Location: B90, Gdańsk
Date: 19/11/2026
Organizer: Knock Out ProductionsOn 19 November, B90 will welcome The Hardkiss, the Ukrainian project led by vocalist Julia Sanina, for a night where pop, alternative rock and electronic music are thrown into the same machine and come out sounding considerably more interesting.
Trying to pin The Hardkiss down to a single genre is probably a waste of time. Sanina and her band have built their identity around moving freely between styles, combining the immediacy of pop with alternative rock guitars and electronic textures. The result can be polished and instantly catchy, but there is always something darker and more atmospheric lurking underneath.
At the centre of it all is Julia Sanina, the creative force behind the project and a performer with a striking visual presence of her own. With The Hardkiss, the music is only part of the experience. Their world is built from sound, image and theatricality, giving the band a distinctly larger scale than the straightforward pop label might suggest.
For anyone unfamiliar with the Ukrainian scene, this is a particularly good opportunity to discover one of its most recognisable modern acts. The Hardkiss have spent years building an audience well beyond Ukraine, while maintaining that slightly strange tension between big pop hooks, rock muscle and electronic experimentation.
And there is no shortage of energy waiting in the wings.
The Polish dates will be opened by Finnish artist Felin, the stage name of Elin Bloom. Her music lives on the pop punk side of the spectrum, but there is much more going on than a few loud guitars and infectious choruses. Felin combines punk energy with an deliberately eccentric visual identity, creating performances designed to grab attention rather than politely ask for it.
That combination should make for an interesting pairing at B90. The Hardkiss bring the grand, genre crossing pop rock spectacle, while Felin arrives with a sharper, more mischievous pop punk edge.
Two artists, two very different approaches to pop, and one evening that should have little interest in staying inside the lines.
