Seven Reasons You Shouldn’t Have Missed Osheaga

As everyone knows, Montréal’s marquee festival is firmly in sync with the international music scene. Homegrown artists also took the stage during this year’s edition, earning rousing applause along the way. Here, in order of appearance, are seven performances and DJ sets that will stay with us for a long time to come. 

Moses Bélanger 

The Montréaler had every reason to be nervous on July 31, 2026: he was opening Osheaga, making his festival debut and unveiling the live show for his new album, Combien de fois, released earlier this year. Yet he took the stage with the commanding assurance of a pontiff, in fine voice and ready to deliver his dreamy, house-inflected songs. 

// Read also: Moses Bélanger’s musical coming out

Angine de Poitrine 

How many Québec bands—from the Saguenay, no less—manage to make it all the way to Osheaga’s main stage? Very few, needless to say. Angine de poitrine did just that, playing to a crowd that seemed almost hypnotized by the sheer madness of their vision and, above all, their unmistakable virtuosity. It was a moment of pure grace, made all the more remarkable by the fact that their set was a surprise. 

// Read also: Angine de Poitrine, from cult oddity to global sensation

Moonshine 

The dozen or so artists gathered onstage—behind the decks, on percussion or breaking into improvised voguing—drew us into a sweeping celebration we weren’t merely witnessing, but actively taking part in. Moonshine recreated the after-dark energy so perfectly in the middle of the afternoon that it felt like being in a club. Once again, the Montréal collective embodied the full richness and unifying power of electronic music rooted in the African diaspora.  

// Read also: Moonshine, the honey moon continues

Tate McRae 

The Calgary pop star’s charisma is matched only by her technical prowess as a dancer. Figuratively speaking, Tate McRae needed no pyrotechnics to set the stage ablaze. It’s impossible to watch her perform without thinking of Britney Spears, whose legacy she carries forward as one of her most gifted heirs.  

Tia Wood 

Against a backdrop of forests, horses and rose-coloured skies, the Indigenous singer-songwriter shared her love for the place she comes from and the hardships that shaped her. Her R&B-tinged pop proudly celebrates her Cree and Salish roots without falling back on familiar sounds or imagery. On a stage near the river’s edge, Tia Wood opened Osheaga’s final afternoon with a performance that invited us to slow down, but without losing our momentum.  

Bolarhino 

Disco can still move crowds, and Osheaga’s reaction to his DJ set was undeniable proof of that. Fans fluttered and hips swayed to the Montréal artist’s mixes, the work of a true alchemist of 1970s groove. He also had to contend with a major curveball: Bambii, who was scheduled to follow him, cancelled her own DJ set, but Bolarhino handled it like a pro during his extended performance. 

AVIV 

AVIV’s sonic world delivers an instant dopamine boost that makes you want to turn on a dime and take off somewhere, just to get away for a while. AVIV makes the kind of indie pop that expertly sidesteps clichés. Onstage, each member of the band seems completely immersed in the music, and their sheer joy and carefree energy quickly become contagious. It’s beautifully executed, easy on the ears and tinged with a luminous sense of nostalgia. 

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