From September 16 – 19, 2026, the Reeperbahn will be the hotspot for music fans, newcomers, and the music industry – for exchange and inspiration. Reeperbahn Festival is Europe’s premiere platform for pop culture and international musical talent and, per usual, Austrian artists will be making their mark in Hamburg this year. Check out the incredible Austrian artists performing this year and join us Austrian Heartbeats Showcase and Reception. Let’s come together, experience live music, expand perspectives and engage in meaningful encounters! Scroll down to get all the info you need and see you in Hamburg!
Do you hear that sound? It’s the beating heart of Austrian music on the international stage! Join us on the opening day of Reeperbahn Festival for our traditional networking at Indra: catching up, and a little gossip over vegan Leberkäse & Sachertorte.
On Wednesday, September 16, the opening night of the festival, Austrian Music Export invites international delegates to get to know the current local music scene at the legendary club Indra. Join us to discover some of Austria’s most promising talents, enjoy traditional Austrian snacks and drinks, and connect with old and new friends from the Austrian music scene.
The night is sponsored by the Austrian Cultural Forum and features rising voices from Austria. Before the shows, join us for a reception hosted by the Austrian collecting society AKM. What would the world be without music? The AKM ensures that musicians are paid when their music is used publicly. This is not only fair, but also safeguards the creativity and independence of the entire music industry.
Austrian Heartbeats Timetable – 16.9.2026
- 19:00 – 20:30 Austrian Heartbeats Reception – RSVP HERE
- 19:55 – 20:40 Tamara Flores // Location: BETTY
- 20:30 – 21:00 Mira Taylor // Location: INDRA
- 21:30 – 22:00 KARL // Location: INDRA
- 22:30 – 23:00 Oskar Haag // Location: INDRA
- 23:30 – 00:00 Nenda // Location: INDRA
Presented by Seayou Records – 17.09.2026
- 12:30 – 13:00 Holli // BALLSAAL
- 13:30 – 14:00 Kurpark // BALLSAAL
- 14:30 – 15:00 EFEU // BALLSAAL
- 15:30 – 16:00 Die Leute // BALLSAAL
Presented by SBÄM Records
- 21.00 – 21:30 Mudfight // BALLSAAL
18.9.2026
- 18:55 – 20:05 Anda Morts // DOCKS
- 23:10 – 00:40 HVOB // DOCKS
- 23:30 – 00:15 CULK // TURNZIMMER
19.09.2026
- 16:45 – 17:15 Jo The Man The Music // FRITZ COLA BÜHNE
- 23.30 – 00:15 Hidden Gemz // NOCHTWACHE
Presented by Feberwolle
- 17:30 – 18:00 Janka // MOPO Bus
- 21.00 – 21.30 Janka // Spielbude XL
AUstrian Artists at RBF26
ANDA MORTS
In search of an authentic soundtrack for life in the new twenties, Andreas Schneider aka Anda Morts finds musical ways out of all kinds of predicaments. The twenty-something from Linz sings about quarter-life crises and feeling lost in these crazy times. About transience and the hustle and bustle of urban life, but also about the worries of the parental generation, as in “Adidas für Mama” (2023), or the simple joys of a relaxed day with friends, as in “Leere Flaschen” (2023).
The setup is as minimalist as it is effective. Schneider’s beer-soaked rasp rattles over crisp drum machines, accompanied by raw guitars and a nostalgic DIY romanticism that he knows how to evoke in wonderfully unpolished form on his EPs. “MORTS” (2023) and “Montage” (2024), for example, have already achieved cult status in Austria’s underground punk scene, which last year was treated to Anda Morts’ debut album “ANS” (2025)—a record played with all the raw, scrappy energy of a band that means it.
Anyone who’s into genuine, dirty guitar music with heart and soul should definitely not miss this guy at our festival.
Culk
Like faded snapshots of a fading past, captured only briefly in motion, the sounds of Culk flicker through the mind. The images are blurry, the emotions oscillate between alienation and connection, yet the songs are incredibly warm in their lyrical intimacy and musical hypnotism. As early as 2019, the band delivered a memorable concert at the Reeperbahn Festival, during which hardly a dry eye was to be found. Yet even for those present, it was impossible to foresee that they would go on to create two utterly outstanding post-punk masterpieces in ‘Zerstreuen über Euch’ (2020) and ‘Generation Maximum’ (2023). Yet Culk have achieved it; they have since become the singular authority on German-language guitar poetry, straddling dreamy slowcore, post-punk revival and ethereal wave, whilst always focusing on the articulation of their unmistakable sonic vocabulary. This is how the band sounds, speaks and resonates with a contemporary saudade, unlike any other in the local underground scene today.
Concert: TBA
DIE LEUTE
Ghosting friends. Hosting a podcast. I need it for my ego. DIE LEUTE’s debut single I Need It for My Ego is a self-ironic reckoning with the often rampant phenomenon of individualism in our society. When personal development comes at the expense of those around us and sometimes leads to strange outcomes. With a relaxed and enthusiastic punk and new wave sound somewhere between Hans-A-Plast, X-Ray Spex, and Nina Hagen, they avoid sounding preachy. In fact, the band members themselves are people who study art, host podcasts, or otherwise enjoy expressing themselves on a broad scale. The debut album titled Schöne Scheiße was released in the summer on Problembär Records.
EFEU
Sweaty concert nights that disappear into the amnesia of the moment—and yet somehow never let you go. An “Aggressive Melancholy” takes hold on the “Street of Losers,” while ivy grows over everyone’s heads. The Viennese band navigates sweat-soaked live shows with a deep sense of human empathy for all those who fail to fit into the ways of living prescribed by the present day—and who can happily do without all the glitz and glory. Who needs that anyway?
Instead, songs like “Teer & Gras” or “Feuerwehr > Polizei” (2023) play with the ambiguity of their lyrics, delivered by singer Julian Irrenfried in a plaintive Falco tenor, while immersing themselves in raw indie rock with an imperfect DIY aesthetic.
Their debut album EGAL (2024) distilled this spirit of resignation into irresistible hooks and melodies made for singing—and crying—along to, making Efeu a sorely needed band for our disoriented present.
This music is empowering precisely because it tells of contradiction: of setting out and giving up, of falling and getting back up. Live, it is an inimitable experience.
Hidden Gemz
Even though they caused a stir on the Vienna music scene three years ago with their single “Miss Monroe” (2023) seemingly out of nowhere and subsequently went on a support tour with Bilderbuch, Hidden Gemz had been playing in the Gürtel bars of the Austrian capital long before that. Their skill and style have grown gig by gig and have now crystallised into a signature sound that oscillates between the multifaceted pop rap of Brockhampton, the electronically amplified adventurous spirit of Gorillaz and the alternative R&B of Dominic Fike. It’s a mix that very few dare to attempt. The highlight thus far include “The Gemz Mixtape” (2024), which showcases the DIY musicians at their best and dissolves a laid-back summer vibe into delicious beat cocktails – sometimes with guitar and drums, sometimes in urban trap mode, but always in a damn good mood and armed with unmissable, catchy hooks. With fresh material such as the single “Small City” (2026), they’re coming to us for the first time this September.
Concert: TBA
HOLLI
Verbose like a poet and graceful like a dove on the rooftops of Vienna, Tobias Paal, under his alias Holli, sings about the city of his heart, the city he calls home. And as often is the case, even one’s own homeland has its dark sides, its demons, its stories of failure. However, the songwriter does not shy away from naming these just as eloquently on his debut album Der erste gute Tag (2023) as in the lyrics of singles like “Sch€!$$ Stadt” (2024). Indie folk and ambient, art pop and folktronica merge between wine and cigarettes, sometimes appearing as distinct stylistic influences, then again as a combined adaptation of the rich singer-songwriter tradition of the cultural metropolis. In between and beneath, existential themes with a biographical character, everyday observations with ironic distance, and the madness of urban life along with the necessary dose of sarcasm are also explored. Rooted minimally and knee-deep in the DIY mentality of Ludwig Hirsch, Holli has over the years evolved into one of the most interesting and experimental musicians in Vienna’s current songwriter scene and now comes to us in Hamburg for the first time with fresh songs like “Eins” or “Prophezeiung” (2026).
HVOB
A voice atop cascades of subtly shimmering beats, a sound with global appeal: Few duos in the world of electronic music made such a cross-genre impact during the 2010s as Her Voice Over Boys, aka HVOB. Anna Müller and Paul Wallner capture the urban spirit of the 21st century with delicate production strokes, painting a picture of a better world along the way. Minimalist yet immersive, albums such as their debut, “HVOB” (2013), and its follow-up, “Trialog” (2015), create atmospheres of great emotional depth, shifting seemingly effortlessly between introspective deep house and hypnotic spoken-word accents, ambient sounds and delightfully plucking synth sprinkles. It is a sound that is just as suited to headphones on a rainy bus journey as it is to the very biggest festival stages – the elegance with which HVOB master this balancing act remains to this day a mysteriously beautiful enigma. Whether at Fusion or South by Southwest, at Melt! or in the Nevada desert at Burning Man: Time and again, the Viennese duo’s shows are praised by fans and critics alike as visceral and unpredictable events. Now that their last album, “TOO” (2022), has become a sweat-inducing club manifesto through industrial influences and peak-time qualities, they have recently returned to a pulsating downtempo sound on singles such as “Home” (2025). Accordingly, HVOB hold all the cards for their gig with us.
Concert: TBA
Janka
JANKA have established themselves as one of the more distinctive names in Austria’s indie landscape. Over the past two years, the four-piece from Innsbruck have built a growing following with their warm, guitar-driven take on German-language pop, helped by tracks such as “Baumhaus” and “Monstera”.
What makes JANKA’s songs stand out is their ability to turn seemingly insignificant moments into something worth singing about. Everyday frustrations, fleeting emotions, neglected houseplants, mobile phone contracts or a simple dislike of olives all find their way into the band’s lyrics. There is a sense of humour to it, but also a refreshing directness.
Musically, JANKA combine approachable songwriting with playful arrangements that leave room for disco-funk grooves and bossa nova touches. The result is a sound that feels lively and unforced, steering well clear of the polished conventions of mainstream German-language pop. At the centre of it all are honest, down-to-earth stories that give JANKA a world of their own – familiar, quirky and refreshingly straightforward.
Jo the Man the Music
With a voice as delicate as a blackbird’s flight, her hands on the guitar, ready to strum away – Johanna Gußmagg doesn’t need much to craft music that is both laid-back and haunting, somewhere between bedroom pop and raucous indie rock. So, bedroom rock without any pretensions? Perhaps. In any case, it’s direct, unpretentious and honest. Singles such as “Skinny Dipping” or the beautiful cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” (2025) have recently demonstrated emphatically that, as Jo The Man The Music, she ranks among the most interesting new singer-songwriters from Austria. Having started making music in Graz, she moved to Berlin in 2024 to develop her skills as a singer and guitarist. No sooner said than done. She now crafts incredibly organic and warm songs like “Soft Skin” (2025) with a ease that is nothing short of astonishing – and yet, in every melody and every arrangement, you can hear the passion and raw emotion she pours into them. With the eponymous EP “Soft Skin” (2026), she finally emerges from her cocoon this year and takes to stages across Europe as an alternative indie-pop poet, more self-assured than ever.
Concert: TBA
KARL
Who is KARL? Who is this guy turning Vienna’s pop scene upside down with his funky urban tales? He’s someone just like you and me, someone like all of us who dream of the good, true, beautiful life. Riding a wave of brilliantly upbeat hooks, the newcomer has been surfing through playlists and radio stations in the tranquil Alpine nation since the start of this year, blending 80s synth-pop, indie rock arrangements, and Viennese charm. Now, to the applause of an ever-growing audience, singles such as “Schau Schau” and “Sapperlot” (2026) are becoming proper feel-good anthems of the particularly catchy sort under his guidance. They’re the kind of songs that stick in your head for weeks and make the perfect soundtrack for a day at the lake. But KARL has also recently demonstrated his ability to produce pure city-pop gold and give it a contemporary twist with the emotional “Letzte Nacht” and its cinematic atmosphere, which hovers somewhere between longing and farewell. Here, too, the melodic sensitivity of this singer–songwriter is evident in countless facets. However, KARL manages all this without a trace of starry airs and graces, instead demonstrating a wealth of passion in his songwriting and live performances. If you don’t believe it, come and see for yourself.
Concert: TBA
This concert is part of the AUSTRIAN HEARTBEATS showcase and reception. Stay tuned for details!
KURPARK
Stories from Vienna’s suburbs can, in many ways, be seen as ironic exaggerations of the way of life found in any suburban microcosm. Patrick Vanek, aka Kurpark, uses bright synthesizers and a drum machine to recreate scenes from his personal past—moments in which many people may recognize themselves in one way or another.
Encounters beneath motorway bridges, nighttime walks through the suburban outskirts, the glow of streetlights in front of allotment gardens—these are autobiographical fragments that Kurpark transforms into yearning indie-goth pop on his debut album Favoriten (2025).
Post-punk and synth-rock influences often join the mix, evoking a certain ’80s nostalgia without ever slipping into regressive kitsch. Quite the opposite: songs such as the recently released Am Ende (2026) sound deeply contemporary and demonstrate how this distinctive style can provide a bittersweet soundtrack to the most meaningful moments of our lives.
If you don’t believe it, come and pick up one of those moments from us in Hamburg this September.
Mira Taylor
Whatever happens, whatever you’ve achieved or messed up: it’s pretty damn good to be human. This unwavering life-affirming message launched Mira Taylor onto the Austrian music scene a few years ago, and she quickly made quite the splash. Songs like “Putting On A Show” (2023) or “Charlotte” (2025) are not only wonderfully catchy pop gems but also exude the charm of a wide-eyed young songwriter. But on the other hand, the journal entries turned into songs also betray a certain melancholy and thoughtfulness, something Mira Taylor has always seen as a unique strength rather than a weakness: “My teacher often asked me why I was always crying – but that’s just the way I am,” recalls the self-assured artist in an interview. This is probably why her debut EP “Should’ve Kept It To Myself” (2023) feels emotionally accessible, like a comforting chat with a good friend, whilst musically it sits somewhere between Adele and Taylor Swift – a sweet spot that’s hard to hit. She masterfully pulls off this bittersweet balancing act with her new singles “Paris” and “Little Me” (2026) as well, which are as much a plea for vulnerability and authenticity as they are for the essence of being human.
Concert: TBA
This concert is part of the AUSTRIAN HEARTBEATS showcase and reception. Stay tuned for details!
Mudfight
Five friends from Austria with a mission: to unite outsiders and dissidents, enlighteners and outlaws, and give them a soundtrack that conveys courage and confidence. Right from their first songs, “Wasted” (2019) and “Torn Away” (2020), the Upper Austrians have gone all out, winning hearts and souls across the Alpine nation, taking to the stage at the Donauinselfest and Nova Rock, and especially blowing away those who’ve never heard of them before. Word of these “all killer, no filler” punks quickly spread, with their live and studio performances never failing to impress. Their debut album “Time For Revolution” (2022) promptly went through the roof, leading Mudfight to share the stage with giants of the international punk scene such as Dropkick Murphys, NOFX and Flogging Molly. Since then, the band has repeatedly proven that punk is far from dead – it’s more alive than ever – whether through songs like “Drug Shack” (2024) or sweat-drenched shows devoid of any hint of attitude. Now they’re coming to Hamburg for the first time with fresh material, giving us a taste of what’s to come.
Concert: TBA
NENDA
Having grown up in Austria’s Ötztal valley as the daughter of a white father and a black mother, Nenda Neururer encountered daily racism from an early age. But rather than letting it break her, the young artist rebelled against it as a teenager, writing songs and moving to London after finishing school. She’s been working as an actress there since 2017, performing at venues including the Orange Tree Theatre and the Young Vic, while also honing her vocal and songwriting skills. Then, in 2020, she released “Mixed Feelings”, a slickly arranged rap track that first stormed the FM4 annual charts and went on to rack up well over a million streams. Since then, the young Austrian has made R&B and pop, hip hop and stylish sassy vibes her signature sound, incorporating them into freshly produced tracks such as “Champagne Time” (2024) and “Alone” (2025) with a distinct flair for melody and storytelling. Now well-established as an actress in theatre and TV productions, she is also making a name for herself as a rapper between Vienna and London’s West End and is going on tour. She has been winning over audiences at small venues as well as on the big festival stages across Europe. And now the time has come for her to visit us here in Hamburg with her debut album “KRRRA” (2025), released last year.
Concert: TBA
This concert is part of the AUSTRIAN HEARTBEATS showcase and reception. Stay tuned for details!
Oskar Haag
A voice, a guitar and a stage – that’s all Oskar Haag needs to magically conjure the stars from the sky and the passion from his songs. The singer-songwriter from Klagenfurt am Wörthersee in Austria developed a passion for creating music at an early age, writing lyrics about himself and life, and mostly teaching himself to play the guitar with a gentle yet stylish touch. Right from his first song, “Stargazing” (2021), Haag climbed to the top of the FM4 charts and, aged just 15, became a highly acclaimed prodigy in his home country. After that, everything happened very quickly: he quit school without a second thought, moved to Vienna and set to work on his debut album. “Teenage Lullabies” (2023) was then released shortly afterwards and became an instant smash hit – and an autobiographical statement. Awards for his music and acting roles quickly followed, and thanks to a steady stream of successful folk-pop gems such as “He’s Good” (2025) and “Sailor And The Sea” (2026), Oskar Haag remains without question one of the most interesting newcomers this side of the Alps. It’s only natural that he’s now finally coming to visit us here in Hamburg.
Concert: TBA
This concert is part of the AUSTRIAN HEARTBEATS showcase and reception. Stay tuned for details!
Tamara Flores
Through her music, Tamara Flores bridges not only different musical styles, but also languages and cultures across all borders. Born and raised in Vienna as the child of Mexican parents, she began exploring and proudly embracing her own identity at an early age. This is reflected time and again in songs such as the physically pulsating “Chingona” and the dreamy, summery poetry of “Mi Amor” (2025). Whether she sings in Spanish or German, whether it’s slickly produced Latin pop or delicate folk compositions with a flamenco feel: The singer, dancer, and flautist shines with an unmistakable signature sound whose creative energy fuses two worlds together through tone and word. It’s hardly surprising that she’s turning heads in Vienna with it. But even in Mexico City, her songs and videos are playing on billboards and raking in top spots on renowned radio stations. Her new single, “Infinito” (2026), has everything it takes to go through the roof here, too – at the latest, after her gig here in September.
Concert: TBA
Do you hear that sound? It’s the beating heart of Austrian music on the international stage …
Stay tuned for details coming up! See you in Hamburg soonest! xx