Olivia Rodrigo found amid Osheaga festival barriers, remains untainted
Osheaga Festival 2023 Wraps Up, Setting Stage for Future Editions
The 18th edition of the Osheaga Music and Arts Festival concluded on Sunday, drawing over 100,000 spectators over the weekend. Despite not selling out, Nick Farkas, vice-president of concerts and events at Evenko, expressed satisfaction with the turnout.
One of the most anticipated artists of the festival, Olivia Rodrigo, performed in the middle of the afternoon. Her concert included songs from her two albums, with fans singing along at the top of their lungs. Rodrigo, a 22-year-old pop star, was wrapping up her world tour in Montreal.
The performance was accompanied by one of the best rock bands seen all weekend, as Rodrigo's band, including Arianna Powell on lead guitar, mastered all the power rock tricks of the 1980s. However, Farkas did not express regrets about not giving Rodrigo a bigger stage.
The Beaches, another one of the festival's best rock bands, played a few hours earlier on the Montagne stage. They previewed several songs from their upcoming album No Hard Feelings, set to release on August 29, 2025. This new release reflects a continuation of the raw, chaotic energy found in their previous record but adds more perspective and confidence, showcasing the band's evolution and autonomy in their music.
The album is noted to include relatable queer anthems, continuing the band’s trend of turning personal heartbreak into powerful rock anthems. Ahead of the release, a midnight release event for the album is scheduled on August 28, 2025, at 11:30 PM, signaling excitement around the launch. On the same day as the album release, they will also perform at the Gather No Moss event, marking a significant moment for both the band and fans.
The Island stage at the 18th edition of Osheaga was enlarged, and the Valley and Forest stages had metal floor coverings on the parterre to prevent the ground from turning into mud during unexpected storms. American rapper Doechii gave a blazing performance as the headliner of the Forest stage on Friday.
IleSoniq festival (electronic music) will be held at Jean-Doré Park next weekend, while Lasso (country) festival will take place at the same location on August 15 and 16. The 19th edition of Osheaga will take place on July 31, August 1, and 2, 2026, at Jean-Doré Park.
The Beaches are four lively Toronto women who enjoy poking fun at their exes with guitar riffs that bite. Replacing an artist to fit them in earlier in the day or on a smaller stage is considered a mistake, as diplomats say. The performance schedule for the 18th edition of Osheaga was set before the Grammy ceremony in February.
As the dust settles on this year's festival, music enthusiasts are already looking forward to the next edition of Osheaga, eager to witness the evolution of artists like The Beaches and to discover new talent.
The Beaches' powerful rock anthems, reflecting their culture and lifestyle, showcased their evolution in music and offered relatable queer themes, setting the stage for the future release of their album No Hard Feelings. The upcoming IleSoniq festival and Lasso festival will showcase different genres of entertainment, with the 19th edition of Osheaga set to return in 2026, continuing to be a platform for both established and emerging pop-culture icons in music.
