Festival attendees were treated to an unforgettable weekend fueled by both local and international acts and as per usual, the festival’s lineup of local artists boasted a wide range of talent. The Backyard Sessions SiriusXM tent showcased Montreal’s finest from Léonie Gray’s soulful performance to synth-punk duo DVTR’s raucous set. 

Shifting gears slightly after some last-minute lineup changes on Friday, the event kicked off to a great start. Toronto’s Myst Milano ignited the Coca-Cola Island Stage, (which featured an incredible selection of talent this year) during the afternoon with a stellar performance. Among the last-minute lineup additions were rising New York City three-piece, Fcukers, whose unique blend of indie rock and house music provided the much-needed, high-octane boost for the afternoon.​​ 

Arlo Parks performing at Osheaga 2024. (Photo by Sun Noor)

The main stages saw Alt-rock legends Blonde Redhead deliver a nostalgic set, while Mannequin Pussy put on an empowering performance, featuring various cuts from their latest effort, I Got Heaven. Arlo Parks and singer/rapper Teezo Touchdown offered counter-programing over on the other side of the festival, warming up the stage for the rap show which would close out the night. The Swedish experimental rapper and “Drain Gang” collective member Bladee and UK rapper Skepta performed back to back, delivering some of the most notable sets of the night. 

Noah Kahan and his five-piece band closed out the first night with a magnetic performance. The singer-songwriter, who is currently on the summer leg of his extensive We’ll All Be Here Forever tour, wasted no time in getting right into playing fan-favourite tracks. He also took the  time to reflect on his musical journey, recounting memories from attending Osheaga during his adolescence. A full-circle moment considering the fact that Kahan’s first appearance at the festival as an artist consisted of a headlining slot. Arlo Parks also made a surprise appearance for the final song, performing a stunning rendition of his 2022 hit, “Stick Season.”

Noah Kahan performing at Osheaga 2024. (Photo by Sun Noor)

Even though afternoon slots rarely garner a huge audience, Chappell Roan’s highly-anticipated set managed to draw in one of the largest crowds of the weekend, proving that she truly is a “Femininomenon.” A sea of pink cowboy hats packed the main stage as soon as doors opened. The pop star’s meteoric rise from an emerging artist to global phenom over the past couple of months has been quite an interesting case, considering her debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, was released last fall. Nevertheless, Chappell Roan proved herself to be a generational artist. Her fairy-themed set was met with the loudest crowd of the weekend and no doubt earned her a slew of new fans.

Pop singer/actress Renée Rapp managed to gather a similar audience, alongside rising South African singer Tyla whose captivating energy cemented her status as one of the most exciting pop acts to emerge in recent years. The impeccable choreography paired with the giant inflatable tiger that took center stage alone made for one of the best sets of the weekend. It’s fair to say that pop music thrived at Osheaga this year thanks to a new generation of superstars.

Green Day performing at Osheaga 2024. (Photo by Sun Noor)

As for pop of the punk persuasion, Green Day recently launched the North American leg of their Saviors Tour, alongside Smashing Pumpkins, Rancid and The Linda Linda’s, who also performed during the weekend. While they didn’t perform the entirety of their seminal albums, Dookie and American Idiot, during this stop, they still managed to offer a glimpse by playing most of their classics along with new material during their electrifying set. 

While Sunday night’s double feature of Jungle and Justice made for the perfect way to cap off the festival, the Coca Cola Island Stage kept the party going all weekend. This year’s lineup was led by a global selection of women and non-binary artists who showcased their versatility while keeping the audience on their toes. UK-based DJ and producer Jyoty kept churning the classics,  The XX’s Romy took the audience to “Club Mid Air,” and remixed her new solo material, Peruvian producer Sofia Kourtesis’ dreamy soundscape made for the mid-afternoon  set. Australian electro-pop duo Confidence Man brought their quirky anthems and rising Swazi DJ Uncle Waffles provided enthusiastic listeners with a lesson in Amapiano music. 

Romy performing at Osheaga 2024. (Photo by Sun Noor)

Fresh off a run of headlining festival slots, SZA culminated her lengthy SOS tour by closing out Osheaga. The R&B artist finally made her return to the city for the first time in nearly seven years with an otherworldly live show. Her ethereal set design transported the packed audience back to her CTRL era, commencing her set with “Love Galore” and “Go Gina,” while interpolating “Big Poppa” by The Notorious B.I.G. Her otherworldly and fantastical set design brought viewers to a new realm as they immersed themselves within the music without taking much from the performance itself. Her impromptu cover of Prince’s “Kiss” and Drake’s “Rich Baby Daddy” also garnered a huge response from the crowd. After all, It’s SZA’s kingdom and we’re all just living in it.

Read RANGE Magazine’s interview with Osheaga programmer Evelyn Côte here 

Osheaga 2024. (Photo by Sun Noor)