For three days last weekend, Montreal’s Parc Jean-Drapeau was overrun with fans from across Canada and beyond to attend the 19th edition of Osheaga. The lineup varied widely in terms of genre and notoriety, but Canadian artists were notably prioritized. This year, DEEDS attended for the first time, and we had a lovely time!

In order of appearance, here are the Osheaga sets that transformed our festival experience.

PARTYOF2

If there’s one thing PARTYOF2 are going to do, it’s immerse the viewer in their world and throw a great party. It’s clear in everything from their music videos all the way to their stage performances. With coordinated fits and choreography, Jadagrace and SWIM took us through their budding discography, including the TikTok-viral hit, “POSER”. They’ve had a whirlwind last couple of years with the exit of band member TJOnline, and the release of debut album, AMERIKA’S NEXT TOP PARTY! but you wouldn’t know it by the way they performed. The earnest resilience that’s laced through all their songs makes it hard not to root for them, plus they give a great show!

Little Simz

Ten years since her last performance at Osheaga, Little Simz returned to a bigger stage and a truly excited crowd. Even before the show started, I could tell the competition to be in front was getting serious. With the coolest-looking band members I’d seen all festival, Little Simz gave us a multilayered set - part rap performance, part DJ set, all party. Unlike some artists at the festival, she didn’t rely on any backing tracks even for her denser verses. As Little Simz performed a litany of her hits including “Point & Kill” and viral feminist anthem “Venom”, you could tell she was having so much fun - that made two of us. 

‍Sofia Isella

The 21-year-old dark pop artist may still be early in her career, but her performances are already must-see spectacles - just ask Taylor Swift and Florence + the Machine, two major artists she’s opened for. At the Osheaga Scotia Forest stage, Sofia Isella emerged to much fanfare, covered in grime from head to toe, with emphasized dark circles and hair hanging loose. A woman possessed, the multi-instrumentalist enthusiastically performed many of her hits, including “Out in the Garden”, TikTok favourite “Hot Gum,” and “The Chicken is Naked and Afraid,” which was featured on the COLORS Show. It’s impossible not to feel the angst that fills her songs; Isella has shared that her music is her way of portraying the “gore of womanhood,” and boy, was this performance gory (in the best way possible).

‍Zara Larsson

Zara Larsson’s performances have gone viral many a time, but the real thing is still hard to beat. Hours before her set, the Bell River stage was packed with fans eager to see the headliner, wearing various shades of pink, orange, and florals. As we chanted her name, the pop singer arrived, opening with mega hit “Midnight Sun”. The crowd went wild and stayed that way throughout her performance. Memorable moments include her performance of “Symphony”, “Ain’t My Fault,” and of course, “Lush Life”, complete with the official dance. To perform the latter, she called on a young fan named Olivia who gave it her all. That heartfelt moment has already captured hearts beyond the festival through social media. Zara Larsson has already had a stellar couple of years, but I have a feeling this is just the beginning.

Lorde

There’s something so romantic about ending the festival with Lorde in the rain. Fans online even hoped the forecast would stay gloomy so they could have a repeat of the last time she performed at Osheaga ten years ago. Her return was much anticipated, and in return, she gave us her all. Her performance was so visceral; she never stopped moving, and she clearly felt every word. When delivering the show, Lorde’s dancers and stage techs successfully found a balance between performance art and a rave. The crowd was also extra loud when she played classics like “Liability”, “Supercut”, “Greenlight”, “Team”, “The Louvre” and her verse on Charli XCX’s “Girl, so confusing”. Before her set ended, she made sure to thank us many times for coming, and even said, “I think this is one of the coolest festivals in the world…I love Osheaga.” We love you too, Lorde!