2025 Deja Vu retro music festival explodes with Taio Cruz, Brooklyn Bounce, Nick Carter and many more

The 2025 Deja Vu Festival has unveiled a line-up that promises to transform Hungary’s music scene into a nostalgia-fuelled wonderland. Set to take place over the Pentecost long weekend, 6–8 June, in the heart of Szeged, this annual celebration of retro music hits is primed to be its biggest edition yet. Headliners include Taio Cruz, the chart-topping star of Break Your Heart and Dynamite, alongside CC Catch, Sheyla Bonnick of Boney M., Backstreet Boys legend Nick Carter, the electrifying Inna, the ever-familiar No Mercy, and a slew of other acts guaranteed to keep fans grooving through the decades.  

According to the press release, the Deja Vu retro music festival, now in its twelfth year, will offer three days of nostalgia spanning three decades—the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s. Year after year, this much-loved retro music has built a reputation as Hungary’s premier retro music gathering, drawing millennium hits enthusiasts from across the country and beyond. Expect the Újszeged Beach Baths to be packed to capacity, pulsating with the rhythm of hits that defined entire generations. This is not just a festival—it’s a full-blown retro disco renaissance.

The star attraction this year is undoubtedly Taio Cruz, marking his return to the Hungarian stage for the first time since 2011. Born in London in 1980, the Nigerian-Brazilian artist began his career as a songwriter, releasing his debut album Departure in 2008 to critical and commercial acclaim. Certified gold in the UK, the album launched Cruz into the international spotlight. His sophomore effort, Rokstarr (2009), was a global sensation thanks to smash hits Break Your Heart and Dynamite, solidifying him as a pop powerhouse.

Cruz’s collaborations read like a who’s who of pop royalty—Kesha, Kylie Minogue, Travie McCoy, and David Guetta have all shared the spotlight with him. He also penned Telling the World, the theme song for the animated film Rio. His third album, TY.O, dropped in 2011, rounding out a career decorated with awards, including a BRIT for Your Game, an American Music Award, three Billboard Awards, and multiple ASCAP accolades. Cruz’s much-anticipated return to the stage is poised to be one of the festival’s crowning moments.

Another highlight of the retro music festival is CC Catch, known as the “disco princess” of the late 20th century. She will rock the Szeged stage with timeless tracks that shaped the pop culture of her era, such as Heartbreak Hotel, Heaven and Hell, Soul Survivor and Are You Man Enough?

Joining her is Sheyla Bonnick, a legendary member of Boney M., who will bring the band’s greatest retro music hits to life through her dazzling show, Sounds of Boney M..

Romania’s pop queen Inna, whose career skyrocketed after the 2009 MTV Music Awards where she clinched ‘Best Dance’, ‘Best New Artist’ and ‘Best Show’, will make her grand return to the Deja Vu stage. Having already captivated Szeged in 2023, she’s ready to ignite the dancefloor yet again.

The band No Mercy stole the hearts of the audience in the 1990s and since then they have been an unbroken favourite with their blend of pop and dance tunes, leaving an indelible mark on the retro music scene. Hailing from the United States, No Mercy boasts a repertoire of chart-topping retro music hits such as Where Do You Go, Please Don’t Go and When I Die, and has quickly gained international recognition for its unforgettable melodies and heartfelt lyrics.

If you grew up in the late ’90s, Nick Carter needs no introduction. As the heartthrob of the Backstreet Boys, the most successful boy band of all time, Carter’s star power remains undiminished. Following a triumphant solo concert in Budapest earlier this year, he’s bringing his signature charm to Szeged, promising a setlist that’ll have the crowd singing along to every word.

And that’s not all: next year Deja Vu will also host Brooklyn Bounce, a German dance duo founded in 1996 and known for hits like The Theme (of Progressive Attack), Get Ready to Bounce, Bass, Beats & Melody and Loud & Proud. The Global Deejays are another group to emerge from the tech house retro music scene, becoming particularly popular in the early 2000s with their hit The Sound of San Francisco. The German eurodance band Fun Factory brings the pulsating energy of the 90s to Szeged. We expect the same at next year’s Deja Vu festival.

The Amsterdam dance formation Alice Deejay became known for their 1998 single Better Off Alone, a worldwide success. And on stage will be the German dance-pop and eurodance music project Groove Coverage, which became popular in the early 2000s with its quirky hits, catchy melodies and energetic rhythms.

The 2025 Deja Vu has already dripped with Hungarian acts, including Kozmix, TNT, FLM, Groovehouse, Krisz Rudi, Bereczki Zoltán, Rakonczai Piano, Sterbinszky, DJ Dominique, DJ Szatmári, Attila Náksi and Peat Jr.

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