Download Festival punters baffled by mysterious act PRESIDENT on 2025 line-up

Who is PRESIDENT?! People attending this year’s Download Festival are baffled by a band / artist newly confirmed for the line-up, the mysterious PRESIDENT.

People attending this year’s Download Festival are baffled by a band / artist newly confirmed for the line-up, the mysterious PRESIDENT.

Less than four months before Donington Park opens its gates, Download Festival 2025 announced the second wave of acts on its bill at 4pm prompt on Tuesday (18th February).

Eminent artists among the 22-strong announcement included Shinedown, Myles Kennedy and Rise Against, however, nestled amongst the big names and fast-ascending rockers, there was also a completely unknown act called PRESIDENT.

A photograph of PRESIDENT on Download Festival’s website depicts a shadowy figure against a red neon-lit backdrop, while the artist description only adds to the befuddlement.

“Citizens, the time has come,” the artist description reads.

“No names. No past. No distractions. Only the mission ahead.

“At Download Festival, the inauguration begins. Not with words, but with action. Not with empty promises, but with undeniable force.

“There will be no campaign, no debate, no opposition. Only one truth: President has arrived.

“The oath will be taken. The people will decide. History will be made.”

Coinciding with the Download Festival announcement, a PRESIDENT Instagram account and official website also launched.

The PRESIDENT website encourages visitors to ‘Join the Campaign’ and sign up to a mailing list, and there’s a countdown to the turn of midnight on Friday 16th May 2025 – 28 days before Download Festival - against a backdrop of a room with red neon-lit PRESIDENT logos.

To date, the PRESIDENT Instagram account has posted six images, three of which feature the mysterious person in white gloves and a black suit.

Many fans are wondering whether PRESIDENT has links to enigmatic Download headliners Sleep Token, while others have speculated that it could be a secret set from a big band such as Ghost. It could, however, be a completely new artist that likes to have an air of mystery.

We’ll hopefully find out exactly who or what PRESIDENT is this summer.

Headlined by Green Day, Korn and Sleep Token, Download Festival takes place from Friday 13th to Sunday 15th June 2025. Tickets are on sale now RIGHT HERE.

Rock stars unmasked:

Ghost’s Tobias Forge (aka Papa Emeritus) unmasked

Flanked by his band of Nameless Ghouls, Tobias Forge has adopted a number of papal guises over the years; from the various incarnations of Papa Emeritus through to Cardinal Copia and Papa Emeritus IV. On the right is Tobias Forge without his mask at the Grammy Awards in 2019.

Nameless Ghoul Aether unmasked

In May 2022, Yorkshire musician Chris Catalyst revealed he had been masquerading as the Nameless Ghoul Aetha on Ghost's tours. Following the final arena date of Ghost's European Imperatour at László Papp Budapest Sports Arena in Hungary, Catalyst shared a group photo backstage and wrote: "Amaaaazing tour with our wonderful Ghost family. I suppose that's this particular cat out of the bag. So great to be doing this again. Playing this fantastic music with these brilliant people makes me run out of superlatives." In June 2023, Catalyst confirmed he's no longer a touring member of Ghost.

Nameless Ghoul Fire unmasked

Chris Catalyst's end of tour photo also confirmed that Ghost's Nameless Ghoul lead guitarist, Fire (formerly Alpha), is former Bloodbath guitarist Per Eriksson. Fans have also given the Swedish musician's character the nickname Sodo.

John 5 unmasked

When he's performing live with Rob Zombie, guitarist John 5 wears makeup and masks onstage, including this Aliens-esque guise at Download Festival in 2014. The 52-year-old musician has recently been recruited as a touring member of Mötley Crüe and he's performing sans makeup on stage.

Richie Sambora unmasked

In February 2023, former Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora was unveiled as Jacket Potato on ITV show The Masked Singer. Speaking about his involvement in the show, Richie Sambora said: "It took a little getting used to (singing in a potato), but once I put it on, that was it! It's a wild reality when you do this show, it's a gas. Everyone has treated me so good here. I've had a ball! It's been a lot of fun."

Slipknot’s Shawn ‘Clown’ Crahan unmasked

Slipknot percussionist #6 Shawn Crahan unveiled his new silver clown mask to the world when the Iowan masked metallers premiered fearsome single 'Unsainted' in May 201