M for Montreal Festival Reveals First Names for 2026

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The first names for M for Montreal Festival 2026 are here.

The musical event and conference has unveiled the first batch of artists who will take the stage at local venues across the city between Nov. 18 to 21, as part of the music event's public program. They join the earlier announced Official Selection names, presented by Billboard Canada.

This year's festival, presented by SiriusXM Franco, reflects a wide variety of genres and several artists already making significant noise in their respective scenes. Quebec rapper Kinji00 will play Club Soda on Nov. 21, the newest headline performance for the buzzing 18-year-old who has been championing Quebec sovereignty through his plugg-influenced hip-hop tracks and has played local festivals like Mural Festival and Santa Teresa Fest.

M for Montreal is also set to welcome Perceval, the French DJ whose novel blend of techno and medieval music has captivated stages across France all year long, and the Welsh soul duo Papaya Noon, whose unique blend of funk and soul combines soothing harmonies with irresistible grooves. From indie pop and hip-hop to alternative rock and punk, names like TVOD, Emma Beko, and XLOWW are just some of the names who will be taking the charisma poured into their music and bringing it to life onstage this fall.

M for Montreal continues to be an essential rendezvous point between emerging artists and industry figures, bringing together artist performances, panels, and networking opportunities through its Pro Division, which is presented by Billboard Canada.

That includes the Official Selection artists for 2026, who are chosen through the music event's official curation process and handpicked to play in front of over 500 music industry delegates from Canada and around the world, including labels, agents, media, programmers and other key figures in the business. This year's list includes singer-songwriter Dominique Way, R&B fusion singer Hawa B, the entrancing R&B singer Lou Val and many more, who reflect the festival's continued commitment to spotlighting the most promising talent in Quebec and Canada, and then exporting it. For over 20 years, the event has been a key stepping stone and springboard for many renowned Canadian artists' claim to international fame, including Mac DeMarco, Grimes and Charlotte Cardin.

Last year, M for Montreal helped fuel the early days of Angine de Poitrine's global breakthrough, hosting the math rock band for an Official Selection showcase where the polka-dotted duo played for less than 2,000 fans. Now, they're one of the most successful exports both nationwide and worldwide, recently coming off blockbuster festival gigs at the Montreal Jazz Fest and Osheaga, drawing respective crowds of 100,000 and 50,000 people.

Check out the full batch of first names announced for M for Montreal Festival 2026 below. The full lineup arrives on Sept. 2. Festival passes are currently available on M for Montreal's website.