Damso definitely surprised his Canadian fans in Montreal last weekend.
Last Saturday (September 27), Saint-Denis Street buzzed with energy as a seemingly endless line of fans waited for a chance to see the Belgian rap sensation. Outside the Ninety, at the corner of Rachel Street, crowds gathered for the live recording of several tracks from Damso's upcoming project BYH2, a potential follow-up to BĒYĀH, released earlier this summer. Announced just days before on Instagram, the event quickly set the city alight, drawing fans who nearly filled the streets. Damso’s influence, now reaching far beyond Europe, was evident as devoted supporters from across French-speaking Canada came out in full force to celebrate the artist.
« BYH2 » Live Recording in MontrealAlexis Belhumeur
Damso has earned an international reputation with albums such as Ipséité (2017), Lithopédion (2018), and QALF, along with global hits like “Macarena,” “Amnésie,” and “BruxellesVie.” With multiple gold and platinum certifications and hundreds of millions of streams, he has firmly established himself as a key figure in Francophone rap. For a country the size of Belgium — which, like Quebec, navigates a bilingual environment with a smaller rap scene — Damso stands out as a rare example of international success beyond his local market.
« BYH2 » Live Recording in MontrealAlexis Belhumeur
During his last visit to Montreal in 2023, Damso sold out two shows at Place Bell, cementing his connection with the local audience, a bond that was unmistakably felt again on Saturday.
The concept, already successfully tested in Paris, is both simple and daring: beatmakers and producers craft tracks live in front of the audience while Damso writes and records his verses on the spot. For this edition, he collaborated with Laval-based R&B artist Blynk, alongside producers Jamal, Yoann Grégoire, Freakey!, High Klassified, Hypnotic Beatz and Melowithdaheat. Beats were produced live, and lyrics were written and recorded in real time. Fans around the world could follow the event via his website Damso.com, and several clips have already circulated widely on social media.
« BYH2 » Live Recording in MontrealAlexis Belhumeur
When asked why he chose Montreal, Damso tells Billboard Canada: “It’s the vibe, the kindness of people. I’ve always felt very welcomed here.”
For Blynk, the experience was unforgettable. “The Damso team reached out randomly two weeks ago, and the first time we met was live in front of everyone. It’s an honor and really motivates us for what’s next,” he says.
Beatmakers, alongside Damso and Blynk, created and recorded tracks live in front of the audience, sharing each step of the process as it happened. Damso described the format as a collaborative experience: “The audience shares, the artist shares, the engineer shares. It’s unique — part concert, part studio, part performance, all just enjoying the music together.”
Blynk And Damso at « BYH2 » Live Recording in MontrealAlexis Belhumeur
