Six Must-See Acts at OSHEAGA Music Festival 2018

Montreal is no stranger to music festivals, hosting the likes of Pouzzafest, HeavyMTL, and Jazzfest, but nothing brings the summer festival vibes quite like Osheaga. Year after year, the eclectic lineup continues to deliver, bringing fans of many genres together for an amazing three-day weekend, rain or shine. If you’re lucky enough to be attending this year, but you can’t make up your mind about who to see, fear not! Here are some suggestions to make your life a little bit easier and a lot more fun.

01. Milk & Bone
When: Friday, August 3rd + Saturday, August 4th
Where: La Serre Perrier (Friday), Scène de la Vallée House of Vans (Saturday)

– With their dreamy soundscape, Montreal’s own Milk & Bone left an impression at 2017’s Jazzfest. With the release of Deception Bay earlier this year, the duo brought the electropop vibes in full force. Songs like “KIDS,” “Daydream,” and “BBBLUE” set the perfect soundtrack for a carefree afternoon of basking in the sun amongst friends and strangers alike.

This Milk & Bone tune makes us feel really “BBBLUE”.

02. Portugal. The Man
When: Friday, August 3rd
Where: Scène de la Montagne Coors Light

– If you think you can go to a festival that has Portugal. The Man on the lineup without checking them out, you’re wrong. Playing groovy bangers like “Feel It Still” and “Easy Tiger” off of their latest release, Woodstock, this is one set guaranteed to get you dancing and singing within the first few beats. Fair warning, though: you might have their catchy tunes stuck in your head for weeks after the fact.

After all this time, Portugal. The Man “Feel It Still”.

03. Billie Eilish
When: Saturday, August 4th
Where: Scène de la Vallée House of Vans

– One of 2017’s breakout stars was sixteen-year-old Billie Eilish, who consistently sold out shows all over the world. Bringing a swagger and tons of personality, Eilish seems to dominate any stage, no matter the size. With Khalid performing at Osheaga on the same night, we have our fingers crossed for an on-stage cameo during “lovely.” Curious about the hype? Once you see her, you’ll get it.

Billie Eilish teamed up with Khalid for this “lovely” song.

04. Calpurnia
When: Saturday, August 4th
Where: Scène de la Vallée House of Vans

– Commonly referred to as “Finn Wolfhard’s band,” Calpurnia is anything but. Comprised of Wolfhard (vocals, guitar), Malcolm Craig (drums), Ayla Tesler-Mabe (vocals, guitar) and Jack Anderson (bass), the indie rock four-piece highlights all of its members’ talents equally. Their first EP, Scout, showcases their potential, with bass grooves, riffs, breakdowns, and synths galore. “Greyhound” adds an extra layer and creates a bigger atmosphere with the help of background vocals, while the seven-minute-long “Waves” provides plenty of time to simply relax and enjoy the music. Although there’s definitely room to grow and develop their sound, Calpurnia’s debut is a solid foundation that brings a youthful edge to the lineup.

Much like the dog or bus, Calpurnia’s “Greyhound” video seems to fly by.

05. James Bay
When: Sunday, August 5th
Where: Scène de la Montagne Coors Light

– My bias might be showing, but I can’t make a list of recommendations without James Bay on it. Putting out one of the most anticipated albums of 2018, Bay showed the world that he could experiment with sounds beyond listeners’ expectations of him. Electric Light is perfect for a festival setting: the funky “Pink Lemonade” and “Wasted On Each Other” will get you moving and singing along, while the softer “Us” might just bring you to tears as James Bay sings, “I believe in something, I believe in us.” I’m not crying, you’re crying.

Drink up! Pour a refreshing glass of James Bay’s “Pink Lemonade”.

06. Rapsody
When: Sunday, August 5th
Where: Scène des Arbres

– Don’t worry, hip-hop lovers, Osheaga has plenty of artists for you as well. One of them is Rapsody, who released her second album, Laila’s Wisdom, last September, and received Grammy nominations for “Best Rap Album” and “Best Rap Song” shortly thereafter. Throughout this release, Rapsody gives us a glimpse of her personal journey. On powerful tracks like “Sassy,” “Black & Ugly,” and “Power,” she showcases her talents while also consistently challenges gender biases about women in hip-hop. Don’t sleep on Rapsody — she might just be your favourite discovery of the weekend.

There is so much “Power” in Rapsody’s song featuring Kendrick Lamar and Lance Skiiiwalker.