The promoter MOT – Memories of Tomorrow defined Hardwell's return to the Somnii stage – whose 12th edition takes place from July 10 to 12, on Relógio beach – as “a special moment” and “a return long requested by the public”.

Twice voted the best DJ in the world, Hardwell, 37, born in Breda, Netherlands, has built an international career in electronic dance music over the last two decades, crossing various genres, from progressive house to the more recent hardstyle, despite a break from touring and live shows between 2018 and 2022.

A recurring figure on Portuguese stages, he performed last year at the Nova Era Beach Party in Matosinhos, and the year before at Sudoeste in Zambujeira do Mar.

In the statement, MOT also revealed that it is preparing an initiative on the concept of "Time" for the 2026 edition of Somnii, proposing to festival-goers "a reflection on how they live it, how they perceive it and transform each moment into memories".

To materialize this concept, the production company highlighted that the festival's visual symbol will be a sundial, reminiscent of the iconic Relógio beach – the 23-meter-high tower built on the beachfront in the 1940s, a landmark of Figueira da Foz.

Originally, the tower was topped by a sundial, installed in 1949, 76 years ago, which was replaced in the 1970s by a mechanical clock.

Quoted in the press release, Tiago Castelo Branco, executive director of MOT, states that the 12th edition of Somnii reinforces the organization's commitment "to excellence and the continuity of a festival that has become a benchmark in the landscape of major events in Portugal."