There are over 92 different shows at Osheaga this year, but our editors jumped from show to show to give a concise and creative account of our experience. Without further ado, here’s what we saw and heard on day two of Osheaga.
Billie Eilish, Imperial, Remarkable, Memorable
Photo by: Tim Snow
Billie Eilish was headlining the day on Saturday, and for good reason! It seemed to his cheering audience that every moment of his highly anticipated performance was designed to remain forever etched in the memory of festival-goers, who can consider themselves blessed to have been able to witness such a memorable performance, to say the least. Not to say eligible for legend.
So to speak, the moments of the anthology were linked one after the other! The singer did everything in her power to deliver interpretations as powerful as each other, the power provided by her completely insane energy on stage or by her deeply felt emotions and words of real depth. One of the highlights was when she sat on the edge of the stage to perform “What was I made for?” and she cried a few tears in front of us. The intensity kicked up a notch afterward as she didn’t ask, but ordered the crowd to sing “Oxytocin” with her.
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the show was when she polled the audience about their knowledge of Armani White’s song “Billie Eilish,” and he appeared on stage before the crowd could even respond, performing the title. Total amazement!
The title “Happier than Ever” closed the show, during which Billie used all the energy she had left. Fireworks, jets of flames, everything was in place so that no one would forget Billie Eilish’s visit to Osheaga in August 2023.
– Arielle Caron
The sensibility and authenticity of Pelch
Crédit photo : Benoit Rousseau
At the beginning of the afternoon on Saturday, a good crowd of curious people had gathered in front of the Green Stage for the performance of the singer-songwriter Guillaume Pelchat alias Pelch. For those who don’t know him, the 23-year-old Quebecer offers pop ballads performed in English and has a rough voice reminiscent of Lewis Capaldi or even Dermot Kennedy at times. In April 2022, Pelch released Looking Around, a six-song debut EP where one of his strengths is revealed: taking his listeners on a journey through different emotions.
In Osheaga, the young man performed his most popular songs such as “How Many Kids?” and the one that made him known on social networks, the poignant “Yellow Shirt.” To the delight of the crowd, the artist also took the opportunity to play many unreleased tracks that will be found on his next project, including “Hometown,” a piece through which he expresses his love for his small hometown, Sainte-Julie. One of the highlights of the show is certainly when Pelch brought his little brother Gabriel on stage to sing “Last Night,” his most recent title being dedicated to him. The crowd was able to discover that Pelch is not the only one in his family to have a superb voice!
– Jacob Langlois-Pelletier
Matt Maltese, a name that (finally) rings a bell
Photo by Tim Snow
Matt Maltese, originally from England, is a name that does not necessarily ring a bell at first glance. However, those who are familiar with the TikTok app are probably very familiar with his song As the world caves in, which got a lot of popularity on the app. It was only at the end of the show that we were able to hear this title, giving festival-goers the chance to discover the artist beyond this one. The melancholy atmosphere of his work, combined with a chilling vocal power, made us feel like we were in the final scene of a coming-of-age movie.
– Arielle Caron
L.Teez, high-quality Montreal rap-jazz
Photo by: Osheaga
Around 4 p.m., it was Montreal artist L.Teez’s turn to take to the small stage of the Sirius XM sessions. For the record, Lee Terki was born in France to an Afro-Chinese Montreal mother of Jamaican origin and a Parisian father of Algerian Kabyle stock. As a child, he moved with his family to Quebec. In October 2022, two decades later, L.Teez unveiled Studio Blue, an excellent debut album mixing rap, jazz and soul.
Accompanied by singer Lea Keeley, a bassist, a drummer and two keyboardists, L.Teez offered a near-perfect rendition of his latest project. On a frankly well-executed jazz framework, the artist demonstrates an effective flow, especially as he slaloms easily between singing and rapping. The more the performance takes off, the more people come to the stage, a sign that his music is frankly interesting and attractive. Halfway through his set, L.Teez took the time to express his pleasure at being able to find himself on a festival stage. “I’ve been coming to the festival for several years, I’ve seen my best shows there. I am completely grateful to be on the other side to bring you this spectacle,” he said. L.Teez is a well-hidden treasure of the Montreal scene and well worth discovering!
– Jacob Langlois-Pelletier
Peach Pit keeps us in suspense until the end
Photo by : Frédérique Ménard-Aubin
Given the nature of the music of the indie-rock group Peach Pit, we can say that we did not expect the group to start their concert with a complete rock’n’roll instrumental sequence and that the singer launches into the crowd – despite the signs prohibiting crowd surfing. Endowed with a striking stage presence, the group maintained an incredible energy throughout the performance. If we expect a quiet little show listening to their music, Peach Pit makes sure to keep us in suspense from start to finish.. – Arielle Caron
Adekunle Gold conquering North America
Photo by : Frédérique Ménard-Aubin
In the early evening, a sizeable crowd eagerly awaits the arrival on the stage of Nigerian star Adekunle Gold. On my right, a festival-goer proudly wears a sweater from the artist’s native country, while on my left another wears the colors of Brazil. We already knew it, but here is yet another proof that the afrobeats music of the man we nickname AG Baby rallies the different communities. Unfortunately for the fans present, it was necessary to wait until 5:05 p.m. to see him appear on stage due to technical problems, his arrival being scheduled for twenty minutes earlier.
As she entered the stage, the applause and mostly female cries were unleashed.
The 36-year-old offered several tracks from Tequila Ever After, his new album he released to his audience just over a week ago. “It’s the album of the year, go listen to it!” he said. Signed to Def Jam Recordings, the artist has the looks of a real rock star on stage, displaying remarkable ease. He has a soft & relaxed voice and his music is tinged with pop, R&B, highlife, afrobeats influences. The conquest of North America is launched for Adekunle Gold and he will be back in Montreal next October.
– Jacob Langlois-Pelletier
On stage, the many faces of Lil Yachty
Photo Credit: Tim Snow
Earlier this year, rapper Lil Yachty surprised many with his album Let’s Start Here, a psychedelic alternate narrative one would never have expected from him. As soon as this project was released, his fans immediately embraced his new style. Saturday night, we could expect a different performance from what the artist from Atlanta knew how to accustom us to, and that’s exactly what he served us.
With a full band and two supporting singers, the first half of his 60 minutes was dedicated to his latest opus. In front of captivating visuals and with his voice tinged with autotune, the 25-year-old artist transported Montrealers into a whirlwind of emotions. The crowd responded, singing several of the verses. But it was rather in the last stretch of his performance that the people present made themselves heard, while the rapper interpreted his most popular titles such as “One Night,” “Get Dripped” as well as his collaboration ISpy with KYLE. Shortly before the end, Lil Yachty even sang “Poland,” his title which had ignited social networks in October 2022. All in all, festival-goers were treated to a performance as diverse as it was passionate from a pillar of the “SoundCloud generation”.
– Jacob Langlois-Pelletier
Baby Keem, sharp and merciless
Photo by: Tim Snow
Before Billie Eilish arrived on the main stage, Californian rapper Baby Keem came to the next set. In 2018, he released his debut album The Sound of Bad Habit, followed by DIE FOR MY BITCH in 2019 and the excellent The Melodic Blue. Over time, the 22-year-old artist has proven that he is much more than just the cousin of mega-star Kendrick Lamar, the one who will be the headliner of the third and final day of the festival.
Upon entering, the artist made a strong start with his hooligan title. “It’s the first time I’ve been in Montreal,” he said. Alone on stage, Baby Keem was simply accompanied by instrumental sequences and effective visual effects. The rapper delivered an honest, no-nonsense performance that was sure to please his fans. In many of his tracks, he does a lot of vocal inflections and plays around with changing his intonation, and it’s been noted that he was able to do all of that on stage as well. People near the stage were visibly enjoying themselves, those die-hard fans knowing all of the artist’s tracks by heart, while those farther away waiting for the pop star’s arrival seemed more hesitant. However, his successes ORANGE SODA and lost souls were able to move the vast majority of festival-goers present.
Before leaving, Baby Keem mentioned that this concert was the last of The Melodic Blue era and that the release of a new project was imminent. No doubt, we will be listening! – Jacob Langlois-Pelletier
The National, interest… national!
crédit photo: Tim Snow
Unfortunately, I missed part of The National’s show – the main downside of the festival was the distance between some stages. As soon as I arrived, I immediately wanted to join the crowd who were experiencing an exceptional moment. All eyes were on the singer, who put on a theatrical performance, almost making us feel like he was performing in a musical and not Osheaga. If the music of The National provokes deep emotions when listened to through headphones, the effect is greatly amplified when the songs are played before our eyes, and when we are surrounded by thousands of people all equally affected by the effect that the group gives us. It’s a feeling that’s hard to describe, that you only experience a few times in a lifetime, and that The National has managed to create. – Arielle Caron
Cults… on the road to master their rocky paths
crédit photo: Tim Snow
Cults is also a group whose songs have exploded on TikTok. Some were therefore known, but their appearance, like that of Matt Maltese, was an opportunity for Osheaga festival-goers to discover this group. The group offers captivating music, in which the many sounds pile up on top of each other, creating an atmosphere bordering on mastery. Unfortunately, it seemed at times that the sound wasn’t suited to this, which made their usually appreciable aspect somewhat unpleasant. But festival-goers still seemed to like the performance, as did the band who pointed out that it was the best festival they had played. – Arielle Caron
