Big Summer Fun at Les Francos 2025
Francos de Montréal
Summer in Montreal is already delightful, and its many festivals make it the best season of all. This year, Place des Festivals will start its hot summer with the 36th edition of Les Francos! The festival celebrating the of francophone music excellence takes place from June 13 to 21 in the Quartier des Spectacles. The 2025 edition is jam-packed with more than a hundred concerts – two thirds of them free – by artists both local and international. Here’s a look at the program’s many musical styles and diversity of francophone music.
Rock
In Quebec, rock is alive and well and as popular as ever! Last year, the Karkwa concert was a highlight of Les Francos. This year, the band’s frontman, Louis-Jean Cormier, will play a solo show on June 14 at the Cinquième Salle in Place des Arts. Marie-Pierre Arthur, who’s just released a deluxe edition of her Album bleu (2024), presents her uniquely funky brand of indie rock on June 18 at 6 p.m. on the Loto-Québec Stage, on the Parterre. Fans of heavier sounds will be thrilled to catch a set from former Colocs bass player Mononc’ Serge, with metal band Anonymus, on June 14 at 8 p.m. at Club Soda.
Rap
This ever-evolving genre has a prominent place in this year’s festival, including plenty of new artists to discover. The latest Révélation Radio-Canada laureate, Rimouski’s Sensei H, who has just released an excellent EP called en attendant l’amour, will perform on June 14 at 10:30 p.m. on the Desjardins Stage, on the Place des Arts Esplanade. Surging to stardom thanks to her hit “Kongolese sous BBL”, inspired by Caribbean bouyon music, French rapper Theodora will be at the SAT on June 18 at 10 p.m. Le Connaisseur, also known as the original chilleur, will take over the Spotify Stage on the small Parterre on June 14 at 8 p.m. And don’t miss Fredz, a young, wholesome and ultra-talented Québécois rapper, on June 14 at 8 p.m. at MTelus, and the poppiest of French hip-hop stars, the eternally sunglasses-clad Gims, at Club Soda on June 13 at 8 p.m.
Folk
Trends come and go, but folk is evergreen. Safia Nolin, whose album UFO RELIGION came out last fall, will play on the Spotify Stage, on the small Parterre, on June 13 at 9:30 p.m. After releasing not one but two new albums this year – Journal d’un loup-garou and Triste animal – Lou-Adriane Cassidy will play the Rogers Stage (Place des Festivals) on June 14 at 9 p.m. And the band led by Stéphane Lafleur, Avec pas d’casque, hits Les Foufounes électriques on June 20 at 8 p.m.
R&B
Quebec’s R&B scene is hot right now, and the Francos will feature some of its best talent. After singing with Céline Dion for more than 20 years, Barnev made his solo debut in 2024 with Qui je suis. He’ll perform on June 19 at 7 p.m. on the Spotify Stage, on the small Parterre. Blynk, known to some as the prince of the city, has been building a fanbase for several years; he’ll perform his signature fusion of R&B and hip-hop on June 15 at 8 p.m. on the Desjardins Stage, on the Place des Arts Esplanade.
Pop
As it always does, the festival has plenty of crowd-pleasing pop artists. Mike Clay, whose EPs Felix and Michael Samba were both released this year, can be found on the Spotify stage on the small Parterre on June 19 at 9:30 p.m. Known for her hit “Ensemble,” Aliocha Schneider will be at MTelus on June 21 at 8 p.m. The eccentric Philippe Katerine returns to delight the audience at MTelus on June 17 and 18 at 8 p.m. Finally, the reigning queen of French chanson, Clara Luciani, will play the hits and more on June 19 at 9 p.m. on the Rogers Stage in Place des Festivals.
