Cross The Tracks – Festival Review

Cross The Tracks 2026 returned to Brockwell Park this past bank holiday weekend with another vibrant celebration of jazz, soul, rap and alternative sounds, bringing together some of the most exciting names in music for a day that perfectly captured South London’s spirit.

Charlotte Dowsson helped ease the crowd into the day with a smooth and soulful set on the main stage that serenaded festival goers early on, later telling Mixtape Madness that there is “so much exciting new music coming.” ZENA also delivered one of the standout performances of the afternoon, bringing infectious energy and vulnerability to the stage. Speaking to Mixtape Madness, they shared that their favourite tracks to perform are “the dancier ones,” admitting they initially had “that little anxiety of people not being there at 2 in the afternoon,”  But people showed up nonetheless. Any nerves quickly disappeared as the crowd fully embraced the set.

Elsewhere, WAR and Kokoroko brought rich instrumentation and groove-filled moments to Brockwell Park, while Arno Sacco’s soaring falsetto carried across the D-Railed stage with ease. Joy Crookes then delivered one of the festival’s most unforgettable moments, leading South London into a sun dimmed scene with her honeyed vocals as the landscape dimmed over South London.

Knucks brought a measured and magnetic presence to the day, leaning into his signature laid-back storytelling with a set that felt effortlessly controlled yet deeply engaging. Every track landed with precision as  the British rapper and producer moved through introspective cuts and crowd favourites alike.

Bel Cobain delivered one of the most atmospheric sets of the day, blending neo-soul textures with delicate, jazz-inflected vocals that seemed to slow time down. Her performance felt intimate even on a large stage, drawing the audience into her world with ease. Obongjayar also added to the day with something entirely different but equally captivating, injecting raw energy and emotion into his set, shifting between spoken-word intensity and rhythmic, genre-blurring grooves that had the crowd fully locked in.

Elsewhere, Lady Wray brought pure soul power, her voice cutting through the festival air with warmth and authority, while SHOLTO added a more experimental, textured edge to the day’s sonic palette. 2 Fox kept things playful and vibrant with a dynamic set built for movement, and Brooke Combe rounded things off with a polished, emotionally rich performance that showcased her growing confidence as a live vocalist. Together, they reinforced Cross The Tracks as a space where rising talent and established names sit comfortably side by side, each adding a distinct colour to the festival’s wider soundscape.

Closing the night, Little Simz reminded everyone why she remains one of the UK’s most important artists, as she commanded the stage and the crowd’s attention to her sharp lyricism and confidence as the crowd was lifted by her unifying performance/

More than just a festival, Cross The Tracks 2026 once again proved itself as a true celebration of culture, community and the diversity of London’s music scene.