistamon Sähkö (Finland)
  • Vildá (Finland)

WOMEX 18 in Las Palmas: Tránsitos Atlánticos

  • Aka Trio (Spain)
  • Aurora (Spain)
  • Caracoles (Spain)
  • LaBaq (Brazil)

WOMEX 17 Katowice Opening

  • Akuso (Poland)
  • Kapela Maliszów (Poland)
  • Volosi (Poland)
  • Lautari (Poland)

WOMEX 16 in Santiago de Compostela: Iberians – Music Tapas Menu

  • Carmen París (Spain)
  • Cuarteto Caramuxo (Spain)
  • Kepa Junkera (Spain)
  • Maria Arnal & Marcel Pagés (Spain)
  • Talabarté (Spain)

WOMEX 15 in Budapest: Gypsy HeartBeats

  • Bea Palya (Hungary)
  • Romengo & Mónika Lakatos (Hungary)
  • Szalonna and his Band (Hungary)
  • Tcha Limberger (Belgium)

WOMEX 14 in Santiago de Compostela: Compostela – The Roots, The Way

  • Mercedes Peón (Spain)
  • Xabier Díaz (Spain)
  • Jorge Pardo (Spain)
  • Germán López (Spain)
  • Oreka TX (Spain)
  • António Zambujo (Portugal)
  • Budiño (Spain)

WOMEX 13 in Cardiff: Land of Song – Gwlad y Gân

  • Andy Coughlan (United Kingdom)
  • Ballet Cymru (United Kingdom)
  • Cass Meurig (United Kingdom)
  • Cerys Matthews (United Kingdom)
  • DnA (United Kingdom)
  • Dawnswyr Nantgarw (United Kingdom)
  • Frank Moon (United Kingdom)
  • Gwenan Gibbard (United Kingdom)
  • Georgia Ruth (United Kingdom)
  • Ghazalaw (India/United Kingdom)
  • Mason Neely (USA)
  • Mount Stuart Primary School Choir (United Kingdom)
  • Patrick Rimes (United Kingdom)
  • Siân James a’r Plygeinwyr (United Kingdom)
  • Treorchy Male Choir (United Kingdom)
  • Twm Morys a’r Datgeiniaid (United Kingdom)

WOMEX 12 in Thessaloniki: A Tribute to the Life of Legendary Singer Roza Eskenazi

  • My Sweet Canary Ensemble (Greece/Turkey/Israel)
  • Savina Yannatou & Primavera en Salonico (Greece)
  • Apsilies (Greece)

WOMEX 11 in Copenhagen: Hungarian Heartbeats

  • Ági Szalóki (Hungary)
  • Balogh-Lukács Cimbalom Duo (Hungary)
  • Both-Dongó Duo (Hungary)
  • Söndörgő (Hungary)
  • Tükrös (Hungary)

WOMEX 10 in Copenhagen: The Chaosmos of Korean Music

  • Baramgot (South Korea)
  • Be-Being (South Korea)
  • Tori Ensemble (South Korea)

WOMEX 09 in Copenhagen: The Great Nordic Night

  • The Great Nordic Band featuring Soloists (Denmark/Faroe Islands/Greenland/Sweden/Norway/Finland/Iceland)

WOMEX 08 in Sevilla: Flamenco

  • Los Rumbers (Spain)
  • Miguel Poveda (Spain)
  • Ultra High Flamenco (Spain)

WOMEX 07 in Sevilla: Qawwali-Flamenco

  • DJ Lord Sassafras (Spain)
  • Duquende, Chicuelo and group (Spain)
  • Faiz Ali Faiz and his Qawwali Group (Pakistan)

WOMEX 06 in Sevilla

  • Banda de la María (Spain)
  • Electroputas (Spain)
  • Mártires del Compás (Spain)
  • Son de la Frontera (Spain)

WOMEX 2005 in Newcastle/Gateshead

  • Fidget Feet (United Kingdom)
  • Folkestra (United Kingdom)
  • Natacha Atlas (Egypt/Belgium/United Kingdom)
  • Raj Pannu (United Kingdom)
  • Robert Plant and Strange Sensation (United Kingdom)
  • Sarr & Soul (Senegal/Rwanda/United Kingdom)
  • Steelquake (United Kingdom)
  • Tarang (United Kingdom)
  • The Baghdaddies (United Kingdom)

WOMEX 2004 in Essen: Via Kaboul – Music and Voices of Central Asia

  • Academy of Shashmaqam (Tajikistan)
  • Bardic Divas (Kazakhstan/Kyrgyzstan/Uzbekistan)
  • Homayun Sakhi and Rahim Takhari (Afghanistan)
  • Sanam Uyghur Ensemble (Uzbekistan)
  • Songs and Music of Badakhshan (Tajikistan)
  • Tengir-Too (Kyrgyzstan)

WOMEX 2003 in Sevilla: World Flamenco Fair

  • David Peña Dorantes “Sur” (Spain)
  • Musafir (India) – official showcase artist