6 Canadian artists performing at Osheaga 2025 that you need to pay attention to — bbno$, Aqyila, The Beaches and more

Yahoo

2 days ago

Canadian music lovers, get ready: Osheaga 2025 is set to be full of incredible acts you won't want to miss. Some of the biggest names in the industry are set to trot over to Montreal later this summer, filling up one of Canada's major cities with chart-topping tunes you'll probably want to jam along to.
Rock fans can anticipate The Killers giving an energetic rendition of "Mr. Brightside" and Cage The Elephant crooning out to "Cigarette Daydreams," while rap lovers ought to be excited for powerful performances from Tyler, The Creator and Doechii. Pop stans might, on the other hand, be counting down the days to tear up with Gracie Abrams or belt along to that part in Olivia Rodrigo's mega-hit "drivers license."
But don't be so quick to count out Canadian musicians; there's a wealth of talent that can't go unrecognized across this vast country. From the soulful tones Toronto R&B singer Aqyila lets fall into place, the eclectic bars Vancouver rapper bbno$ delivers with confidence or the unapologetic attitude served by rock band The Beaches, there's truly something for every music lover at this year's event.
The Osheaga Music and Arts Festival runs from Aug. 1 to 3 this year at Parc Jean-Drapeau. Whether you're undecided about making plans to attend or you can't wait for Canada's biggest music festival, read on to learn more about some of the country's top-rising stars who are set to take the stage in Montreal later this year.
If you happen to catch a performance by Aqyila, it's likely you'll get a show that's full of immaculate vibes. That's essentially what's been at the core of her music making, and with a recently-released debut album that sounds smooth as butter, it's a direction that seems to be paying off.
"I'm a very much vibes type of artist," she explained to Yahoo Canada. "It's just like, 'OK, this feels good, this feels good, this flows nicely.'" The Toronto singer, whose real name is Taahira Aquiyla Duff, released her first album this past March. Titled Falling Into Place, it's full of silky, intimate songs that make you feel warm inside, with one love song on the project, a 2024 viral single called "Bloom," being the epitome of that feeling."
But she doesn't want listeners to miss "Give Me More" when she takes the stage in Montreal this summer. The opening track to her 37-minute album is one she's excited for people to hear live: "Every time when the bass hits in that hook, I'm falling. I love that part."
This will be her first time at Osheaga, and she said her and her band are excited to get on stage and showcase the new music. "Being able to finally showcase these new songs that I've added to my discography is super exciting. I'm very much looking forward to gaining some new fans out there, that'd be dope."
Leading up to her Montreal show, lots has been happening in her career, from spending some time in the U.K. where she did a "nice, chill R&B set" that "felt very soulful," to starring as a special guest on singer Pink Sweats' tour earlier this year. That touring opportunity gave her the chance to get "warmed up" with performing across numerous cities in the U.S., along with pitstops in Toronto and Vancouver. NXNE Music Festival is also coming up in downtown Toronto, where she's set to perform at Sankofa Square on June 12: "That'll be the first time I'm getting to do the album full band live. It'll gear me up for Osheaga, for sure."
While crafting good vibes has propelled her to some success in the industry already, it's not something she envisions will shape her art for the long haul. "I want to be a bit more precise," she shared, explaining she feels she's currently the "discovery part" of her artistry.
But who knows? Perhaps once her festival stops have wrapped this summer, Aqyila could be coming to a city near you: "We'll just have to see what's in store."
Between catchy beats, a playful personality and simply not taking himself too seriously, there's something infectious about bbno$ (pronounced "baby no money") that makes you reel for more. At some point, the rapper might've caught your ears, either by pure interest or a moment of unwillingly being able to escape his viral hit like "edamame" or "Lalala."
Born and raised in Vancouver, the Canadian star — whose real name is Alexander Gumuchian — has seemingly never been afraid of how he's perceived by others. You can see that quality in nearly any of his more than two dozen music videos that have surpassed one million views on YouTube. Or, simply look to the 2025 Junos red carpet and see how he let everyone know he's "the sh—."
The self-described "Gen Z Eminem" (as he puts it on bass-heavy house track "It Boy") once — now regrettably — called his sound "oxymoronical rap." And while fans attending Osheaga should get a glimpse of his typically amusing tunes, it's probably safe to bet his set will see numerous electronic-infused songs in the same vein of "mary poppins" and "boom," singles he both released in May. "I want my live show to be like a rave," he told Out this spring.
There's an evolution that Debby Friday is excited to share with audiences, both in her music and in the way she navigates the world. The Montreal-bred artist is gearing up to release a new album during Osheaga weekend, and it's one that's a true representation of where she's at in life.
"I feel like I am the most secure that I've ever felt as far as the decisions that I'm making for myself and for my career," she told Yahoo Canada, explaining how The Starrr Of The Queen Of Life, releasing Aug. 1, represents this new era of her journey. It's a moment in her career that she hopes people understand she's "not afraid to shine anymore."
Friday's new album follows her Polaris Prize-winning debut album, Good Luck, which she said in 2023 featured the truest, most honest form of her songwriting. The Starrr Of The Queen Of Life is a continuation of that openness, and she's excited to connect with fans on an even deeper level — all with new experimentations with her sound and art.
"There is this opening up that has happened inside of me. I think previously, I really used music as a way to channel and to say things that I may not have been able to say quite plainly," she shared, explaining she's a shy person and used to "obscure" herself in the past.
"But with this record, I just feel so much more open. I also feel a lot more comfortable being vulnerable and showing that vulnerability publicly. ... I'm using my voice in different ways, I'm producing in different ways, I'm playing with different sounds. I keep calling it an opening."
This June, she's joining experimental pop musician Spellling on a tour across Europe, where she's looking forward to getting familiar with her new music, understanding how to perform the songs and even see how her performing style has evolved. "I'm sure by the time Osheaga rolls around, we'll be seeing some of that."
The sound on her new album is very reflective of London, as that was the city she spent a majority of the time crafting the project in. But she also drew from her own observations about the world around her, pulling inspirations of love for her triumphant opening track "1/17," as well as existential aspects on "All I Wanna Do Is Party." She called the two sister songs, with the latter being "about the end of the world" but a chance to let fans dance and still feel happiness despite what's going on in the world.
"I'm just super excited to get on that stage and to play the new songs. I love performing and I always love a new experience."
Begonia might be in a transitory stage at the moment, but that doesn't mean she's slowing down. Coming off the success of her Juno-nominated 2023 album Powder Blue, the Winnipeg singer is about to start ramping things up in hopes of taking over the music landscape.
"I'm in this little cuspy zone of finishing off one album; Powder Blue touring, finishing off that touring; and then on the eve of starting some new touring. So, I'm right in this middle zone that's interesting. I'm contemplating all these questions."
The singer, whose real name is Alexa Dirks, told Yahoo Canada she's preparing an entirely new project, but she's currently in the throes of creating visuals as well as crafting a final track list. "There will be a single out this summer," she revealed. "Hopefully we'll be performing a couple new things on the Osheaga stage — that's all I can say.'
But the thought of blending that new material with her critically acclaimed work all into a condensed show sparks numerous questions, of course. "When I first started, I felt like I was grasping at straws to fill an hour. ... Now it's like the best problem ever to have too many songs that I love to play live. It's going to take a moment to craft."
From fan-favourite tracks like "Heaven" and "Married by Elvis" on her most recent album, to unforgettable gems on her first album, Fear, along with all the music from her EPs, it'll be a difficult task trying to craft a cohesive show that resonates will all audiences.
And while indulging in the fashion, makeup and theatrics of these live performances is a major part of the fun for Dirks, there's a care for the audience's reception to the show that plays an equally important role. "It's not going to be all new material that's not even out yet, ... I want to pepper it in," she shared, explaining how it's not necessarily enjoyable when an artist gets on stage and performs multiple songs no one is quite familiar with yet.
When it comes to live shows, it's the audience that can really change an artist's perspective on their music, Dirks added.
"You can rehearse new material with your band in your basement and you can think that it's going to feel a certain way, but it completely changes once you are on that stage in front of a variable audience — things just innately feel different," she explained, sharing she might think one part will be a hit with the crowd but it's actually an entirely different moment that resonates best.
"It's just so informative. I feel like I'm excited for that, to just learn some new lessons with some of these new songs."
The Beaches are the all-woman indie-rock band the music industry has been begging for, and they've been taking the world by storm every chance they can. Between winning the Group of the Year Juno Award for the second time and coming out of playing Coachella earlier this year, the quartet is certainly more than ready to light up Montreal and other Canadian cities on their tour in late 2025.
Formed in Toronto in 2013 by Jordan Miller, Eliza Enman-McDaniel, Kylie Miller and Leandra Earl, these stars aren't newcomers to the music world. But according to Earl, "there's definitely some pressure" to being the only Canadian top-billed act at Osheaga this year: "I think we're gonna do what we always do: Perform the best we can and have the best time," she told Yahoo Canada.
Still, the band's breakup song, "Blame Brett," might be one of the best songs released by an all-woman group in recent years (although "Gnarly" by pop girl group KATSEYE is going triple platinum, at least in my house). There's a nonchalant brashness to the viral 2023 hit — featured on their Juno-winning album Blame My Ex — that can infect pretty much anyone with the urge to jump up and down while headbanging.
"The album is very much about my breakup, more over what happened after I experienced the breakup, the journey I went on, the ups and downs," Miller told Yahoo Canada a month after that album came out. "The heartbreak, the grief, the rediscovery of myself, falling in love with myself again, falling in love with my friends again, getting back into dating again."
Leading up to Osheaga, the band is preparing for their third album — No Hard Feelings — to wash ashore at the end of August: "We will have a couple of new singles out by then, so we'll definitely be playing those," Earl shared. "Get ready, Montreal!"
There's a raw, husky quality to Ruby Waters' voice that makes you feel wrapped up in a warm, comforting blanket. Born just outside of Shelburne, Ont., the songstress — who's currently based in British Columbia — draws from genres like folk, indie-rock and pop.
Some might know the rising star from her first song, "Sweet Sublime," which went Reddit viral in 2018. But those who've followed her career over the past few years knows she's seen greater success.
In 2022, she received her first Juno nomination for her EP, If It Comes Down to It, followed by a second nod earlier this year for her debut album, What's the Point. Beyond her music releases, it's been show after show for the singer-songwriter — and that's continuing later this year. On top of Osheaga in August, she'll perform at Hillside Festival in Guelph, Ont., Highlands Music Festival in Palmer Rapids, Ont., and the Winnipeg Folk Festival.
What appears to be at the heart of Waters' artistry is her identity. Being Métis, she previously told Cult MTL her roots have inspired some of the songs she's written, and she enjoys using her music to tell stories from the perspectives of people who are less fortunate: "I'd love to be able to learn how to speak out for any community that feels like they don't have enough word in the world."