Dua Lipa’s Sunny Hill Festival aiming to change Kosovo’s image

His latest data estimates that about 40% of visitors were from outside Kosovo – noting that will be strongly influenced by the country’s diaspora as those with family connections here bring friends with them.

Some had travelled as far from Chicago in the US to see artists like Bebe Rexha, Burna Boy, Stormzy, and DJ Snake headline the main stage last weekend.

Groove Armada, Black Coffee and Griff were all also on the bill.

Kosovo is thought to have Europe’s youngest population as more than half are estimated to be under the age of 30.

Travel restrictions, until earlier this year, external, meant local musicians didn’t have the flexibility to play in other parts of the continent.

“It’s not that easy to be a musician,” explains singer La Fazani, who’s played Sunny Hill multiple times.

“The only way you can actually make good income is by playing nightclubs.”

He recently won a big TV show in the country but says without Sunny Hill he wouldn’t get to play live to a crowd of thousands, and hopes the Lipa guest list could improve his career.

“Sunny Hill is one of the greatest generators of a positive image of Kosovo,” he says.

“There’s many international label people here and I hope I might have caught the eye of someone who might like what I do.”