From breakthrough performers to established names, Billboard Canada's Billboard Backstage series got up close and personal with artists as they passed through Canadian stages, festivals and tour stops. Watch video interviews with Naomi Sharon, Quadeca, James Hype, Durand Bernarr and many more.
Not every interesting moment happens on stage. Some of the most revealing conversations take place just before or after the set — when artists are fresh off a performance, thinking ahead to what’s next, or reflecting on how they arrived there. Those moments unfolded across festivals and tour stops in Canada, offering snapshots of artists at different points in their journey, and Billboard Canada was there to capture it in Billboard Backstage.
Collected here, these interviews bring together a broad range of Canadian and international artists, spanning genres and stages of career. From Osheaga mainstage performers to rising artists and global touring acts, the series captures how artists engaged with Canadian audiences throughout 2025.
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Taken as a whole, the interviews reflect the range of voices that passed through Canadian stages this year and the conversations that stood out along the way.
Backstage at Festival d’été de Québec (FEQ), Simple Plan brought humour and hometown perspective to their Billboard Backstage interview. Asked about the most Quebec thing about themselves, the band joked that if they want to talk about someone behind their back, they’ll do it in French. They also spoke about memorable fan tattoos and the long-running connection they’ve built with listeners.
Backstage at his headlining concert at the Opera House in Toronto, Quadeca reflected on his unconventional path into music. He shared that he once rapped about Lionel Messi and explained how creating sports content on YouTube unexpectedly became a gateway into his thriving music career.
Backstage at Osheaga festival in Montreal, Naomi Sharon spoke about having new music on the way and reflected on some of her biggest musical influences. The Dutch artist is the first international signing to Drake's OVO Sound label, and she offered insight into the creative foundations that shape her.
Durand Bernarr oozes charisma. After playing at Osheaga, he spoke about his eye-catching festival fits and how visual identity and performance go hand in hand in his live shows. He also shared some exclusive insight into backing up soul icon Erykah Badu.
Backstage at Toronto’s VELD Music Festival, Canadian DJ duo Loud Luxury showed their ambition and humour. The duo discussed their dream festival lineup, the Canadian artist they most want to collaborate with and the story behind their life-size cardboard cutout of Nickelback's Chad Kroeger. It's not a joke, they clarified. They really have one.
The Beaches have a lot of history with Osheaga, playing a small stage on their way up. Now a mainstage act, they reflected on what it meant to level up. The Billboard Canada 2025 Women of the Year spoke about memorable encounters with HAIM and Anderson .Paak, and discussed new music, including a song that quickly sparked conversation online.
Jade LeMac had recently signed to Warner Music Canada when she met us backstage at Osheaga. The Vancouver singer shared her goal of headlining her hometown Rogers Arena, talked about the new major label signing and previewed what fans can expect from her opening slot on Maren Morris’ tour.
Amaarae carted over from her performance on the other side of the Osheaga grounds, and was still feeling the high as she shared why intention and representation matter to her. She explained the ideas behind her 2025 album Black Star (then unreleased) and her desire to make Ghana proud while playing on a global stage.
James Hype invited us into his trailer at Osheaga before his set at the electronic tent, and was in a joking mood. Right before we started rolling, he offered us a drink only for a hand to come out of the cabinet and hand us one. One of his crew members, it turned out, had squeezed his way into the small shelf to surprise us. If we had only known, we would have already been shooting. But he still had plenty to make this a compelling edition of Billboard Backstage. James Hype the “Hotline Bling” remix that helped him break through on its 10th anniversary and spoke about his more recent remix of Drake and Central Cee’s “Which One”.
Catching up backstage at VELD, alleycvt shared one of her biggest musical inspirations, revealing her longtime love for Avril Lavigne. She also spoke about the influences shaping her electronic music and how those references continue to inform her sound.
Backstage at Osheaga, bbno$ shared the unexpected story of how his career first gained traction in China. Ahead of his self-titled album, the Vancouver rapper also spoke about his pre-show ritual and how his live performances are increasingly moving in an electronic direction.
At their hometown Osheaga festival, Montreal trio Group Project spoke about the significance of their mainstage performance. The conversation touched on shared history, growth and what the moment meant for the group at this stage of their career.
Toronto producer Paper Skies spoke about his dream Canadian collaboration, his personal song of the summer and the one item he considers essential at every festival. The VELD conversation offered a glimpse into how local artists navigate big festival moments in their own city.
