All photos ©Sarah Sturgis, used with permission by United By Pop.

The 19th annual OSHEAGA Music and Arts Festival took over Montreal for three days from July 31 to August 2 at Parc Jean-Drapeau. The live music festival was attended by 151,000 fans from all over the world. The headliners for the weekend were Twenty One Pilots, Tate McCrae, and Lorde.

Friday, Day One

Day one of OSHEAGA started with a ton of excitement. It was my first time at OSHEAGA, so I was figuring everything out as I went. Fans lined up early in the morning with gates opening at 1 PM, and the first acts taking the stage at 2 PM.

I watched seven acts throughout the first day: Avenoir, Leon Bridges, Wolf Alice, Amber Mark, Wet Leg, Yoasobi, and Twenty One Pilots. It was sunny and warm, with temperatures in the 80s. Part of the excitement was walking around the festival grounds, taking in the views of the city and the art displays, and figuring out where everything was while getting familiar with the different stages.

Avenoir, the R&B singer, was my first set of the day. It was a nice, mellow set. Another R&B artist who performed Friday was a last-minute addition to the lineup, Leon Bridges. The GRAMMY Award-winning singer and songwriter performed his hit songs such as “Texas Sun” and “River.”

Wolf Alice had a packed crowd despite their early time slot, giving all their energy to putting on a powerful performance. Amber Mark put on a fun show with her vocals and personality shining through, and Wet Leg played to a massive and rowdy crowd.

Yoasobi, the first J-pop act to perform at OSHEAGA, had a full crowd as well; the musical duo brought a high-energy and colorful stage with a giant inflatable creature. There were other acts I am sad I missed, including Blood Orange and JID.

Twenty One Pilots closed out the night with a high-energy performance full of memorable moments — from Josh Dun climbing to a higher platform to perform on the drums, to Tyler Joseph going into the crowd and bringing a security guard on stage to sing “Ride” with them. They closed with “Trees,” bringing the first night to an exhilarating finish.

Day Two

By day two, I was already starting to feel more familiar with the festival grounds. The second day included sets from Baby Nova, Finn Wolfhard, AJ Tracey, Malcolm Todd, sombr, and Tate McRae as the headliner.

Baby Nova was one of the artists I had not heard before, and I was impressed by her performance. Finn Wolfhard and his band brought a fun indie rock energy to the stage in matching pink jerseys, while AJ Tracey brought a smooth and confident UK rap sound. And Malcolm Todd performed on the stage with an easygoing energy that made him fun to watch.

Sombr was another artist who really impressed me, especially with his stage presence. He started his set backstage in a vintage car with Malcolm Todd, with a live feed building anticipation before he made his entrance. From his eyeliner and cigarettes to the bottle on stage and his overall look, there were moments that reminded me of Matty Healy from The 1975.

Sombr is still developing his own persona and style, and it was fun watching him own the stage. He also spoke openly about body image issues before performing “My Body Isn’t Ready,” reminding the crowd that they are beautiful. He ended his set by spray-painting a flag that said “sombr heart Montreal” before running through the crowd.

Then it was time for the Canadian pop star Tate McRae to take the stage. Her fans showed up dressed for the occasion, with leopard and cheetah print becoming the unofficial uniform of the day. Her “Anatomy of a Pop Star” performance felt like a full production rather than just a festival set, with impressive choreography and production from beginning to end. Seeing her perform “she’s all I ever wanna be,” while the crowd sang along, felt like peak girlhood.

She ended the show covered in gold paint, and I was impressed by how much she has grown as an artist since I last saw her at a smaller stage at Music Midtown in 2021.

Day Three

Day three was full of off-and-on rain showers, so navigating the festival became more challenging, although the fans seemed to embrace it. Ponchos, rain jackets, and umbrellas were everywhere.

VALLEY brought some fun, happy-go-lucky pop sounds to the rainy afternoon, while MICO brought plenty of vibe to his set. Spacey Jane unfortunately had technical issues and only performed for about 15 minutes, which was disappointing since I had been looking forward to seeing them. There were also weather-related delays throughout the day, including Paris Paloma’s set, which I only caught briefly before the rain became a downpour.

Then came Zara Larsson, and somehow her set made the rain feel almost nonexistent. Her dancers, choreography, and stage presence created a feeling of sunshine and rainbows even though it was pouring. Parents were putting their children on their shoulders, and one girl was even brought on stage to dance during “Lush Life.” It felt like a Barbie dreamland.

I then booked it to see Not For Radio, María Zardoya’s new solo project. Her performance was beautiful, from her white feathered dress to the bird-inspired stage setup that looked like a nest. Fans were crying in the crowd as she sang, and her voice was absolutely angelic.

And then there was Lorde.

Seeing Lorde perform in the rain was a spiritual experience. Her set was futuristic and felt like modern poetry; it made me feel like I was watching a piece of art being unveiled at a museum.

One of the highlights of her set was her emotional performance of “Liability” while a prism light flashed, making her whole body sparkle. She closed out the weekend by performing her final song, “Ribs,” in the crowd while the rain came down. She mentioned that she thinks OSHEAGA is one of the most magical festivals she has performed at, and watching her finish the weekend that way felt like the perfect ending.

OSHEAGA was a great weekend, and I am glad I got to experience it for the first time. The beauty of Montreal itself added to the experience, with the views of the water and city skyline from the festival grounds.

The lineup felt very millennial while also bringing in plenty of artists for younger fans, including Tate McRae, sombr, and Zara Larsson. There was a good mix of established artists, newer artists, and artists on the rise, which made it fun to find something different throughout the weekend.

With 151,000 people attending throughout, there were moments when navigating between the stages was a challenge, but it did not take away from the overall experience. From figuring out the grounds on Friday to getting caught in the rain on Sunday and watching Lorde close out the weekend, OSHEAGA gave me plenty of moments I will not forget.

I am glad I got to experience the 19th annual festival, and with next year marking OSHEAGA’s 20th anniversary, I cannot wait to see what it brings.