The Magic of Hinterland 2026

ALL PHOTOS BY JACKILYN COOPER

Every year for the past 11 years, thousands of people eagerly flock to an unassuming, quiet town just south of Des Moines, Iowa: Saint Charles. During most of the seasons, the small town of Saint Charles provides tranquil countryside life for its residents. However, during the last week of July, the rolling hills and cornfields are transformed into something unforgettable: Hinterland, the state’s biggest music festival and a place for fans and artists to build unbreakable bonds in the summer heat.

In 2026, the festival took place from July 30 to August 2 and featured a brand new permanent stage, solidifying the festival’s magic for years to come. With headliners such as KATSEYE, Lorde, Mumford & Sons and Kali Uchis, Hinterland showcased a wide range of artists for listeners of all genres to enjoy throughout the weekend.

Part of Hinterland's allure is that it provides an enjoyable experience for everyone outside of just the musical experience. While the festival has a stacked lineup of live music and incredible artists, it also entails booths by local artists, on-site record shops, dozens of different food vendors and a strong, growing community ready to make new friends and pass the good vibes along. What more could you want from a festival?

Day 1

Day one of Hinterland set the tone for the rest of the festival, and if it proved anything, it was that the crowd was in for a weekend of fun and lively performances.

Frost Children and Jane Remover raised the bar for the festival’s opening with hyperpop that had the crowd moshing in the early hours of the day. While my most anticipated sets of the day were Jane Remover and beabadoobee, there were two performers that were extremely pleasant surprises for me and shocked me to my core with their talent and energy. They quickly became some of my favorite sets of the entire festival: AUDREY NUNA and ASHNIKKO.

AUDREY NUNA’s performance was one to remember. I went into this festival not knowing much of her music—and now she’s at the top of my radar. Talented in both rap and vocals, her songs brought irreplaceable energy to the crowd. Her dancers glided across the stage, adding a brilliant and ethereal touch to the set. She even shocked the crowd with a performance of “How It’s Done” from the “K-Pop Demon Hunters” soundtrack, inviting young fans around the festival to sing along with her.

ASHNIKKO’s set was playful, sexy and a whole lot of fun. Her stage production was an incredible feat as she entered her set through a tiny door with an Alice in Wonderland type feel, immediately breaking out into song and dance in a stage outfit that was absolutely stunning and perfectly on theme. She guided the crowd through a journey inside of her purse, which she had fallen into through her tiny door, sporting crumpled dollar bills and wrappers throughout her hair and state fair ribbons on her belt. With a heart full of whimsy and lyrics full of funny innuendos, there is no doubt that her set turned many onlookers into instant fans.

Seeing beabadoobee was a dream come true for me. As a fan since “Patched Up” in 2018, it was my first time seeing her live and I couldn’t be more excited. Her set absolutely delivered as she played songs new and old, from some of her greatest hits to deep cuts to brand new releases. As she sang songs such as “10:36,” “She Plays Bass” and “Switchblade,” she catered to every fan in the audience by blending new with old. Yes, I did cry multiple times throughout the set.

As night fell, a heavy downpour quickly engulfed the festival grounds. However, this did little to drive away fans, and only caused more excitement for day one’s headliner: KATSEYE. The girls dominated the stage despite the unfortunate weather, opening with an electrifying performance of “PINKY UP” that had the entire crowd screaming along. They also performed the debut of their newest single "Animal" for the first time at Hinterland.

While the girls did an incredible job in delivering a great headlining set with impressive choreography and beautiful live vocals, their label’s poor management did dull the performance slightly—only 4/6 members took the stage at Hinterland. With member Sophia Laforteza on a break due to illness, the performance held awkward gaps as choreography and singing lines were unadjusted.

Not only this, but it seemed like there was an elephant in the room as young fans held signs and wore shirts that pictured missing member Manon Bannerman, who has been on hiatus since February. As their company refuses to make a statement on the matter, many fans are expressing disappointment with their management. Despite this, Hinterland fans still embraced the KATSEYE girls with open arms, singing every word during the set.

ALL PHOTOS BY JACKILYN COOPER

Day 2

With the festival now in full swing, Hinterland was only getting better.

Day two began with performances by Saint Avangeline and Wisp, starting off on a high and angelic note. Between Saint Avangeline’s heavenly vocals and stage design and Wisp’s stunning shoegaze tracks, day two’s openers wonderfully prepared the crowd for a day that would most certainly be a fan favorite. It was an exciting day for the Pleaser Team as well, as we had the opportunity to interview both of these amazing artists and learn more about their first time at Hinterland.

The day continued as SOFIA ISELLA began her set in the middle of the afternoon. After seeing many festival goers proudly sporting her merch around the grounds, I was anxious to see what was in store for her performance. Here, impressive would be an understatement. Isella’s set was boldly unique and riveting, with impactful lyricism and a distinct grunge aesthetic. And of course, what set would be complete without some crowd surfing? Watching Isella being carried throughout the audience as she continued to perform was one of many highlights of the weekend. 

Snow Strippers turned Hinterland’s general admission pit into a dance floor. The audience was exhilarated to see this electropop duo perform, moshing to every song and begging for more. Of all the sets at Hinterland, the crowd’s response to Snow Strippers might have been the most electrifying. As I danced to “Under Your Spell” in the crowd, I watched as fans of all ages did the same, from a 10-year-old on the barricade to a group of 60-year-old women behind me.

MUNA was another act that I was beyond ready to see as one of my most beloved artists on Hinterland’s lineup. After seeing them live twice before, the phrase “third time’s the charm” held incredible weight and proved itself to be true. The trio began their set with new releases such as “Dancing On The Wall” and “Eastside Girls” before diving into classics such as “Solid” and “I Know A Place.” As seasoned performers, MUNA knows how to command an audience and make the stage their own, and they certainly did so at the festival. Hinterland quickly became MUNA-palooza as they performed a wildly perfect set for all to enjoy.

Lorde’s headlining set left me speechless. From beginning to end, her set was rich with emotion and symbolism as she used her body as a projection screen and showed videos of her younger self. Her set was deeply personal, seamlessly blending her personal journey with her identity all through songs across her discography. She emphasized her love for language and her road to finding self-acceptance, all while bringing festival-goers to tears with a rendition of “Liability” under a sea of rainbow lights. 

We caught a spot for the set near the B-stage, where Lorde performed “Ribs” as her last song in the middle of the crowd. As Lorde began the song and traveled across the barricade to the stage, the audience screamed in anticipation before she climbed up on the small platform to deliver the bridge through an overjoyed smile. The crowd jumped with her, singing every word like it was a mantra. Nothing in my life will ever top screaming my heart out to “Ribs” three feet away from Lorde herself.

Day 3

Day three brought us back to Hinterland’s roots, mainly catering to fans of folk, country and indie. Julia Wolf was my first set of the day, and I was more than ready to hear more of her catalog after “In My Room” went platinum on my playlist. She absolutely owned the stage, bringing ethereal sounds all the way from New York to Iowa. Despite her set consisting of sad girl anthems, the crowd couldn’t have been happier.

CMAT was next, and her energy had the entire festival ready for more. The Irish singer-songwriter enthralled the audience with her lively sound and strong stage presence, demanding attention from all corners of the grounds. With themes of country, pop and indie all intertwined, CMAT’s performance was a perfect encapsulation of what Hinterland is: colorful, invigorating, welcoming and full of infectious joy. 

Jessie Murph took the stage around 8 p.m. and immediately gained endless love from the audience. Her set had a vintage feel with an antique piano and props to set the scene. With a country twang and undeniable Southern charm, Jessie Murph gave Hinterland a performance full of raw passion that was unmatched. Fans held up cowboy boots across the barricades hoping for a signature, tears dripping down their cheeks as they belted out Murph’s lyrics. Crowd interactions were a must for Murph as she invited a fan to the stage to cover him in blue paint, which might take first place for best fan and artist interaction during the fest. 

While I didn’t know many Mumford & Sons songs going into their set, I left with a new appreciation for indie folk music. I sang, danced, clapped along, was captivated by a banjo and even did the “Cotton Eye Joe” at one point. Complete with a spectacular fireworks show to close out their performance, Mumford & Sons’ set brought together fans of all ages as the crowd watched in awe and sang their hearts out. It was a performance that truly showed how strong the community at Hinterland is as the audience embraced each other and celebrated alongside one another.

Day 4

Without a doubt, Day four of the festival was my most anticipated day. With Samia, Audrey Hobert and Young Miko all performing within hours of each other, Sunday was going to be a day to remember.

Samia warmed up the crowd with indie rock that charmed every listener. In just half an hour, Samia made the stage her own and took listeners across her discography. Frolicking around to “Big Wheel” was practically a free therapy session for me. As she ended her performance, she encouraged the crowd to sing the chorus of “Honey” with her, a beautiful display of Hinterland’s community as the audience became a choir.

Next up was Audrey Hobert, who has been a bucket list artist for me to see these past few months. When I saw her on the Hinterland lineup, I was more than ecstatic. She entered the stage in disguise, dressed in a long trench coat that added about two feet to her actual height and a pair of gag glasses with bushy eyebrows, a mustache and a nose as she sang “I like to touch people.” With ingenious songwriting and an honest vulnerability, Audrey Hobert’s music is like a breath of fresh air, and even better live as you watch her shine on stage. To end her set, she brought out her famous trampoline for “Sue Me,” jumping around as the song began. Hobert’s set instantly became one of the most fun and relatable sets I’ve ever witnessed.

While I didn’t catch most of Suki Waterhouse’s set up close, what I did hear sounded nothing less than enchanting. Her stage design was gorgeous, adorned with a large heart covered in disco ball panels in the middle of the stage and red roses scattered throughout. The crowd was bursting with excitement for this set, screaming with fervor as she entered the stage and began performing. Trust me, I was eagerly singing along to “Good Looking” as I grabbed food and watched her set from the top of the hill. With a healthy mix of upbeat indie and chill acoustics, it’s no secret as to why the crowd was so amped up for this set. While I desperately wanted to catch Wet Leg’s set right after, I was unable to—which might be my biggest regret from the experience.

Young Miko’s set was the biggest contender for my favorite part of the entire festival. As a Puerto Rican woman, my admiration for Young Miko was already through the roof — she’s one of my favorite Puerto Rican artists without a doubt. Fans showed up and showed out for Miko’s set, sporting signs, flags and creative outfits inspired by her music. As she performed her set, the crowd was so lively that audience members began throwing bras and panties on stage, which was incredibly funny to watch (and, let’s be honest, a valid reaction when it comes to Miko). Hearing “COLMILLO” and “WASSUP” live might’ve made my entire year, and it’s safe to say I left with some brand new Young Miko merch.

ALL PHOTOS BY JACKILYN COOPER

In all of the festivals I’ve been to, I’ve never experienced something quite like Hinterland. While the lineup was stacked and the performances were life-changing, it’s apparent that Hinterland would not hold the same charm if not for the community. From the fans lounging at the top of the hill to the ones moshing in the pit, the energy and passion from Hinterland attendees was something I’ll never forget. Even in the middle of Iowan farmland, fans continue to show up and prove that live music is what heals us all.