Dutch DJ and producer Quintino has been announced for SounDown Music Festival at the Kingston Beachfront on November 28, as the event expands to include Guyana Dance Music Week.
SounDown Chief Organiser Tariq Dakhil said the festival will go beyond music, with international, regional and local performers and greater emphasis on Guyanese and Caribbean talent and the wider creative industry.
Quintino has been a prominent name in electronic music for more than a decade. His breakout record “Epic” went platinum, and he has consistently appeared among DJ Mag's Top 100 DJs.
“Quintino immediately stood out because he represents that huge mainstage festival sound. He's played some of the biggest electronic music stages in the world, and bringing that energy to Guyana felt like the right step for SounDown,” Dakhil told Ignite News.
According to Dakhil, several other headliners are yet to be announced, and the final line-up is expected to mix genres and electronic dance music subgenres with a Caribbean influence.
“International artists help bring attention to the festival, but Guyanese and Caribbean talent have to be part of its identity,” he said.
Guyana Dance Music Week will run in the week leading up to SounDown. It is expected to include music education, production, DJ development, networking and other creative programmes.
The aim, Dakhil added, is to ensure visiting international artists contribute to the local music scene rather than simply performing and leaving. He envisions the festival as the centrepiece of a broader week focused on music, culture, education and the creative industry, and as a way for young Guyanese DJs and producers to see a pathway to performing on international-standard stages at home.
The festival will also feature art, food and vendors. With several thousand patrons expected, preparations are under way for security, crowd movement, medical response, traffic management and sanitation. Dakhil noted that the event can create work for production crews, designers, photographers, hospitality workers, vendors, transport providers and content creators.
Tickets are available online through Eventbrite, Ticket Gateway and Potsalt with MMG, with physical tickets being released in phases at selected locations.