Francouvertes announces 2019 participants

The 2019 edition of the annual competition Les Francouvertes kicked off with a performance by last year’s winner, LaF, at Montréal’s Lion d’Or, on Feb. 11, 2019. The 21 contestants in this key competition have been announced and, once more, SOCAN will support the event by presenting the “J’aime mes ex” concert series, wherein 10 Francouvertes alumni perform as opening acts in the first and semi-final rounds of the contest.

SOCAN also sponsors the Paroles & Musique Award, a $1,000 cash prize that will be awarded to one of the semi-finalists for their songwriting talent.

These prizes are part of a plethora of rewards, grants, and concert opportunities that will be awarded this year. All told, 21 artists and bands from Québec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia will participate in the preliminary round of this 23^rd edition over seven nights at Lion D’Or, every Monday from Feb. 18 to April 1^st: Miles Barnes, CE7TE LIFE: David Campana, Shotto Guapo and Major, Marie-Gold (Feb. 18) – Anaïs Constantin, Simon Daniel, Foisy (Feb. 25) – Comment Debord, P’tit Belliveau et les Grosses Coques, Alex Burger (March 4) – Olivier Lessard, vice E roi, Thierry Larose (March 11) – Kirouac & Kodakludo, O.G.B, Suprême Sans Plomb (March 18) – Cosmophone, Titelaine, Dear Denizen (March 25) – Fria Moeras, Poulin, BIRMANI (Apr. 1^st).

The semifinals will be held on March 15-16-17, still at Lion d’Or, and the final round will be held at Club Soda on Monday, May 6.

The ten “exes” that will open each evening as part of the “J’aime mes ex” series are:
Shawn Jobin (Feb. 18)
Keith Kouna (Feb. 25)
Lydia Képinski (March 4)
Juste Robert (March 11)
Jérôme 50 (March 18)
Fanny Bloom (March 25)
Philippe Brach (Apr. 1)
Laurence-Anne (Apr. 15)
Les sœurs Boulay (Apr. 16)
Mélanie Venditti (Apr. 17)

This year’s co-spokespersons for the event are Saramée and Karim Ouellet, taking over from Klô Pelgag and Benoit Pinette (Tire le coyote), and the events will be hosted by SOCAN member Isabelle Ouimet. To find out more about the 23^rd edition of the Francouvertes, visit the event’s website (French only).