New sounds from Cologne: 3 newcomers lighting up c/o pop 2026

For more than 20 years, c/o pop has been feeding Cologne with fresh acts and new ideas. This year is no different: from 15 to 19 April, Ehrenfeld once again turns into the festival’s home turf.

Alongside the musical buzz, the concerts also create space for ideas. At the parallel convention, the scene comes together to talk about what’s shaping the music industry right now, from the political shift to the right to the growing role of AI in music. Festival director Elke Kuhlen is keen to keep c/o pop what it’s always been: a festival that’s fun and accessible to anyone who’s up for music. Day tickets are available for 40 euros via the c/o pop online shop.

The line-up brings together big names like LGoony, Ebow, Levin Liam, Paula Engels and Fuffifufzich, alongside a strong wave of emerging talent. Some are Cologne-born, like the DJ crew E.P.I.Q., while others have made the city their home. Here are three acts from Cologne’s music scene to keep on your radar, somewhere between indie rock and Italo pop. You might just find your next favourite.

Cologne gives a punk sound more room than our fairly idyllic hometown.

Benjamin, Zoo/Flora.

Zoo/Flora: punk, pop with a touch of Neue Deutsche Welle

Benjamin Güntert and Constantin Mücke – armed with guitar and microphone – are the Cologne-based duo Zoo/Flora. And yes, they really did name themselves after the local tram stop. The idea is as simple as it sounds, as Benjamin explains: “We write and produce our songs in Constantin’s shared flat in Riehl. I always had to get off at Zoo/Flora to get there, so the name just felt right.”

They’ve been making music together for about a year now, after realising they not only write better songs as a duo, but also enjoy the process a lot more. Originally from Freiburg, they moved to Cologne for the music. “The city and its architecture definitely give a punk sound more room than our fairly idyllic hometown,” says Benjamin.

Everything you hear from Zoo/Flora is self-produced. Fast-paced beats with punk energy, paired with catchy lyrics and plenty of feeling – that’s their sound. “Imagine Thomas Bernhard and Samuel Beckett sitting in a bar, writing short stories together. Whatever the audiobook of that would sound like, that’s Zoo/Flora,” they say. In other words: music that feels less like easy listening and more like smoky nights, existential conversations and slightly absurd punchlines.

The duo are just as visually versatile as they are musically. One moment in shirts and ties, the next in a wedding dress and lipstick, or in full clown make-up, as seen in their latest single “Unterm Rad”. Their lyrics circle around long club nights, complicated love and that lingering sense of feeling a little lost.

Catch them live at c/o pop on 17 April at 7:30 pm in the artheater basement, joined by new band members Lennart on drums and Elena on bass.

Apollo Online: guitar-driven pop somewhere between The Beatles and Coldplay

Sam Moran has always been surrounded by music. He has produced for Bruno Kawelke, played guitar on stage with Goldroger, and now performs solo as Apollo Online. He describes his sound as guitar-driven pop somewhere between The Beatles, Coldplay and The Japanese House. “I try to make the German language feel more relaxed, free from the stiffness it so often carries. My lyrics should feel carefree, but still hold a real sense of depth.”

The three tracks on his new EP “Der Weg sich teilend” explore loss, grief and pain and are carried by a soft voice and an atmospheric, melodic pop sound.

Music has shaped him from an early age: “My mother is a violinist and introduced me to Bach, Mozart and Dvořak, but also to Motown and The Beatles. That’s where I learned to feel and love music.”

Cologne has brought self-irony, a sense of humour and honesty into my songs. I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.

Sam, Apollo Online.

As a child, Sam played piano and cello. As a teenager, he gravitated more and more towards pop, not just as a listener, but as a songwriter and producer.

Even though he has lived in many different places, Cologne has always been home. What keeps him here? “The openness and friendliness of people here isn’t a cliché. It’s real.”

You can hear that openness in his music: “Cologne has brought self-irony, a sense of humour and honesty into my songs. I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.”

See Apollo Online live at c/o pop on 17 April at 9:45 pm at YUCA.

GiGi Girls: dreamy Italo pop with a Cologne twist

The music of GiGi Girls feels like it’s drifting straight out of a dream: delicate vocals, floating sounds, a sense of lightness, mostly sung in Italian. They describe their style as 80s Italo pop. It’s playful, nostalgic, a little over the top and slightly tongue-in-cheek.

That aesthetic carries through into their visuals. They feel as though they’ve been beamed in from another era, clearly inspired by 80s pop imagery. The music, though, is very much rooted in Cologne. It’s created by Laura Mancini, who sings in her father’s native Italian, alongside producer Janosch Pugnaghi and Hannah Berle, who mainly joins for live performances.

The name “GiGi Girls” may sound playful, but it goes back to a personal story. Laura’s grandmother, Julieta, left a lasting impression with her extravagant style, inspiring both the band name and their aesthetic. “This exaggerated, playful 80s aesthetic runs through our music and our looks – it’s also a tribute to her,” Laura explains.

The band’s origins trace back to c/o pop 2023. What started as the idea to “just make a song together” gradually grew into something more, until, two years later, they found themselves on the festival stage. In 2026, they return to the line-up, performing tracks from their debut album “GiGi Girls – Greatest Hits”, including their newly released single “Il Futuro”, a kind of musical time travel.

Catch them on 17 April at 9:15 pm at Bumann & Sohn.

For them, Cologne is far more than just a stage, it’s their creative and personal home: “We go to a lot of concerts, and the openness and willingness to experiment you find here really shape our music.”

One more must-see: at 8:15 pm on 17 April, the DJ collective Forever Fresh takes over the Bürgerzentrum Ehrenfeld – ten women aged 70+, the oldest 90. Founded in 2025 following a workshop, the collective brings a perspective to the line-up that’s rarely seen in club culture.