Back for a second year during the Francos de Montréal, the Residency for Francophone Artists-Entrepreneurs from Outside Québec brought together eight songwriters for an inspiring stay in the city, June 17-20, 2025. Created through a partnership between SOCAN Foundation, the Alliance nationale de l’industrie musicale, and the Fédération culturelle canadienne-française, the residency offered participants a chance to sharpen their artistic and entrepreneurial chops while soaking in the Montréal vibe.
Over the course of three full days, the songwriters took part in the Rendez-Vous Pros at the Francos de Montréal, where they connected with music industry professionals from Québec, across Canada, and beyond. They also attended festival-organized panels, along with focused workshops on digital marketing and financial management for artist entrepreneurs, presented in collaboration with SPCAQ-AE.
A third component of the residency paired participants with industry mentors. The goal was to foster new connections, strengthen professional relationships, and help move current projects forward. Huge thanks to Garance Chartier, Jacynthe Plamondon, Magalie Pleau, Martine Groux, Sébastien Charest, Yan Bienvenue, and Yannick Capuano for generously guiding and supporting this year’s participants.
“The distance – and sometimes isolation – experienced by Francophone artists outside Québec shouldn’t be underestimated,:” said Julien Boumard Coallier, Grants Program Manager, SOCAN Foundation. “In-person encounters are essential for artist-entrepreneurs like them. They help turn goals into action, strengthen relationships, and accelerate career development.”
Carefully selected, this cohort reflects the richness, diversity, and talent of the Francophone Canadian experience, with participants from cities like Whitehorse, Halifax, Saskatoon, and Saint John. Here are the participants in the 2025 edition:
Adrian House: An award-winning Francophile artist from St. John’s, Newfoundland, Adrian House draws from a wide range of influences – folk, jazz, and rock – to create music that feels like a beautiful journey, rooted in classic Francophone songwriting.
aliasjazz: aliasjazz is a queer, trans, Franco-Algerian rapper based in Halifax. He channels his deep love of words, poetry, and rhyme to explore and make sense of the world, the people in it, and the society around him – and through sharing his own experience, he invites listeners to reflect, and move toward self-realization.
Brigitte Jardin: Brigitte Jardin is a songwriter who blends “chanson Francophone” with American country, crafting a sound that’s entirely her own. One of a rare breed of singing drummers, she captivates with her quiet strength, refined stage presence, and compelling authenticity.
Céleste Lévis: Céleste Lévis grew up in Timmins, Ontario. Music came into her life later on, after serious health issues forced her to stop playing sports. With a voice that’s warm, comforting, and unmistakably her own, Céleste aims to bring hope to others through her songs. Kind-hearted, and generous with her audience, she’s one of those rare souls whose music goes straight to the heart – and stays there.
Mario Lepage: Hailing from the heart of the Canadian Prairies, Ponteix crafts hypnotic grooves that blend psych-pop-electronic with the melancholy of R&B and indie rock. When playing live, the Fransaskois project appears as a trio, delivering an electrifying experience with lyrics rooted in the heritage of Mario Lepage, originally from the hamlet of Saint-Denis, Saskatchewan.
Navan: Ali Amini, known artistically as Navan, was born on Feb. 20, 1997, in Tehran, Iran. His journey began in 2010 when he left Iran to settle in Montréal. Drawing inspiration from artists like Enrique Iglesias, The Weeknd, and Bruno Mars, Navan aims to fuse the emotional depth of Persian music with the vibrant energy of modern pop and R&B. These influences fuel his mission to transcend cultural boundaries and reach a global audience through his trilingual artistry.
Rayannah: Born, and still based, in Winnipeg, Rayannah has taken her electro-soul sound across Canada and Europe. Whether opening for Esperanza Spalding, Ariane Moffatt, or Saul Williams, performing solo or backed by her band, Rayannah gives audiences a raw and intimate experience. Armed with loop pedals, the bilingual artist builds her tracks live using her voice, breath, percussion, and synths. Her visceral lyrics, sung in both French and English, float over sonic landscapes that range from sparse to rich and complex.
Sylvie Walker: Sylvie Walker is a prairie-folk singer-songwriter from Saskatchewan, based in Saskatoon. With a soft, flowing voice, she brings to life a world that’s both heartfelt and captivating. Her songs are shaped by personal and collective experiences, and delve into profound themes – like grief, in all its forms. In 2013, she won the Prix de la chanson SOCAN at the Festival in35ternational de la chanson de Granby for her song “Ti cœur.”
“Opportunities like this, where we can connect as artists who are also entrepreneurs, are essential.” said Rayannah after the three days of the 2025 Residency. “It’s especially true in my community in the West, where artists are deeply involved in building their own industry. This residency helps us break through geographic barriers, accelerate the projects we’re working on, and shape them in our own image.”