The eighth edition of Sea Star Festival is bringing the world’s most in-demand techno DJs right to the front row by the sea as part of the explosive Rave in Paradise program lineup! Explosive beats and the hardest drops will transform Umag’s Stella Maris lagoon into a true paradise for ravers. From May 28 to 30, the Sea Star Festival main stage will welcome some of the biggest names in contemporary techno: Boris Brejcha, KI/KI, Holy Priest, BIIA, Layla Benitez, and Lanna. Audiences will also experience the special music-and-environmental spectacle Emergency EXIT, created with renowned European troupe La Fura Dels Baus, featuring acclaimed electronic producer Satori in the leading role, alongside visual artist Eyesberg. The Electric Waves stage will be taken over by Croatia’s strongest electronic names: DJ Labud, Elena Mikac, Herya, Inka, Kim Ono, Lottie, Marcel, Marin Biočić, one n, Roland, Sunny Sun, and Vlado Kaponja.
The Rave in Paradise program will conquer the Umag lagoon together with the already announced world and regional stars. Opening the festival season on the coast are hip-hop culture icon Xzibit with his band Furnace, regional live sensation KOIKOI, and a powerful trap lineup featuring exciting urban names: Amna, Grše, Hiljson Mandela, Prti Bee Gee, TBF, Blackout Showcase w/ Phat Phillie, Bore Balboa, Macha Ravel, TNG, Bejbe, Noti Limun, and Tibor.
Boris Brejcha, the masked techno deity and essential headliner of the world’s biggest festivals, will take over the Tesla Main Stage, presenting the full splendor of his more than three-decade-long career through his signature high-tech minimal set. Creating this rave paradise will also be Dutch techno frontrunner KI/KI, whose acid- and trance-infused sound will shake the magical lagoon. Joining the wildest rave opening the summer is the enigmatic antihero and leader of the hard techno movement that has taken the world by storm – Holy Priest. Keeping the crowd dancing until sunrise will be the authentic DJ BIIA, whose set packed with energy, pounding rhythms, and unstoppable rave euphoria will turn the lagoon into the epicenter of nighttime chaos. The party will be elevated to a new level by New York sensation Layla Benitez, bringing her unique blend of melodic techno, heavy groove, and ‘80s synth sounds, as well as Lanna, a rising force of the regional techno scene.
A special atmosphere will be created by the multimedia performance Emergency EXIT, merging audio and visual arts with raw human energy into a completely new and unique experience. Spanish collective La Fura dels Baus signs the concept of the show, while the music was composed by the one and only electronic producer Satori.
The Rave in Paradise lineup will be completed by DJ Labud, Elena Mikac, Herya, Inka, Kim Ono, Lottie, Marcel, Marin Biočić, one n, Roland, Sunny Sun, and Vlado Kaponja with energetic performances on the Electric Waves stage.
Hard Techno Conquers the World
Hard techno is the new musical phenomenon that has completely captivated new generations. Built on the solid foundations of classic techno combined with hardcore influences, it emerged in genre capitals such as Berlin and Detroit. Driven by the pounding kick drum, tempos start at 150 BPM and go higher. This harder form of techno has skyrocketed in popularity, with artists gaining the status of true rock stars. Hard techno fever has shaken the world – fans have united, building communities and driving local scenes, while viral content has helped the genre break out of the underground and onto the world’s biggest festivals and stages.
The scale, influence, and importance of the genre is clear in the fact that one of its standout artists – KI/KI – performed in a tunnel in Belgium’s capital city, where traffic in one of the busiest parts of town was shut down solely for her set. She developed her sound in the Dutch underground and rose rapidly to the very top of the techno scene, conquering legendary venues such as Berghain and Bassiani, as well as festivals including Awakenings and Pitch Music & Arts. The queen of all-nighters has also announced her major show at Amsterdam’s Ziggo Dome – but first, she arrives before the Sea Star crowd.
Alongside KI/KI, German DJ and producer Holy Priest has taken rave culture to another level. Though completely anonymous and enigmatic, he has created a global cult following devoted to the entire Holy Shit Show concept. Fans often refer to themselves as the Holy Clan, showing their dedication through tattoos of his name and recreations of his signature outfit and mask. He connects with his fanbase by displaying symbols of affection in the form of heart gestures before his hardest drops, making heart symbols a recognizable sign of his loyal crowd at festivals.
Joining the hardest rave is BIIA. The Portuguese DJ, who set this year’s EXIT No Sleep Festival in Belgrade on fire, is one of the leading names of modern techno with a twist: she blends raw, hard-hitting ‘90s beats flawlessly with her provocative vocals. Fearless BIIA has conquered stages worldwide – from Portugal and Ibiza to India and the United States – and this May she arrives on the Adriatic coast.
This year’s Sea Star headliners KI/KI, Holy Priest, and BIIA are among the most sought-after hard techno DJs in the world, and through their hard beats and heavy drops, the genre has reached unprecedented heights. Through marathon sets that merge nostalgia and futurism, they unapologetically test the limits of the genre and redefine the modern rave scene.
The eighth edition of Sea Star Festival will take place from May 28 to 31, 2026, in Umag’s Stella Maris lagoon. As in previous years, the main festival days will be Friday, May 29, and Saturday, May 30, while Thursday and Sunday are reserved for Welcome Day and the After Party.
Festival tickets are on sale now at the price of €58 and can be purchased through the festival’s official website. Single-day tickets are also available for €29, with a 30% discount compared to the final price.
The eighth Sea Star Festival will be realized with the support of the Croatian National Tourist Board, Istria County, the City of Umag, the Umag Tourist Board, the Istria Tourist Board, and Plava Laguna.
