Where Beats Meet Belonging: Highlights from c/o pop 2025

In the last week of April 2025,

the c/o pop Festival once again transformed Cologne into a place where music, art, and culture bring people of all ages together in a lively atmosphere. Since 2004, the urban festival has been offering a diverse program of indie, hip hop, and electronic music once a year in Cologne-Ehrenfeld. Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI), as well as the promotion of FLINTA, queer artists and other underrepresented groups stand at the core of the festival’s philosophy. The artists performing at the festival included newcomers as well as established artists from the scene, who provided an energetic and colorful program. The festival is ideal for getting to know new musicians and having a good time with friends. In addition to the musical performances, the festival offers readings as part of a conference, urban market stands, a varied culinary program, and freely accessible entertainment. Our festival journey took us to shows of MilleniumKid, Zsá Zsá, Lucidbeatz, OSWALD, KORD, Yola, and PA69.

On Thursday, German singer-songwriter and producer MilleniumKid greeted visitors to the festival in the Live Music Hall with a stage full of white roses and lights. The energetic, as well as very personal lyrics, invited you to forget the time and spend an unforgettable evening. One of the set's highlights was his breakthrough single from 2023, Unendlichkeit and Vielleicht Vielleicht, which had the crowd singing. For example, MilleniumKid invited the crowd to join in with one of the newly released songs Fall für dich. The artist made an approachable impression and looked after the audience very sympathetically, pointing out that they should look out for each other and report to the staff as soon as someone wasn't feeling well. For anyone looking for an unforgettable evening filled with energy, emotion, and a compelling voice, MilleniumKid is an absolute must-see.

At Bahnhof Ehrenfeld, the German actress and singer Zsá Zsá put on a breathtaking show in which she presented music about hyperfemininity, self-confidence, and solidarity among girls. She combined unique hyperpop sounds with her roots in American rap. Among other things, she performed her viral songs Er kriegt mich nicht and Ärger, which had the audience completely freaking out. The intimate club atmosphere was a perfect match for her performance and gave the evening a special, wild party atmosphere. One look at the crowd showed that the entire room was dancing and singing along loudly, especially to tracks like PBerg.

Berlin-based band OSWALD closed the festival Friday with an energetic concert at Helios. The four guys effortlessly managed to invite the audience to let loose and party. Even before the performance, the hall was filled with shouts of “these guys are so cool!” - The atmosphere in the audience was noticeable. After a short delay, OSWALD catapulted the audience into other spheres right from the start of their setlist. The moment the musicians mixed pop, house, and techno into their tracks, the audience went wild with excitement. Just watching them made the evening an experience. If anyone doesn't know who OSWALD is, they should definitely listen to one of their songs or attend one of their performances. For example, we can wholeheartedly recommend Mitternacht, it was one of the audience's favorites.

Saturday surprised everyone with a special set by KORD at Franky's Bar. This concert was also open to visitors without a festival ticket. KORD impressed with his smoky indie rock and had people storming into the bar from the street. He performed with raw and honest imagery in his lyrics. KORD may be a nice insider tip as of right now, but his songs like Morgengrauen and Bleibst du? show that in the future that could change quickly. His potential is more than just obvious.

Another insider tip was Yola, who also performed at Franky's Bar. The artist from Essen first caused a sensation in 2024 with her single nimmerland. Her clear voice and emotional lyrics invite you to feel every word right away. Her talent for honest and soulful music shows that you should definitely keep an eye on her as an artist. PA69, however, brought the festival at the Bahnhof Club Ehrenfeld to life on Saturday evening. And what a performance it was! The Berlin rap group made the whole club shake with their energetic performance - especially the partygoers went wild. It was clear that during the encore of Ibu macht den Meister and the fan favorite Biertornado, there was complete chaos in the room. The boys were supported by a Suns mascot, which provided joy and lots of animated fun. PA69 impressed both musically and visually, with storm masks and overalls as outfits they underlined their unique style. One of the absolute highlights was when they actually handed out asparagus to the audience during Spargelzeit, which drove the crowd absolutely crazy. Even with all the wild fun, the guys had safety and equality at heart. That's why they brought girls-only mosh pits to life, so that everyone could party without worry and be completely free. (Quick PSA: If you're a fan of the Atzen, you should definitely give PA69 a listen.)

The festival proved once again that it is possible to create an exciting mix of energetic concerts, intense and emotional moments, and surprising and fun highlights on all days. The acts varied from intimate performances to an exuberant party atmosphere. What was most fascinating, however, was the feeling of solidarity, not only on the big stages, but also in the freely accessible locations, where the love of music and unity could be felt everywhere. Therefore, we recommend the c/o pop Festival to anyone who wants to spend a good time with friends, family, or their partner at various concerts. You certainly won't be disappointed. We are already looking forward to next year!

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