Belladrum has opened the door to its 2026 festival season with a burst of colour as James, The Human League and Callum Beattie are unveiled as the first headline acts for one of Scotland’s most loved summer gatherings.
The festival is answering years of public demand by bringing back some of the most requested artists in its history and the early reaction from fans suggests that Bella has struck the right chord.
James return to the main stage for the first time since 2013 and their comeback lands in the same year the band celebrates forty years of music that has shaped generations.
The Manchester legends remain one of the most requested acts in Belladrum’s post festival surveys and their set promises the kind of mass singalongs that have become part of the festival’s DNA.
The Human League will take to the Highlands stage for the very first time and their arrival brings a different kind of magic with forty five years of synth pop behind them and a catalogue that has travelled across decades.
Philip Oakey, Joanne Catherall and Susan Ann Sulley helped define the sound of the eighties and their influence has never really faded because the music they made still fills dance floors, car radios and late night playlists.
Callum Beattie steps into his first major festival headline slot and it marks a full circle moment for a musician who first appeared on an afternoon stage at Bella only a few years ago.
His rise has gathered real momentum with a sold out Hydro show in Glasgow and a growing reputation for heartfelt performances that reach across generations.
Bella has a habit of growing with its artists and there is a sense of pride in seeing a familiar face return to close the Thursday night on one of the biggest stages in Scotland.
The festival atmosphere will take another bright turn with the arrival of MIKA whose energy, joy and unmistakable pop brilliance promises one of the most colourful nights the festival has ever seen.
The early line up continues to widen the festival’s reach with established names, emerging artists and long trusted crowd favourites returning to the Highlands as Bella begins the slow build towards another unforgettable summer.
Festival organiser Dougie Brown said the team were excited to share the first wave of announcements.
“We are excited to share the first wave of artists for Belladrum 2026.
“We have curated a line up that celebrates everything Bella stands for, great live music, discovery, and a strong sense of community.
“Having James back feels like welcoming old friends back home, and brining Callum his first ever major headline festival slot really sums up what we are about, growing together and being part of incredible artists journeys.
“With lots more announcements to come over the next few months we are looking forward to another incredible festival with the best audience in the world.”
Belladrum remains one of the most distinctive festivals in the country because it mixes music with a sense of belonging and gives families, friends and first timers the same space to enjoy themselves across three days of colour, creativity and connection.
The 2026 edition will bring another packed programme of theatre, arts, storytelling, wellbeing spaces and family friendly activities that turn the festival into something more than a weekend of music.
It is a reminder that Bella is not just a date on the calendar but a place where stories begin, memories settle and where the Highlands welcomes the world with open arms.
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