POP’s first edition of the Francophone Circuit in partnership with Musicaction makes it easy to navigate your way to these tear-jerking / knee-jerking francophone acts - keep your eyes peeled during the festival for the Francophone Circuit venue signage to lead you down the franco path.

1. Safia Nolin

Feminist advocate and musician, Safia Nolin has been making waves in the Québéc music scene since 2015 but is most recently causing a splash with the release of her body-positive video for “Lesbian Breakup Song,” a lullaby for heartbreak released on her most recent album, Dans la noir (2018). Safia Nolin will be bringing her quiet strength to POP Montreal this year for two consecutive shows at Club Balattou curated by the artist herself and featuring other similarly heart-wrenching performances by Anthony Carle, Elisapie and Gabrielle Destroismaisons. Head to Clubhouse POP after the show so we can nurse our heartbreak together over gin & tonics and the first Late Night show of the season featuring KOKOKO!

Watch the video here and click here to buy tickets to the event.

Wednesday September 25 and Thursday September 26 at Club Balattou: 20h30 doors // 21h00 show

2. KOKOKO!

We’re ready for KOKOKO! to launch the festival and shatter our hearts with a literal bang during the first late night event of the festival on Wednesday the 25th of September at Piccolo Rialto (Late Night). From the Democratic Republic of Congo, KOKOKO! use upcycled material to create a new style of energetic dance music that they call “tekno kintueni,” that is paving the way of the underground music scene in Kinshasa. Listen to their new album released this July here and click here to join us for a dance party to kick off the festival!

Wednesday September 25 at Piccolo Rialto (Late Night): 22h30 doors // 23h00 show

3. Felicia Atkinson

Felicia Atkinson’s music plunges us into a landscape of her choosing: clear piano lines pull through dense drones, fragile synthetic tones and the crackle of her own whispers. Based in France, where she co-runs the publishing platform Shelter Press, Atkinson has made her name as an experimental musician, artist, scholar and poet. Gracing our festival this year as both a musician and a poet, Felicia Atkinson will be playing at La Sala Rossa on the 27th of September for an all-enveloping performance right when we will need it the most. Click here to listen to some of our Atkinson favourites on the Circuit Francophone Mixtape and click here to buy tickets to the event.

Friday September 27 at La Sala Rossa: 22h30 doors // 23h00 show

4. La Bronze

Since going viral for her Maghrebi Arabic cover of Stromae’s song, “Formidable” and the accompanying video filmed on a rooftop in Montreal (watch the clip that has over 2.8 million views here!), Nadia Essadiqi, who uses the stage name La Bronze has been busy releasing bright electro-pop, going on tour with Annie Sama and acting in Canadian TV thrillers. Join us at Le Ministère (Salle Brasserie McAuslan) on Friday the 27th of September for a show that will lift us dancing into the weekend! Watch the video for her newest single here and click here to buy tickets for the event.

Friday September 27 at Le Ministère (Salle Brasserie McAuslan): 20h doors // 20h30 show

5. Ellemetue

Electronic duo born and bred in Montreal, Ellemetue is composed of Mingo l’Indien and Nunu Métal whose latest album rings out like an anthem for a futuristic James Bond film: organs and rich vocals clasp with irregular synthetic dial tones and a twist like the wind to take you by surprise. Catch us getting weird at their show - Ellemetue will be playing on Saturday the 28th with Rakta, another musical duo from Brazil making post-punk with an energy to match their own. The mood for the night? Chaotic good. Buy tickets to the show here and find our favorite Ellemetue songs on our Circuit Franco Mixtape.

Saturday September 28 at Le Ministère (Salle Brasserie McAuslan): 20h doors // 20h30 show

Keep scrolling for the full Circuit Francophone line-up: