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Italian Festival Taken Over by New Promoter After Turbulence
May26
Italy’s Hellwatt Festival has officially been canceled and replaced by a new event format, Pulse of Gaia Festival, with Zamna Group taking over production responsibilities at RCF Arena.
The announcement follows weeks of uncertainty surrounding the future of Hellwatt Festival, which had originally been positioned as a large-scale European live music event featuring artists including Ye, Travis Scott, Swedish House Mafia and Martin Garrix.
Italian media had previously described the project as an attempt to create an “Italian Tomorrowland,” although concerns around the festival’s organization had intensified in recent weeks.
Earlier this month, Hellwatt founder and artistic director Victor Yari Milani was removed from the project following what organizers described as differing strategic visions. The festival had also faced criticism and confusion surrounding ticketing policies, including issues linked to Ye’s previously promoted European-exclusive performance.
Milani later publicly disputed the handling of the project and claimed ownership of the Hellwatt Festival concept and brand, stating that legal disputes regarding the event and trademark were ongoing. He also questioned whether the originally planned concerts at Campovolo would proceed under the existing structure.
Following the cancellation of the original Hellwatt concept, organizers have now confirmed that the concerts will continue under the new Pulse of Gaia Festival identity, while maintaining several of the previously announced July dates and artist bookings. Previously purchased tickets will remain valid under the new branding.
The July 5 and July 11 events remain confirmed, featuring artists including The Chainsmokers, Rita Ora, Swedish House Mafia and Benny Benassi.
However, uncertainty remains around some of the previously announced programming. Reports indicate that Travis Scott’s planned July 17 performance is currently in limbo and could potentially be postponed until 2027, although no official confirmation has been issued.
Meanwhile, Ye remains officially scheduled to headline the Main Stage on July 18. The performance has continued to attract attention amid ongoing political controversies surrounding the artist and reported pressure from local authorities regarding the booking.
In a statement, organizers described Pulse of Gaia Festival as “a globally recognized multi-genre festival” that attracted more than 800,000 attendees across 22 markets in 2025. The company said the new concept would focus on a more sustainable production model while maintaining the scale and immersive nature of a major international event.
Zamna said it has assumed both organizational and artistic responsibility for the live events presented under the Pulse of Gaia Festival brand. According to the statement, venue stakeholders selected the company as a partner capable of delivering international-scale productions and ensuring continuity for the scheduled concerts.
Davide Rossi, Marketing and Communications Director at Zamna Group, said Italy had long been a target market for the company’s expansion plans and described Reggio Emilia as the first Italian stop for the Pulse of Gaia Festival format.
RCF Arena has previously hosted large-scale productions featuring Harry Styles, Rammstein and AC/DC.
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