Benidorm Fest and the Alicante surge in streaming power
In a bold act of creative energy, a compelling ripple has moved across Europe and found a vivid echo on Spotify. Nebulossa, one of the Alicante-based acts originally from Ondara and a participant in the Benidorm Festival, is seeing a rapid rise in streams. The band’s monthly listening figures have surged dramatically, climbing from 1,870 in November to numbers well into the hundreds of thousands as the wave of attention grows.
Measuring the growth precisely can feel dizzying, yet the trend is unmistakable. The track BitchA has become a magnet, drawing listeners with a pulse that refuses to fade. With streams climbing, validation comes from the stage as the group prepares for a performance on the teardrop-shaped setup at the Palau d’Esport l’Illa. María Bas and Mark Dasousa, a married duo for two decades and the driving force behind Nebulossa, carry the spotlight beneath their artistic pseudonyms and the broad visibility that comes with rising stardom.
The recent rise has echoed beyond streams into social metrics. Nebulossa’s follower counts on Instagram grew from 17,200 to 23,200, while their YouTube channel experienced a more substantial gain, jumping from 448 subscribers to 7,010 as the Benidorm Fest narrative unfolded.
Images from the Benidorm Fest Orange Carpet accentuate the moment, capturing the excitement that accompanies a band on the rise.
The current surge in attention is not limited to Nebulossa. Other artists seeking a Bronze Mic in Spain have also benefited, though with varying degrees of impact. Almacor, a contender in the second semi-final, has seen an upswing in listeners from roughly 27,000 to about 117,000 Spotify monthly listeners since his nomination became public. This growth translates into stronger engagement across social platforms and a broader audience footprint.
The Benidorm Fest impact has also left a mark on the Costa Blanca capital’s social scene. There has been a noticeable but more modest uptick in followers across networks: Instagram grows from 29,500 to 34,100, and other platforms see smaller, yet consistent gains. YouTube and TikTok follow a similar pattern, reflecting the competition’s growing resonance with audiences far beyond the venue.
Other Alicante artists rising in the spotlight
Names such as Mantra, Paula Pérez, Charly Weinberg, and Carlos Marco — the Alicante vocalist who joined the pre-selection of Spain’s 2024 Eurovision hopefuls — have also benefited from the festival’s exposure. The overall listening base for these artists has expanded considerably; for example, the Basque singer Noan has surged past the one-million mark in monthly listeners and sits at a prominent position among the participants. Miss Caffeina, a well-known indie band, remains a steady presence with hundreds of thousands of monthly listeners, underscoring the shifting momentum within the national music scene.
Following the Madrid showcase, the top ranks continue to reveal a varied landscape. While some acts push toward the upper echelons with multiplies in their listener counts, others hold steady around the tens of thousands per month. The spectrum illustrates the competitive nature of Benidorm Fest and how quickly a candidate’s visibility can translate into listening metrics across major platforms.
Spotify remains the primary reference for gauging popularity because it reflects listener behavior and the natural musical affinities of audiences. The platform’s data repeatedly underscore two leading names, Marlena and Lérida, as dominant figures with substantial monthly audiences, signaling strong momentum going into and beyond the festival season.
Benidorm Fest displays a snapshot of the shifting tides within the national music scene. The exhibition statistics hint at potential voting patterns while also highlighting the broader reach of competing acts. The festival’s impact on audience engagement and media coverage continues to shape the career trajectories of many artists from the Alicante region and beyond.
Reports from Eurovision-focused outlets outline the betting landscape, noting how fans and analysts perceive the chances of various acts. The consensus among bookmakers highlights St. Pedro with the track Two Strangers, along with Sofía Coll with Here to Stay, as frontrunners for Bronze Mic honors, reflecting diverse interpretations of the competition’s dynamics and the factors that influence public voting.