Dua Lipa And Her Father Launched The Sunny Hill Festival, Which Will Return To Kosovo This Year

The Sunny Hill Festival the event founded by Dua Lipa and her father, Dukagjin is set to return to its original location in Pristina, Kosovo after it was moved amid a dispute with organisers.

The inaugural edition of the festival took place at Germia Park in Kosovo’s capital – Dua’s hometown – in August 2018, with the singer appearing as a headliner. It was put on to raise money for the Sunny Hill Foundation, of which the star is a patron.

The past Sunny Hill Festival in 2019 saw performances from Dua, Miley Cyrus, Calvin Harris and more across three days.

Lipa then confirmed last summer that the event would return in August 2022 following a two-year COVID-related break.

However, organisers said last week that it was moving to neighbouring Albania after a political dispute between Kosovo’s ruling party and the party in power in Pristina prevented them from getting permission to host Sunny Hill.

Dukagjin explained that it had been “a difficult but necessary” decision to stage this year’s edition in Albania’s capital, Tirana from August 4-7.

As Billboard reports, organisers have been asking Kosovar authorities for three years to let them manage a 42-acre area of parkland, where they said they’ll build the appropriate infrastructure for the annual festival while allowing it to be used freely when Sunny Hill isn’t on.

In a joint statement issued yesterday (June 20), the Culture Ministry and the Pristina municipality confirmed they’d agreed to host this year’s event in Pristina “where it belongs”.

Discussions are said to be underway to continue holding the 15,000-capacity festival at its usual location starting from next year.

Organisers revealed that this year’s Sunny Hill Festival line-up will feature Diplo, Skepta, AJ Tracey, Mahmood, various Albanian artists and “two world-great artists” who are yet to be confirmed.

A special edition with a different line-up of artists will be held in Tirana, Albania between August 26-28.

Taking to social media yesterday, Dua Lipa shared the dates for both legs: “With a full and happy heart I’m proud to say it has been decided that our festival @sunnyhillfestival will continue at its home base on 4,5,6,7th of August in Prishtina, Kosovo and we will now also be doing 26,27,28th of August in Tirana, Albania.

“We look forward to seeing you all there! More line up to be revealed soon… With love x Dua.”

Last month, Dua Lipa gave an update on her upcoming third album, saying the record is “about understanding what I want”.