The festival that Dua Lipa's father started is returning to Kosovo
Key Takeaways:
- Kosovo's central government and capital authorities have teamed up to bring back an international music event founded by Dua Lipa's father.
- The Sunny Hill festival started in Pristina, Kosovo's capital, in 2018 and returned in 2019, including international stars like UK-born Dua Lipa.
On Monday, Kosovo's central govt and capital authorities joined forces to bring back an international music festival established by the father of singer-songwriter Dua Lipa, which had been relocated due to a dispute with its organizers.
The Sunny Hill Festival announced a week ago that it would be moving to Albania after a political feud between Kosovo's ruling party and Pristina's ruling party stopped organizers from obtaining permission to hold the festival, which has a daily capacity of 15,000 people.
Dukagjin Lipa, the singer's father as well as manager, who was born in Kosovo, said the decision to hold the event in Tirana, Albania's capital, was "tough but important."
Organizers have been pleading with Kosovar officials for three years to let them administer a 17-hectare (42-acre) parkland where they claim they will create the necessary infrastructure for the yearly event while also allowing it to be used freely throughout the year.
The Culture Ministry and also the Pristina municipality stated in a joint statement on Monday that they had decided to organize this year's edition in Pristina, "where it belongs," and that they will continue to discuss putting the festival in its normal location starting next year.
The Albanian city, Tirana, will host a unique version featuring a distinct lineup of musicians from Aug. 26-28.
According to organizers, this year's lineup includes Diplo, Skepta, DJ Regard, AJ Tracey, Mahmood, and Albanian performers, as well as "two world-famous musicians" who have yet to be announced.
The Sunny Hill festival debuted in Pristina, Kosovo's capital, in 2018 and returned in 2019, bringing worldwide acts such as Dua Lipa, born in the United Kingdom.
Kosovo has significantly benefited from the festival. Due to the coronavirus epidemic, the event was postponed to 2020 and 2021.