LaLaLa Festival 2026 kicked off in style on Saturday, August 22, at Jakarta International Expo (JIExpo) Kemayoran, Jakarta. From the late afternoon until well past midnight, festivalgoers filled the venue with excitement, eager to catch performances from their favorite artists.
This year’s festival features four stages packed with an eclectic lineup of local and international musicians. Among them, LaLaLa Stage quickly became one of the busiest spots of the day, hosting a series of performances that took the crowd through an emotional and energetic musical journey.
By around 5:45 p.m., the area in front of LaLaLa Stage was already packed with fans waiting for British singer-songwriter Matt Maltese, who was scheduled to take the stage at 6:05 p.m.
Matt Maltese Sets the Mood
Right on schedule, Matt Maltese walked onto the stage at 6:05 p.m., sat behind the piano, and opened his set with “Everybody’s Just As Crazy As Me.”
As daylight slowly faded into evening, the atmosphere became increasingly warm and intimate. The crowd sang along almost immediately, creating a cozy connection between Maltese and his Indonesian fans.
Throughout his set, Maltese performed several fan favorites, including “Curl Up & Die,” “Mystery,” and “Some MF.”
He also made an effort to connect with the audience by greeting them in Indonesian. “Apa kabar?” he asked, prompting the crowd to enthusiastically answer, “Good!” The simple exchange brought a smile to Maltese’s face.
The mood turned more emotional when he performed “As the World Caves In.” The song’s haunting lyrics drew the audience in, with fans singing along and soaking up every moment.
Maltese wrapped up his performance at around 7 p.m. with “Anytime, Anyplace, Anyhow,” leaving the crowd ready for the next act.
Astrid S Brings the Energy
Next up was Norwegian pop star Astrid S, one of the artists who had been highly anticipated throughout the first day.
By the time she appeared at around 7:42 p.m., the crowd had grown even larger. She immediately kicked off her set with “Emotion,” setting an energetic tone from the very first song.
Astrid S went on to perform several of her hits, including “Think Before I Talk,” “Marilyn Monroe,” and “Darkest Hour,” her collaboration with Indonesian singer Keisya Levronka.
Her debut performance in Indonesia was not only impressive vocally but also visually. Astrid S confidently commanded the stage and even changed outfits four times throughout the set.
She also tried to interact with the audience in Indonesian. Astrid revealed that she had used Google Translate to learn how to say “Selamat malam,” but suddenly forgot the phrase because she had not gotten enough sleep. Instead, she asked the crowd to teach her directly, creating a playful moment between the singer and her Indonesian fans.
For the finale, Astrid S performed “Hurt So Good.” The emotional track had the entire crowd singing along, turning the venue into one giant collective heartbreak session.
The Flaming Lips Turn the Stage Into a Playground
If Matt Maltese created an intimate atmosphere and Astrid S brought pop energy, The Flaming Lips completely transformed the mood of LaLaLa Stage.
The American psychedelic rock band took the stage at around 9:20 p.m. and immediately delivered their signature combination of music, visuals, and eccentric stage theatrics.
They opened with “The It Overtakes Me/The Stars Are So Big… I Am So Small… Do I Stand a Chance?” But the music was only part of the spectacle.
One of the highlights was a giant pink inflatable robot, a familiar element of The Flaming Lips’ elaborate live shows, slowly inflating and coming to life on stage.
Frontman Wayne Coyne also sent long paper streamers flying toward the audience, while giant inflatable balls were released into the crowd. Fans eagerly chased, bounced, and pushed the oversized balls in every direction.
From the media pit, the area in front of the stage looked less like a conventional concert venue and more like a giant playground.
It was my first time seeing The Flaming Lips live, and their performance proved to be even more entertaining and unpredictable than I had imagined.
Rex Orange County Delivers a Sweet Finale
As the night grew later, the crowd at LaLaLa Stage showed no signs of slowing down.
When Rex Orange County appeared at around 11:18 p.m., the venue was still packed. Alex O’Connor opened his set with “Television / So Far So Good,” immediately drawing thousands of fans into the performance.
Rather than staying close to the stage, I watched the set from a little farther back. Even from that distance, however, the excitement was impossible to miss. The crowd stretched far beyond the immediate area surrounding the stage.
It was no surprise that Rex Orange County was among the most anticipated acts of the night. His LaLaLa Festival 2026 appearance was billed as an Asia Exclusive, giving fans a rare opportunity to see him perform live this year.
Throughout the set, Alex delivered some of his biggest songs, including “AMAZING,” “The Shade,” and “Never Enough.” Each track was met with enthusiastic sing-alongs, creating a warm and communal atmosphere.
But the biggest surprise came toward the end of his performance.
Alex invited Matt Maltese back onto the stage, and the two artists performed “Sunflower” together. The unexpected collaboration became a memorable highlight and a fitting finale for the first day at LaLaLa Stage.
Seeing Rex Orange County and Matt Maltese share one stage was certainly one of those festival moments fans will be talking about long after the lights went down.
Day Two Brings More Musical Highlights
The excitement continued on the second day of LaLaLa Festival 2026, with another impressive lineup taking over the stages.
Among the highlights was HONNE, who celebrated a decade of their musical journey with the festival crowd. The British electronic soul duo brought their signature sound to Jakarta, giving fans a chance to celebrate ten years of music together.
And when it was finally time to close out LaLaLa Festival 2026, Steve Lacy stepped up to the stage.
The American singer-songwriter delivered a soulful finale, performing crowd favorites including “Bad Habit” and “Oh Yeah?” His laid-back yet captivating performance created a mellow atmosphere that allowed festivalgoers to close out the weekend on a high note.
From Matt Maltese’s intimate piano performance and Astrid S’s energetic pop spectacle to The Flaming Lips’ psychedelic playground and Rex Orange County’s surprise collaboration, LaLaLa Festival 2026’s first day offered plenty of memorable moments.
And with HONNE celebrating a decade of music and Steve Lacy bringing the festival to a soulful close on day two, LaLaLa Festival 2026 proved to be a weekend filled with music, surprises, and unforgettable live experiences
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