Additional Information
Rosie Valland, Alex Burger, Marie-Pierre Arthur, Bibi Club, Bon Enfant, Rau_ze, Stephen Faulkner, Dumas, and Flèche Love are among the approximately 80 acts featured in the 39th Coup de cœur francophone, taking over Montreal from November 6 to 16. Undoubtedly a must-see, the CCF remains the quintessential fall event for the Francophone music scene, bringing together creative forces from America and beyond in chanson, rock, country/Americana, soul/R&B, and hip-hop. It goes without saying that PAN M 360 is interviewing Noémie Laniel, the programming director of the 39th Coup de cœur francophone (CCF) since last year, who is here to discuss the lineup she and her team have created.
PAN M 360: This doesn’t make me feel any younger, I was there at the first edition, I’ve been crossing paths with Alain Chartrand (founder and artistic director of the CCF) since the 80s at CIBL, even before the event was created.
Noémie Laniel: I wasn’t there 39 years ago (laughs), but I’ve heard a lot of good things about it!
PAN M 360: Is there an angle where it is more a representation of the emerging and established news of the French fact in North America and Europe, or does the programming reflect a particular inclination?
Noémie Laniel: I think we’re still focused on that angle, representing the new wave, as my director Alain so aptly puts it. In any case, it’s an expression we like to use when talking about emerging artists, the next generation, or artists who are on the rise. So yes, Coup de cœur francophone still has this mission of showcasing the artists of the new wave. We’re bold, we’re representing a wide range of genres and styles. We’re embracing the diversity and dynamism of what’s happening right now in French-language music in all its forms.
PAN M 360: What are the main features of this 2025 program?
Noémie Laniel: The unique thing about this year is that we have many events within the event. We have a very rich program of special evenings, launches, and evenings in collaboration with several artists who will share the stage.
PAN M 360: Give us some examples!
Noémie Laniel: I’m thinking of Marie-Pierre Arthur who presents us with a stripped-down show with François Lafontaine accompanying her, with director Sébastien Blais Montpetit and a choir.
I am thinking of Dumas, at the Gesù on November 14 and 16, who will present us with a formula with projections which will be the narrative thread of his show – in the first part, the Abenaki artist Mimi O’Bonsawin.
I’m thinking of Rosie Valland, who is presenting the anniversary show for her album Partir avant on November 15th at the Ministère.
We have Alex Burger at Club Soda on November 13th with the show Un coin du ciel, an evening with a country/americana flavour, an intergenerational mix with a lineup of veteran artists, confirmed artists and emerging artists.
So, in short, that’s it, we’re really into that this year. And generally speaking, we’re exploring all sorts of musical styles.
At the Plaza Theatre, on Friday, November 14th, we have Xela Edna, Flèche Love (from Switzerland), and Virginie B, who are performing a triple bill together. It’s going to be super pop, it’s going to be great! Then across the street from the Plaza Theatre, at Ausgang Plaza, we have a more experimental evening with Cédric Dind-Lavoie, Mykalle, and Bilou from Belgium, who is also a visual artist, so a mix of projections and sound explorations.
PAN M 360: Also worth keeping an eye on?
Noémie Laniel: I’d like to start by talking about the opening night, which for me is a very representative evening of the current buzz, the buzz among young people. This artistic buzz will be represented that evening by Bibi Club, Bon Enfant, and Rau_ze—three very different musical spheres, but which come together tonight. These three projects, for me, are representative of what’s happening right now in our scene. These artists are finding their place, they’re bringing people together, they’re doing things differently, they’re daring. In short, these projects are opening at Quai des Brumes, Rockette, L’Esco, not to mention the Fanfare de l’Île at Quai des Brumes. We’re bringing together the Mont-Royal/Saint-Denis corner! It’s a festive evening that, for me, represents the very best of what’s happening right now.
We also have several concerts/album launches, and we’re discovering a lot of new artists releasing their first albums. I’m thinking of the hip-hop/R&B artist Irdens Exantus, who also has an acting career—notably in Antigang. I’m also thinking of Kat Pereira, who made a name for herself at the Francouvertes and will also be launching her album with a live show. We have Embo/Phlébite, who will be launching their album in a double bill with Bandit Voyage, a Swiss duo we discovered last year. We absolutely loved them! This duo is launching an EP produced in Montreal last fall.
As the opening act for established artists or in the context of special evenings where they are invited, there will be the singer and songwriter Naïma Frank, there will be Noëm, Arielle Soucy, Veranda, Tom Chicoine, Cindy Bédard, Patrick Bourdon.
There’s the hip-hop artist Sensei H, who’s currently featured on Radio-Canada’s Révélation program, and who’s also one of my favorite projects. At Quai des Brumes and Verre-Bouteille, we have several discovery nights with artists like Charly Darling, Couleur Dauphin, Margaret Tracteur, Clara Dahli, and many more. In short, these evenings are full of artists worth discovering.
PAN M 360: So, roughly how many artists and how many concerts is that in total?
Noémie Laniel: Well, statistically speaking, we have roughly 80 artists in Montreal. I say that because, as you mentioned earlier, there’s also everything that’s happening across Canada leading up to the Festival in Montreal. It’s really a snapshot of what’s happening right now. It illustrates how musical and stylistic boundaries have exploded and how the very notion of a song is transforming and evolving over time. I think we’re capturing the essence of all that.
PAN M 360: Several festivals have had to reduce their artistic proposals. What about yours?
Noémie Laniel: Coup de Coeur francophone casts a wide net in terms of styles, but we’ve scaled back compared to previous years. It might not be immediately apparent, but yes, we’ve reduced the scope. Why? Yes, public funding is harder to secure, but it’s also a matter of programming vision. Current economic conditions are impacting us and forcing us to rethink how we work, how we present our event, being more concise, avoiding cannibalization, and thus making Coup de Coeur even better despite everything.
