The 2023 edition of the Osheaga Music and Arts Festival took place under a radiant sun over three days of festivities, from Aug. 4 to 6, at Montréal’s Parc Jean-Drapeau. This year’s 16th annual event broke attendance records, with 155,000 revelers turning out to sing, dance, and be wowed but the star-studded lineup, one that included a strong contingent of SOCAN members from Québec and Canada. SOCAN proudly hosted the opening cocktail party on Aug. 3, and was on hand all weekend to cheer on its members, and capture their stellar performances in pictures. Here’s a selection of some of the best images by our photographer 



Initially trained as a guitarist, Kim Gaboury first made a name for himself with Akido, an electronic music project, before switching almost exclusively to composing for TV and film. After being nominated three times in the upcoming Gala des Gémeaux, the happily busy music creator generously took time away from his studio, where he works on several projects simultaneously, to answer our questions.

Kim Gaboury loves deadlines. Creating under pressure, to deliver an incredible amount of music in very little time, and having to deal with the sometimes insane requirements of the TV and film production universe, have been part and parcel of his daily life for years. And despite the fact that he’s exhausted most of the time, he wouldn’t change anything.

“Composing is organizing sounds in space and time, but when you’re a screen composer, you need another level of time management,” he explains. “We exist at the end of the chain, so we suffer for any production delay. But at the same time, there’s something stimulating in knowing that our music can change the tone of a scene. Besides, stress isn’t always negative, it can also be stimulating. As my friend Michel Cusson always says, no deadline, no music!”

Gaboury doesn’t drop the UZEB guitarist’s name just to brag. Before becoming a friend and collaborator, Michel Cusson was Gaboury’s mentor, the person who literally taught him the rudiments of screen composing. “My Akido project already existed, but I wanted to earn a living from making music,” he remembers. “I enrolled at Musitechnic, but I’d been playing music since the age of 11, and I also had a solid knowledge of studio techniques. I quickly realized that wouldn’t teach me much and just quit a week later.”

Kim Gaboury

Photo by Kim Gaboury

That was back in 2004. Determined to acquire practical knowledge, Kim sought out real professionals who could help put his career on the right path, and Cusson’s name was at the top of his wish list. “I’m not the type to insist when I’m told no, but I had to ask three times before he said yes!” says Gaboury. “It became clear very quickly that I wouldn’t just be his assistant, but a collaborator.”

Almost a decade later, Gaboury and Cusson founded the Melodika collective, and surrounded themselves with other composers in order to meet the increasing demand of the film and TV world. Their relationship deepened as time went on, and the best example of that is their collaboration on major TV projects like Unité 9, À coeur battant and District 31. “It took me years to master this form of composition,” says Gaboury. “Now, it’s become a playground where I have fun. Despite the obvious constraints, there’s a huge amount of freedom when you’re working with images: I can allow myself to do really weird stuff, like using noise, or experimental music, even in a mainstream series.”

Despite the fact that he’s being pestered by some of his following who’d like to hear more Akido productions, it seems that the project will lie fallow until further notice. The fact is, Gaboury is increasingly enjoying working on projects like Classé Secret, a police drama by Stéphan Beaudoin, featuring Mélissa Désormeaux-Poulin.

Gaboury’s three nominations at this year’s Gala des Gémeaux are in the Best Original Music and Best Original Theme Song categories for Classé Secret, and Best Theme Song for Les histoires bizarres du professeur Zarbi, by the creators of Têtes à Claques.

“I’m always surprised and touched that people in the industry think of me, but I also try not to give too much value to awards. Mind you, maybe that’s just because I haven’t won a Gémeaux yet!” he says with a giggle. “But this year is very different, because I’m competing against Hans Zimmer [nominated for his score to Xavier Dolan’s La nuit où Laurier Gaudreault s’est réveillé (The Night Logan Woke Up)], which is absolutely surreal!”

Aside from winning a Gémeaux Award over the celebrated German-American film composer, does Gaboury still have any professional dreams left to fulfil? “A major TV series like Ozark or Breaking Bad, that develops over several seasons, would truly be a gift,” he says. “Otherwise, I hope to keep working with the director Stéphan Beaudoin, because if there’s anyone in Québec who can create a great series that will sell internationally, it’s him.”



Are you trying to find out who the rights holders are for a song or composition? Or who the publisher is? Maybe you want to use it in TV show or commercial, or use a sample, and want to check if it’s registered with SOCAN?

The answers to those and similar questions can be found in our SOCAN Repertoire Search.

The repertoire search is public, open to anyone looking for information about any song that’s registered with SOCAN. Recent enhancements to the search mean a better user experience through expanded search functionality, more detailed information, and by providing an option for rights holders to share contact information.

You can easily search by entering the title of the song or composition, the name of any of its co-writers or music publishers, or by the work identifier number.

Once you’ve entered search information, the results will be more interactive, allowing searchers to click on the names of the writers, publishers, or titles, in order to find out more. Music publishers, especially those with extensive catalogues, will benefit from a greater ability to zero in the information they require.

The SOCAN repertoire is a valuable tool for the music industry; a source of music for commercials, television programs, and movies; and when a performer wants to cover a song, or use a sample in a new song, it provides necessary information.

The enhanced SOCAN repertoire offers its music publisher, composer, and songwriter members the opportunity to provide important information in the new “My Repertoire Contact” section in their SOCAN online accounts. When you, or your publisher, complete your repertoire contact information, you’re providing music supervisors, production companies, other music users, fellow SOCAN members, and the public an easy way to contact you, or your company, about your songs or compositions.

Check out our SOCAN Repertoire Search today!