Kaytranada is about to be recognized with a major honour: Billboard Canada's 2026 40 Under 40 Visionary Award.
The famed DJ-producer born in Haiti and raised in Montreal has become one of Canada's biggest musical success stories over the past decade. His signature sound has revolutionized the dance music world and landed him on some of the world's biggest tours. He's also become a trusted tastemaker, introducing the world to countless talented artists and often putting them together in pleasantly unexpected ways, while building inclusive community across the world.
This November, Billboard Canada will celebrate his achievements by presenting him the Visionary Award at this year's 40 Under 40 event at SOUNDSTAGE in Toronto on Nov. 20. Tickets are available now here.
After rising through Montreal's club and party scene and achieving major breakthroughs with his viral remix of Janet Jackson's "If" and his instant-classic Boiler Room Montreal set in 2013 — the fourth-most viewed video of all-time on the platform — Kaytranada has gone on to achieve endless international acclaim all before turning 35.
His debut LP 99.9%, a melting pot of house, R&B, hip-hop and funk, fused together in a way that is distinctly his, went on to win the Polaris Music Prize in 2016. That recognition extended to an international scale with his next album Bubba, a bouncy and atmospheric LP that made him the first Black artist to win the Grammy for best dance/electronic album in 2021, also picking up a second win for best dance recording with his Kali Uchis-assisted track "10%."
Last year, Kaytranada also put out the acclaimed Timeless in 2024 and Ain't No Damn Way!, his return to his innovative dance music roots, in 2025. He continues to collab with forward-thinking talent like Montreal singer Shay Lia, who he reunited with for "SO GOOD" after she went viral for her 2013 Boiler Room appearance with him, and also contributed production for British-Canadian 2026 Polaris Music Prize nominee Rochelle Jordan this year.
Kaytranada has his own impressive touring resumé, where he's taken the Timeless tour worldwide and even toured the U.S. and Canada in tandem with rapper Aminé (as the duo Kaytraminé) and fellow dance heads Justice.
He's no stranger to the Billboard charts with a track record that includes three top 2 entries on the Billboard Top Dance Albums chart, including the No. 1 album Bubba, and three top 30 efforts on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart. Between collaborating with chart-topping superstars like The Weeknd, Childish Gambino, H.E.R., Don Toliver, Syd, Chance The Rapper, Mariah The Scientist and Anderson .Paak, he's continued to foster his longstanding relationships with frequent Canadian collaborators like Jordan, Lou Phelps, Cadence Weapon, BadBadNotGood and Charlotte Day Wilson.
Kaytranada's sonic footprint has reached some of the world's biggest stages, including The Weeknd's record-shattering After Hours Til Dawn tour, which he opened in 2025 in Montreal and Toronto, notably playing four of the six record-setting nights at Rogers Centre. The same trek had heavy involvement from Billboard Canada's inaugural 40 Under 40 Visionary, La Mar Taylor, The Weeknd's longtime creative director and co-founder of XO Records and the creative incubator HXOUSE. He accepted the award at last year's inaugural Billboard Canada 40 Under 40 celebration.
Kaytranada has graced the world stage and introduced a brand new sound that has swept across dance floors worldwide, all while proudly representing and collaborating with the Canadian music scene. At 34 years old, he's had more than a decade of success. Now, he will be recognized as a true Visionary.
Billboard Canada 40 Under 40 will recognize the new generation of influential executives driving the Canadian music industry forward and shaping the global music business. Nominations are open until the end of today, October 19.
Tickets for Billboard Canada 40 Under 40 are available here.
