Another edition of Czeching – Radio Wave’s music export project – is here! An international jury will once again select a winner from three nominees: indie-folk five-piece Ida The Young, urban cowboys Frankie & The Deadbeats, and returning nominee, the architect of modern electronic production badfocus.

One of them will record a video single with financial and media support from Czech Radio, perform in January 2027 at the largest European showcase festival Eurosonic Noorderslag (ESNS) in Groningen, and gain the opportunity to play additional showcase festivals across Europe. In cooperation with the Czech export office SoundCzech, the winner will also receive professional coaching on a topic of their choice.

The evening will feature live performances from all three nominated acts, the announcement of the winner, and an afterparty hosted by DJ duo Rozkvět & TMA.

Czeching 2026 nominees:

▶️ Ida The Young:
Often described as your favorite band’s favorite band, indie-folk five-piece Ida The Young originates from Plzeň and likely wouldn’t exist if founding duo Iris Hobson-Mazur and Marek Koliha hadn’t met at a junior beginner table football championship. They won—and have stayed side by side ever since. Their debut album Tell Me When You Pass The Sun (2025) received critical acclaim, earned them the Vinyla Award for Discovery of the Year, and nominations for both Apollo and Anděl awards.

▶️ Frankie & The Deadbeats:
Urban cowboys with a punk past, Frankie & The Deadbeats refine their updated take on country down to the smallest detail, costumes included. They firmly believe the genre belongs to everyone. Though they once sweated it out in the gritty venues of the Czech punk scene (Hanba, Prague Conspiracy, Unholy Preachers, TiNG), they ultimately came together over a shared love of campfires.

▶️ badfocus:
The renomination of one of the architects of modern electronic production comes as he prepares to release his producer album FOCUS. Prokop Korb, aka badfocus, blends his jazz roots with modern R&B, futuristic rap, and pulsating dance beats. Alongside emerging local talents, the album also features artists he encountered during his international activities across the globe.

Learn more about the project and listen at wave.cz/czeching.