The suspension of Sudoeste (Zambujeira do Mar) and Beach Party (Leça da Palmeira) is a reality that worries Tiago Castelo Branco, executive director of MOT – Memories Of Tomorrow, promoter of the event since 2019, regarding the current state of the sector and reinforces Somnii's responsibility towards EDM culture (electronic dance music).

“Competition is always healthy and stimulating,” Tiago Castelo Branco told Lusa, assuring that the planning of this edition of Somnii was not a reaction to the lack of competition.

“If we are the only ones in this segment, we obviously have an added responsibility, but that doesn’t scare us,” he stressed.

For Tiago Castelo Branco, the discussion about a possible crisis in EDM is unfounded, especially because this genre is going through a phase of reinvention, driven by the artists themselves, a new era that Somnii welcomes and represents in its lineup for the 11th edition, between July 4th and 6th.

“The current Timmy Trumpet is different from what he was five years ago and Steve Aoki has also evolved,” he said, when talking about the headliners of the 2025 edition and remembering that the project, which will be presented by the Dutch artist Sefa, symbolizes this evolution of electronic music: “It is a reinvention of Hardstyle, something never seen before, which integrates classical orchestra and choir,” he revealed.

Since the first edition, held on the sands of Praia do Relógio in 2013, the festival has welcomed big names such as Alesso, Armin van Buuren, Tiesto and Hardwell, remaining faithful to its electronic roots and consolidating its position on the national and international scene.

“Events are made up of cycles, trends and moments”, acknowledged Tiago Castelo Branco, highlighting the role of the original promoter, Genius y Meios, from the group Renascença, in identifying the potential of electronic music in Portugal.

Even so, the national context imposes limits on the ambition of the programming, with ticket prices being adapted to the national purchasing power, which conditions the amounts that can be offered to artists.

“When I negotiate with artists abroad, I tell them not to forget the minimum and average national wages”, he said, explaining that many artists have already understood the need to adapt their ‘fees’ to the reality of Portugal, given the importance of Somnii for their resumes.

On the other hand, the director of MOT emphasised that more than the line-ups presented, the event “has sought to establish itself as a place for meeting and sharing”, establishing a close relationship with its audience that goes beyond live shows and “generates a feeling of belonging and identity”.

“Those who know Somnii know that the festival is an experience and a meeting point”, emphasized the promoter, remembering that festival-goers see the annual return to Figueira da Foz as a tradition, a time to reunite friends and create memories.

The promoter also believes that the change in the age profile of the audience is a reflection of the event's loyalty, since the average age, initially between 16 and 21, has now increased to between 25 and 35, indicating that many of the festival-goers from the first editions are still attending.

The festival has been committed to reinventing itself and this year it will debut a new stage configuration, set up on the commercial port's north jetty, facing north towards the sea, the beach and the sunset, with improvements to the infrastructure and better accessibility for people with reduced mobility.

“How many festivals in the world allow people to be on the beach, taking a dip, while listening to their favourite artist?”, highlighted Tiago Castelo Branco.