San Francisco and electronic music have always gone hand in hand over many decades, so it’s only fitting that the city is host to the burgeoning Portola Music Festival. Now in its fifth consecutive year, Portola brought all the buzz to an overwhelming crowd of dance music fans this past weekend. The typical SF weather was relatively warm during the day and chilly at night, but it didn’t matter with all the dancing and vibing to the stellar performances.
The buzz was overwhelmingly all about the divas this weekend with Robyn on Saturday and Zara Larsson and Adéla on Sunday leading the charge. Making her sole festival appearance of 2026, Robyn was energetic, engaging and on-point as she tore through fan favorites “Fembot” and “Talk to Me” to kick off the set. Fans were seen dancing and singing along to like “Indestructible” as Robyn danced and posed on-stage. The sing-alongs were loud during her signature songs “Dancing on my Own” and “Call Your Girlfriend.” The crowds were just as enthusiastic and lively for Zara Larsson on Sunday. Although the chilly temps were kicking in after nightfall, fans were dancing non-stop from the opening notes of “Midnight Sun” that kicked off the set. Fans went wild when she performed a remix version of “Stateside”, the song performed with PinkPantheress that helped catapult Larsson’s profile in 2025. It was clear Larsson has been ready for a moment like being a primary draw at a festival such as Portola and she exceeded expectations with the tight choreography with her dancers, engaging stage banter and fan interaction, the latter a fan from Brazil who danced with her as she performed “Lush Life”. Capping off the appearance was the surprise guest appearance by fellow Swede, Robyn, who performed “Puss Puss,” sending fans into a complete frenzy.
This year’s breakthrough artist, Adela brought a sleek and hypnotic dynamic to the lineup, as her set served as a standout moment. With an overflowing crowd at the Crane Stage filled with bright pink wigs, a nod to the Slovakia native’s hair color, Adéla gave fans an incredible set filled with bangers. Accompanied by her own set of dancers, the former professional ballerina showed off her skills as she danced and flexed into various positions during songs like “KGB,” and “Boys”. She commanded the stage during songs like “I’m The Man” as she rode atop her male dancers, and while belting out her well-known songs like “Ain’t in LA” and current chart-topper, “Nicole Kidman”. It won’t be long until Adéla returns to the festival as a headliner.
Elsewhere at the festival, women dominated, as Australian producer Ninajirachi delivered hard-hitting vibes Sunday night with hyperpop, glitch-pop, and futuristic electronic soundscapes. Featuring songs from her debut LP, ‘I Love My Computer’, the Australian native had the crowd dancing and jumping non-stop. Argentine artist SIX SEX brought a fun set to Portola filled with sexy dance tunes that make up her take on Latin electroclash. Her stage presence was strong as she danced seductively and vogued in sexy poses while strutting across the stage. MGNAA CRRRTA made their Portola debut with a high-intensity set at the Ship Tent. The crowd ran deep as fans were dancing to the duo’s hyperpop vibes during the midday on Saturday. Speaking of crowds running deep, the audience for San Francisco native underscores was absolutely hyped for the return of their hometown hero. The performer tore through familiar songs like “Point A,” “Locals (Girls like us)” as the audience danced and waved their hands to the beat. Noting that she grew up on Portola Drive in San Francisco, it was obvious that underscores was taking in the moment.
Other highlights included UK garage prodigy Silva Bumpa who brought bouncy, bass-heavy UKG grooves to early Sunday afternoon music fans. His set was filled with remixes and bangers as the crowd went wild when “On 2nite” hit. BASSVICTIM treated the crowd to a chaotic, bass-punk electroclash workout, while JIGITZ had an incredibly packed audience in the Ship Tent that was non-stop dancing as people tried to maneuver into the front. On the flipside, ear was artsy indie electronic and at times minimalist and glitch-pop that had the audience singing and swaying one moment and moshing the next.
Curated to showcase the veterans who laid the groundwork, Portola lacked no shortage of new and emerging acts that will carry the torch into the coming years. It was a weekend filled with new music discoveries just as much as it brought in the crowds to party to the artists they know and love.
