- Global music star Tinie Tempah announced as Three City Stages 2026 Ambassador
- Three emerging artists will earn the opportunity to perform on the Electric Picnic Main Stage alongside Tinie Tempah
- Winners will receive mentorship from Tinie Tempah ahead of their Main Stage performance
Three Ireland has officially launched City Stages 2026 on TikTok, its flagship initiative dedicated to discovering and championing Ireland’s next generation of musical talent. Returning for its fifth year, the programme will see three emerging artists earn the opportunity to perform alongside Tinie Tempah on the Electric Picnic Main Stage, one of the biggest career opportunities available to emerging Irish artists.
This year’s competition is once again open to artists from every corner of Ireland, with musicians invited to submit their performances via TikTok while also tagging @threeireland and using the #CityStagesEP hashtag. Open to all genres, City Stages welcomes entries from singer-songwriters, bands, rappers, producers, DJs, trad musicians, electronic artists and everything in between.
To mark this year’s launch, Three Ireland has announced award-winning UK rapper and singer Tinie Tempah, whose chart-topping hits including Pass Out, Written in the Stars and Miami 2 Ibiza have soundtracked a generation, as the Three City Stages 2026 ambassador. As part of the programme, he’ll mentor three emerging Irish artists before they join him on the Electric Picnic Main Stage for a career-defining performance.
The announcement comes as Tinie enters a new creative chapter, following the release of a run of new singles and the announcement of The Night’s Not Dead UK, Ireland Tour and EU Tour, his first headline tour in almost a decade. Alongside his return to music, Tinie has been working with Music Venue Trust to champion grassroots venues and support the next generation of emerging artists.
Since launching in 2022, Three City Stages has become a powerful platform for emerging artists across Ireland, helping musicians transition from grassroots performances to major stages. Through live performance opportunities, industry exposure and invaluable artist development experiences, City Stages continues to open doors for the next generation of Irish talent.
The three winning artists will be selected by a panel of respected music industry experts, who will assess entries based on talent, creativity, originality and performance potential. The winners will then receive mentorship from Tinie Tempah before performing alongside him on the Electric Picnic Main Stage in front of thousands of festival-goers.
Tinie’s role as City Stages ambassador builds on his wider commitment to nurturing emerging talent.
Tinie Tempah said: “I’m excited to be joining Three City Stages as ambassador for 2026. There are so many incredible artists coming out of Ireland at the moment, and it’s amazing to see the depth and diversity of talent that’s emerging across every genre.
I know what it’s like to be a new artist looking for that one opportunity to be seen. My career started on small stages, so programmes like Three City Stages are incredibly important because they give artists a real platform to showcase what they can do. Supporting the next generation has become a big part of this chapter for me, and I’m excited to work with the winners and welcome them onto the Electric Picnic Main Stage.
The chance to perform on the Electric Picnic Main Stage is something every emerging artist dreams about, and I’m excited to welcome the winners to the stage with me for what I’m sure will be a career-defining moment.”
Reflecting on the programme’s impact to date, City Stages alumni have gone on to perform on some of Ireland’s most iconic stages and secure career-defining opportunities. Previous participants have performed at 3Arena, 3Olympia, and Electric Picnic, while others have toured with established artists and collaborated with leading figures from across the music industry. Notably, Irish-folk singer-songwriter Jamie McIntyre, who took part in the Three City Stages initiative two years ago, is set to perform at Electric Picnic this year.
Tanya Townsend, Senior Sponsorship and Brand Activation Manager at Three Ireland, said: “Three City Stages was created to give emerging artists real opportunities to develop their careers, gain exposure and perform in front of new audiences. Every year we’re inspired by the incredible talent that exists across Ireland, and we’re delighted to welcome Tinie Tempah as our City Stages Ambassador for 2026.
“The opportunity to be mentored by Tinie Tempah and then perform alongside him on the Electric Picnic Main Stage is exactly the kind of career-defining experience City Stages was built to create.
“By opening the programme to artists of all genres, connecting them with experienced industry professionals for performances in 3Arena, 3Olympia, and indeed our partnership with Electric Picnic, we’re continuing our commitment to supporting the future of Irish music. Performing to bigger audiences like at Electric Picnic is a dream for many artists, and City Stages offers a unique pathway to make that dream a reality.”
City Stages forms part of Three Ireland’s All For Music initiative, a long-term commitment to supporting emerging talent and strengthening Ireland’s live music scene. As proud sponsors of 3Arena, 3Olympia and Electric Picnic, Three Ireland continues to invest in creating meaningful opportunities for artists to grow their audiences, develop their careers and reach bigger stages.
“All For Music is about creating meaningful opportunities for emerging artists and helping them take the next step in their careers,” added Townsend. “Three City Stages continues to be an important part of that commitment, and we’re looking forward to discovering the next wave of Irish talent in 2026.”
Follow the journey and join the conversation using #CityStagesEP and follow @ThreeIreland across social media platforms.
ENDS
For media enquiries, contact:
Patrick Quirk, Sweartaker – patrick@sweartaker.ie
Katie O’Reilly, Sweartaker – katie@sweartaker.ie
Niall O’Halloran, Sweartaker – niall@sweartaker.ie
