Numerous national and international artists will visit the four corners of the province during the summer. Here’s a playlist that includes some of them.
Updated yesterday at 7:00am.
Thierry Larose, knotted fingers
We can see Thierry Larose at a few festivals this summer, including Francos de Montréal and Festif! from Baie Saint Paul. The young singer-songwriter from Quebec, who caused a stir with his debut album Cantalou two years ago, will also write songs for Sprint! vorlesen, a fiery second album that may have been released in winter, but a joyful and high mood exudes summery energy. In any case, it’s hard to resist the knot in your fingers, its slightly retro-chansonned spirit and its melody that you could listen to again and again until the end of the summer.
Josee Lapointe, La Presse
Excerpt from Knots in the Fingers by Thierry Larose
Rick Ross, BMF
PHOTO REED HOFFMANN, ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES
Rick Ross attended the Kelce Jam Festival in Kansas on April 28th.
Rick Ross has been one of America’s most well-known rappers for more than 15 years. He has released ten albums and three compilations on his Maybach Music Group label and has collaborated with all the major artists on the hip-hop scene in recent years, including Drake, Jay-Z and Kanye West. The 47-year-old Floridian’s production has dwindled lately – although he has worked on DJ Khaled’s smash hit “God Did” as he is reportedly running for mayor of Fayetteville, Georgia, where he now resides. Rozay will continue to be the main artist of the 40th International Hot Air Balloon Festival in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu on August 18th. On the same day, Koriass, Jay Scøtt, Marie-Gold and Emma Beko will also be at the festival.
Pascal LeBlanc, La Presse
Excerpt from BMF by Rick Ross
GloRilla, Lick or Sum
PHOTO AMY HARRIS, ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES
GloRilla during his visit to the Coachella festival on April 23rd
With her deep voice, irresistible Memphis accent, and jerky flow, GloRilla has several assets that set her apart. With more than 4.6 million monthly listeners on Spotify, the 23-year-old rapper continues to rise with each of her releases. The very sexual Lick or Sum that launched last Tuesday may be contributing to this phenomenon. The track FNF (Let’s Go) is the origin of his first success and even earned him an award at the last Grammy Gala. His collaboration with Cardi B, Tomorrow 2, has amassed nearly 100 million views, while those with Lil Durk total 20 million. It will also precede the latter on July 11 at the Festival d’été de Québec. Montreal native Naya Ali and Vancouverite BBNO$ will also be on the Plains of Abraham that same night.
Pascal LeBlanc, La Presse
Excerpt from Lick or Sum by GloRilla
Natalia Lafourcade, Hasta la Raiz
PHOTO PROVIDED BY SONY
Natalia Lafourcade
Yes, the Mexican superstar’s two shows at the Jazz Festival’s Maison Symphonique are sold out – it’s a huge coup to have her in Montreal as part of her tour, which takes her from Paris to Buenos Aires. But that doesn’t prevent us from hearing his biggest hit, Hasta la Raiz (2015), as well as an anthology of his songs, which for 20 years have been inspired by both the traditional music of his country and jazz and pop. We enjoy the softness of the voice and the elegance of the arrangements and leave the rest to the warm summer breeze.
Josee Lapointe, La Presse
Excerpt from Hasta la Raiz by Natalia Lafourcade
The war on drugs, I don’t live here anymore
PHOTO FROM THE GROUP’S WEBSITE
Members of The War on Drugs
An invitation that we will not let slip: that of the group around the self-taught Adam Granduciel. Head to MTELUS on July 14 or the Festival d’été de Québec the next day to hear The War on Drugs group’s – already – classic tunes like Red Eyes, Pain, Under Pressure and most importantly, I Don’ t Live Here Anymore, title track of his extraordinary album released in 2021. This song alludes to both the journey of migrants and hearts in the pain of love — yes, it’s possible — and makes us think of certain tunes by Bob Dylan and glam rock that were heard in the 1980s.
Philippe Beauchemin, La Presse
Excerpt from “I Don’t Live Here Anymore” from The War on Drugs.
Lionel Richie, All Night Long
PHOTO LEON NEAL, AGENCY FRANCE-PRESS
Lionel Richie
The word “nostalgia” sounds like a sad song. Of course there will be soulful tunes when Lionel Richie takes the stage at the Bell Center this summer, but there will also be some hard-hitting beats. Especially since the former Commodores appear in a double pack with Earth Wind & Fire, also authors of big, soul-infused funk hits. If all these beautiful people still have their voices, the party, karamu and festival may not be “forever” like in the song, but for a long part of this evening of August 9th!
Alexandre Vigneault, La Presse
Excerpt from All Night Long by Lionel Richie
Madonna, music
PHOTO JEENAH MOON, Portal ARCHIVE
Madonna
You don’t have to have liked Madonna’s last or penultimate record or even the previous one to want to see her back on stage. Her repertoire includes enough songs to ensure the Bell Center becomes a dance floor again in August, twice instead of just once as she will be performing there on August 19th and 20th. His music brings people together more than many others. Still and always.
Alexandre Vigneault, La Presse
Excerpt from “Music” by Madonna
Zombie Life My Heart, My Disco Sweater (feat. Lou Adriane Cassidy)
PHOTO CAMILLE GLADU-DROUIN SUPPLIED BY COSTUME RECORDS
Jean-Bruno Pinard, the man behind Zombie Life My Heart
Lou-Adriane Cassidy’s program for the summer? “Kiss, fly, dance, let the tempo go,” she enumerates in Mon chandail disco, an irresistible invitation to do anything, taken from Éclore au matin, the first album of Jean-Bruno Pinard’s Zombie Life Mon Cœur project (who wants open to Marjo at Francos on June 9th). For the mixer and producer (who has worked with Les Louanges), it’s as if Quebec pop had never been more immersive than when Mitsou and Les BB dominated the charts. A point he makes brilliantly in the company of a scintillating team of guests including Anatole, Laurence-Anne, Alex Burger, N Nao and Lumière.
Dominic Tardif, La Presse
Excerpt from My Disco Sweater, from Zombie Life My Heart
White Reaper, smoke machine
PHOTO JIMMY FONTAINE PROVIDED BY ELEKTRA MUSIC GROUP
white reaper
Foo Fighters, best American band in the world? Rather, it’s the formation that Dave Grohl’s team will be sharing the poster with on July 8th at the Festival d’été de Québec, White Reaper, that claims that title if we’re to trust at least the title of his second album out 2017 (The Best American Band in the World). Less pretentious than full of self-mockery, the Kentucky band certainly embody a (sadly) outdated notion of rock as a vector of six-string solos you can hum and choruses meant to finish the beer in two. Think Cheap Trick but with the power of the two guitar attacks Thin Lizzy once had us by the collar with.
Dominic Tardif, La Presse
Excerpt from “Fog Machine” by White Reaper
Lana Del Rey, A&W
PHOTO FROM THE ARTIST’S FACEBOOK PAGE
Lana DelRey
Lana Del Rey will finally be with us at the Festival d’été de Québec next July 15, after eight years without staying in the provinces, despite the many albums she has given us since then. The video game interpreter released a new album, Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd, in 2023, a great opus of orchestral ballads. After four releases in less than four years, the prolific and talented American artist, who hasn’t toured since 2019, should offer a fabulous show full of great songs that she has produced since, but also of her classics that have become milestones nostalgic anthems.
Marissa Groguhé, La Presse
Excerpt from A&W by Lana Del Rey
Drake (with 21 Savage), Rich Flex
PHOTO RICHARD SHOTWELL, INVISION, SUPPLIED BY ASSOCIATED PRESS
drake
As a Canadian pride, Drake never misses an opportunity to drop by Montreal (he even took the stage with Lil Baby for a few minutes during the metro Metro Festival last year). On July 14th and 15th he will perform back-to-back concerts at the Bell Center as part of his It’s All a Blur tour. After Certified Lover Boy (2021), Honestly, Nevermind (2022) and the collaborative album Her Loss (2022), which he co-signed with 21 Savage, the Toronto rapper is sure to delight his loyal admirers.
Marissa Groguhé, La Presse
Excerpt from Rich Flex by Drake (with 21 Savage)
Delgres, look out
PHOTO HOLLY FOGG, FROM THE GROUP’S FACEBOOK PAGE
Delgres
The French-Guadeloupean hard blues group is making two stops in Quebec this summer, first at the Tremblant International Blues Festival on July 13 before touring again three days later at the Quebec Summer Festival. This is an opportunity to hear the tracks from the great album 4:00 AM due out in 2021 but certainly also some of the next CD due out later this year. A unique blend of blues, rock, Creole and Cajun rhythms, Delgrès aims to be the celebratory meeting of France, the West Indies and the United States. Something to see.
Pierre-Marc Durivage, La Presse
Excerpt from “Watch Out” by Delgres
Death Cab for Cutie, Asphalt Meadows
PHOTO JIMMY FONTAINE, FROM THE GROUP’S FACEBOOK PAGE
Death cab for cutie
Ben Gibbard’s band is making only one visit to Quebec as part of the Asphalt Meadows tour, on August 4th at the Festivent de Lévis. In fact, it will be the first show in seven years on Quebec soil for the American group, who showed they’re still at the top of their game with their latest album, released last September. Death Cab For Cutie is one example of the big catches for Festivent in 2023, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary and also features Walk The Moon, Matt Lang, Third Eye Blind, The Franklin Electric, Live, Our Lady Peace, FouKi and Alicia Moffet hosts.
Pierre-Marc Durivage, La Presse