Too old, too little hip-hop? Organizer defends line-up of Openair Frauenfeld
Openair Frauenfeld is changing its line-up - with stars who no longer have much to do with hip-hop. Fans are now criticizing that the festival is diluting its core. Organizer René Götz explains the new strategy.
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- Fans are strongly criticizing the new line-up of Openair Frauenfeld, as they feel it lacks the classic hip-hop track.
- CEO René Götz emphasizes that the festival is opening up musically, but that hip-hop is still the focus and an expanded world of experience is being created.
- The organizers acknowledge the criticism of the low proportion of women, but point out that 15 female acts have already been confirmed.
This year's line-up for Openair Frauenfeld has been heavily criticized. The headliners are too far removed from hip-hop. Stars such as Justin Timberlake, Zartmann and Tom Hengst are performing who are not from the hip-hop scene. This annoys the fans.
René Götz, CEO of First Event AG, which organizes Openair Frauenfeld, responds to the criticism and explains the festival's strategic direction for the coming years.
Götz is not surprised that not all fans are happy with the line-up. "Our community is strongly connected to the festival and always reacts passionately to our announcements." The fact that there are discussions about the line-up is nothing new.
Musical openness as a strategic decision
When asked what criteria were used to select the acts this year, Götz explains: "The basis of our selection was a new strategic direction: we are opening up musically and developing from a pure genre leader to a happening leader." With this in mind, international world stars known for their spectacular live shows have been added to the line-up.
Despite this expansion, hip-hop remains the core of the festival: "Yes, hip-hop is and will remain the central component of our festival," explains Götz. Götz also firmly rejects the idea of completely abandoning the title of "Europe's biggest hip-hop festival": "No. We are simply expanding our range. It certainly makes sense to take stock after the festival rather than today."
But the changes go beyond the line-up. The organizers are pursuing a new vision: "We are expanding our concept and developing the festival beyond the pure music line-up into a comprehensive world of experience." The aim is to appeal to a broader audience and also take into account interests beyond the previous core target group.
Too few female acts? Organizers acknowledge criticism
In recent years, Openair Frauenfeld has already booked well-known female artists such as Nicki Minaj, Shirin David, Megan Thee Stallion and Ice Spice. Nevertheless, there has been criticism that the proportion of women in this year's line-up is too low. "We recognize this criticism this year. We are all the more pleased that we have already been able to confirm 15 female acts this year who will deliver great performances."
In addition to further musical development, Openair Frauenfeld promises new attractions at the festival: "Visitors can expect a unique festival experience with four days full of new attractions and innovative highlights." Something special is the new mega stage, which will ensure the best possible live performances.
