Édouard Tremblay-Grenier, GAMIQ’s 2026 Artist to Watch
The 2025 edition of the Gala Alternatif de la Musique Indépendante du Québec (GAMIQ) marked the event’s 20th Anniversary. Held before a live audience at Montréal’s Le National theatre – and streamed online – on Nov. 30, 2025, the gala once again celebrated the energy and daring of Québec’s independent music scene, awarding its iconic Lucien trophies (named in honour of the late Lucien Francoeur).
One of the highlights was a tribute to Vilain Pingouin, a cornerstone of the Québec rock scene, whose influence continues to shape independent music in the province. Among the standout moments, Angine de Poitrine took home the coveted Lucien for Artist of the Year, while Édouard Tremblay-Grenier was named Artist to Watch in 2026. Several other artists also made their mark across various musical categories, including zouz, Ariane Roy, Marie-Pierre Arthur, and Virginie B.
Many SOCAN members also had an opportunity to strut their stuff with memorable live performances, including Avril Jensen, Cédric Dind-Lavoie, Hawa B, Bruno Rodéo, Erika Hagen, Décorum, N Nao, Violett Pi, Mulch, and Vilain Pingouin.
Here’s the full list of winners at the 20th edition of the GAMIQ:
- ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Angine de Poitrine
- BREAKOUT ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Béton Armé
- ARTIST TO WATCH IN 2026: Édouard Tremblay-Grenier
- HOMAGE: Vilain Pingouin
- SINGLE OF THE YEAR: Hé Ho – Vilain Pingouin
- ROCK ALBUM: zouz – Jours de cendre
- ROCK EP: Les Deuxluxes – Pleasure Doin’ Business
- FOLK ALBUM: Bolduc Tout Croche – Fracture
- FOLK EP: Maude Audet – Blue Tears
- INDIE-POP ALBUM: Ariane Roy – Dogue
- INDIE POP EP: Emmanuelle Querry – Chéri, si tu savais
- INDIE ROCK ALBUM: Marie-Pierre Arthur – Album bleu
- INDIE ROCK EP: Minou – Tout va bien
- HIP-HOP: Sensei H – La mort du troisième couplet
- SOUL/R’N’B: The Brooks – Soon As I Can
- JAZZ : Papillon social club – Dur de la feuille
- METAL: Guhn Twei – Capitale de l’arsenic
- PUNK: Enfants Sauvages – Avant la mort
- POST-PUNK/POST-ROCK: We Are Wolves – Nada
- ELECTRONIC: Virginie B – Astral 2000
- ROOTS: Germaine – Chansons honnêtes
- COUNTRY: Sandrine Hébert – On part s’une ride
- WORLD SOUNDS: Lhasa de Sela & Yves Desrosiers – First Recordings
- CLASSICAL: Thélonius García – Marche Nocturne
- EXPERIMENTAL: Louise Forestier – Vieille Corneille
- CANADA (OUTSIDE OF QUÉBEC): Les Hay Babies – Tintamarre
MUSIC VIDEOS:
- Self-produced/DIY: Chou – Barré du Couche-Tard
- Budget: DVTR – Olympiques
- Professional Production: Ariane Roy – Agneau
- Animation: zouz – Jours de cendre
OTHER CATEGORIES
- MEDIA: ecoutedonc.ca
- RECORD LABEL: Slam Disques & Hell For Breakfast
- VENUE: Quai des Brumes
- FESTIVAL : La Noce
- PODCAST/RADIO SHOW: La Paire d’Écouteurs
- COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION OR INITIATIVE: Création le Pantoum
- MEDIA RELATIONS: Larissa Relations Média
- ARTIST SERVICES: Spectacles Bonzaï
- RECORD STORE: Le Knock-Out