Peaches Announced as Headliner for The Great Escape 2026 Spotlight Show
The Independent has confirmed it will host a spotlight show featuring Canadian pop provocateur Peaches at The Great Escape festival in Brighton during May 2026. The event, scheduled from 13 to 16 May, will showcase hundreds of emerging bands and artists across multiple venues throughout the city.
Headline Performance and Charitable Support
Peaches, whose real name is Merrill Nisker, is set to headline the Brighton Dome Concert Hall on Friday 15 May. This performance follows the release of her first album in a decade, titled No Lube, So Rude. A significant portion of the profits from Peaches' headline tour, including her appearance at The Great Escape, will be donated to the Trans Funding Project, reflecting her longstanding advocacy for trans rights.
In an exclusive cover interview with The Independent, published on Sunday 8 February, Peaches emphasised her support for transgender individuals, stating, "This whole conversation around who gets to define what a woman is… Listen, if they say they are a woman, they are a woman. If they say they are a man, they are a man. They are whoever they say we are, and we need to respect that."
Addressing Ageism and Audience Dynamics
During the same interview, Peaches discussed her efforts to combat ageism, a theme explored on her new album. She observed that her audience often includes many individuals over fifty, challenging stereotypes about older women's engagement with music. "We're only now really understanding there's life for older women," she remarked. "People are not what you think. It's a lot of 50 and up. They want to go out! They want to go out more than the younger ones. Gen Z just wants to stay home."
Expanded Festival Lineup and Partnership Details
The festival lineup has been expanded with 130 additional artists, including Kentucky rock duo Girl Tones, Irish folk band Madra Salach, rock act Villanelle, Brighton-formed band SLAG, and indie singer Eaves Wilder. This announcement coincides with the confirmation that The Independent will return as the official news partner for The Great Escape in 2026, marking the fourth consecutive year of this collaboration.
Roisin O'Connor, Music Editor at The Independent, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, saying, "I'm so thrilled that The Independent is partnering with The Great Escape Festival for the fourth consecutive year. Here at The Independent, we pride ourselves on our coverage of new and emerging artists, championing musicians we believe in from day one and introducing them to some new fans. See you there!"
Rory Bett, CEO of MAMA Festivals and VIP Nation Europe, added, "We're excited to continue our partnership with The Independent as our exclusive news partner for The Great Escape 2026. Its dedication to championing new music aligns perfectly with our mission to showcase the best emerging talent from around the world."
Tickets for The Great Escape Festival are currently available for purchase. Fans can read the full interview with Peaches in The Independent on Sunday 8 February.
