The relationship, which has been agreed for the second year running, will see The Independent reporting from the festival, and running news and interviews with artists and the Montreux organisers. Bespoke, in depth content will span The Independent, Independent TV and podcasts; taking the best of Montreux to The Independent’s global audience.
One of the world’s most renowned musical events, the legendary festival has also unveiled its typically eclectic 2024 lineup today. Taking in everything from pop to hip-hop, afrobeats, trip-hop, classic rock, and of course, the very best in jazz, soul and funk, big names include Raye, Sting, Duran Duran, Kraftwerk, Janelle Monáe, PJ Harvey, Smashing Pumpkins, Dionne Warwick, Massive Attack and Air.
This year, the festival features a brand-new layout in the town of Montreux due to construction work on the Convention Centre which typically hosts the festival’s main stages. In its place is The Lake Stage, constructed in a breathtaking setting on the surface of Lake Geneva with the backdrop of the Alps. The festival also returns to the Casino, which is steeped in history, having burned down in the seventies and inspired Deep Purple’s “Smoke on the Water”. The festival couldn’t miss the chance to invite the group back for their tenth performance at Montreux.
Now in its 58th year, Montreux Jazz Festival draws music lovers from all across the world to the iconic Lake Geneva shoreline. Originally a pure jazz festival when it launched in 1967, Montreux began showcasing other styles of music throughout the decades and today presents artists from across every genre imaginable.
The Independent’s Music Editor Roisin O’Connor comments: “I’m ecstatic that The Independent is once again the exclusive global news partner of Montreux Jazz Festival. As ever, they have unveiled an outstanding and eclectic lineup that speaks to the Montreux team’s passion and desire to celebrate the power of live music, in the most spectacular of settings. We can’t wait to join them again.”
Mathieu Jaton, CEO of Montreux Jazz Festival, says: “We are thrilled to continue our media partnership with The Independent. We are always working to further raise the international profile of the Montreux Jazz Festival, and The Independent’s global platform has been an important and invaluable part in achieving this. We look forward to working with them during the incredible 2024 edition of the festival and beyond.”
Beth Gordon, Business Marketing and Communications Director at The Independent adds: “The Independent has established itself as the news brand for music lovers. In the UK alone, The Independent has more than 10 million readers who describe themselves as passionate about music or the arts — more than any other quality digital news brand. Three quarters of our audience say that music and the arts are an important part of their lives, and our readers are more likely than those of any of our competitors to go to festivals, concerts and gigs. Supporting brilliant events, artists and spaces throughout the arts ecosystem is crucial to The Independent and is something that we know our readers believe in. It’s an honour to be working with Montreux Jazz Festival, and we — and our readers — look forward to being transported to Switzerland again this summer.”
