The Festival de musique émergente en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (FME) returns to Rouyn-Noranda this August, and the 2025 edition is shaping up to be one of its most stylistically adventurous yet. From August 28 to 31, the 23rd instalment of the northern Quebec festival will spotlight a rich cross-section of Canadian talent, with outdoor stages once again serving as its sonic core.
This year’s SiriusXM Concert Series, set along the heart of 7th Street, features a particularly compelling mix of Francophone headliners and genre-defying newcomers. Among the most anticipated are Polaris nominees Population II and Ariane Roy, both of whom bring a restless energy to their respective performances. Roy, whose sophomore album Dogue was praised for its urgent lyricism and textured arrangements, follows the heavy psych stylings of Population II, while Klô Pelgag will close the Friday night with her acclaimed Abracadabra—a Juno-winning project that fuses orchestral ambition with theatrical flair.
Elsewhere in the lineup, The OBGMs will deliver a dose of raw, electrified punk-rock chaos on Saturday, channelled through their new album Sorry, It’s Over. Toronto’s brutal, rhythm-driven trio has built a reputation on high-stakes live sets that refuse to sit still. Closing the weekend’s main stage festivities are long-running Quebec favourites Les Trois Accords, whose sardonic pop-rock remains a cultural fixture with songs like “Saskatchewan” and “Hawaïenne.”
The festival will also feature the Fizz Stage, offering more intimate sets from the likes of Virginie B, Handsome Tiger, and Poolgirl—the latter injecting riot grrrl defiance into the weekend’s mix.
Backed by SiriusXM and Fizz, FME continues to centre emerging voices while maintaining its reputation as a hub for sonic experimentation. If the Long List representation at this year’s Polaris Prize is any indication, Quebec’s musical output remains both vital and evolving. With passes now on sale and anticipation growing, Rouyn-Noranda is once again preparing to become one of the country’s most exciting listening posts.
Single tickets for August 28-30, 2025, are also available for purchase at a cost of $35 per evening.
Sales for all three festival passes as well as tickets for the outdoor events begin today, Wednesday, June 11, 2025, at 11:00am EDT, on our website: www.fmeat.org.
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