The 24th edition of Festival de musique émergente en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (FME), presented by SiriusXM will take place September 3, 2026 – September 6, 2026. Rouyn-Noranda, QC will yet again host a very packed lineup of headliners, emerging artists and internationally tourist artists, continuing the festival’s long-held reputation for pairing unique sounds with an innovative approach. The event will feature over 80 concerts at a variety of unique locations across town, guaranteeing festival-goers an opportunity to discover one of wha may arguably be one of Québec’s most interesting and charming little towns and new music simultaneously.
I will back in la belle province to cover this year’s FME, which will mark my second time at the festival in the past three years. I’m currently planning on catching roughly 39 sets — at least partially, if not entirely — over the course of the festival’s run. While I’m looking forward to discovering a ton of new acts and tell y’all about them, there are 10 acts that I’m really excited to catch.
Èvènments SirusXM Concert Series, Main Stage, 7e Rue
FME’s headliners will play the festival’s Èvènments SiriusXM Concert Series on the festival’s main stage on 7e rue.
Friday, September 4 2026
Montréal-based-artist Kamilou, an artist who specializes in an effortless blend of rap, trap, jazz and pop paired with lyrics that touch upon resilience, love and social struggle will take the Èvènmets SiriusXM Main Stage on the festival’s second night. Over the summer, she been making the rounds of the Francophone and Canadian festival circuits, playing sets at Québec City’s Festival d’été de Québec (FEQ); Ottawa’s Festival Franco Ontarien; Saintes, France’s Festival Transatlantique and more. From listening to her material on Spotify, she could really blow up in the Francophone world — and quickly.
Le Petit Théâtre du Vieux Noranda
FME’s third night will see Le Petit Théâtre du Vieux Noranda host the event’s annual Soirée électro, presented in collaboration with Societé des arts technologiques (SAT), which is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Montréal-based electronic music producer an artist Clément Leduc is the creative mastermind behind the solo recording project Hologramme. And with Hologramme, Leduc crafts what he has dubbed dystopian dance music, a blend of house, UK garage and ambient electronica.
Leduc’s genre-defying work has seen him work across both film and fashion, working on projects for Chanel and Kaws. The Montréal-based producer has played Montréal Jazz Fest, Piknic Életronik and he curates events through Société Holographique. And adding to growing profile, he has recieved coverage from Mixmag and airplay from BBC Radio 6.
Bar Pazzo
Thursday, September 3, 2026
Bar Pazzo will be hosting the festival’s Fin de Soirée showcases. These showcases kick off the festival’s late night activities — many which will stretch into the wee hours for those hardcore parties.
The festival’s first opening night at Bar Pazzo will be headlined by flamboyant Francophone, post-punk and punk artist Alix Fernz, who has made a name for himself across Canada’s Francophone music scene.
Friday, September 4, 2026
Dutch outfit Iguana Death Cult, known for their psych garage rock sound with elements of jazz, no wave and disco will headline the second night’s late night festivities.
Sous-Soul De L’Agora
L’Agora des Arts and its basement — Sous-Sol de L’Agora — has traditionally hosted a handful of showcases across the event’s run. That continues with the 2026 edition.
Friday, September 4, 2026
Friday night will see Zach Zoya and High Klassfield play a set at Sous-Sol de l’Agora featuring material from their collaborative album, Misstape 2, an effort that spans R&B, and soul in a way that channels late 90s hip-hop.
L’Abstracto
L’Abstracto will be one of the hosts of the Apéros Air Canada Series, a collection of happy hour showcases that will take place September 4, 2026 – September 6, 2026.
Friday, September 4, 2026
Reunionese artist Maya Kamaty will play a set of Creole and urban pop. I’ve heard her material on Spotify and it’s both captivating and breathtakingly gorgeous.
Aprés-Midi Télé Québec
Télé Québec hoses an annual afternoon showcase on the festival’s third day at aunique locations across town. This year’s edition will feature Bogotá-based duo Rizomagic, an act that blends cumbia, Afro-Colombian rhythms, IDM and ambient music playing a hypnotic set of material right on the shores of Lake Osisko.
I know what you’re thinking. “Wait, that’s only like 7! What the fuck, dude?” Well, three of the acts are JOVM mainstays.
Le Petit Théâtre du Vieux Noranda
Thursday, September 3, 2026
Acclaimed JOVM mainstays Choses Savages will play a headlining set at Le Petit Théâtre du Vieux Noranda, which will feature material spanning their entire career, including their most recent, last year’s Choses Sauvages III. While i’ve seen the rising Montréal-based outfit a handful of times — including this past year’s New Colossus Festival — this will be my first time catching the band in front of a home crowd.
Friday, September 4, 2026
The festival’s second night at Le Petit Théâtre du Vieux Noranda will feature two JOVM mainstay acts La Sécurité, who will be playing material off their recently released, critically applauded sophomore album Bingo! — and Corridor. While I’ve seen both acts a handful of times, it’ll be my first time catching La Sécurité playing a home show and I haven’t seen Corridor in a handful of years. I’m hoping that Corridor will play “Coup d’epée” off 2017’s Supermercado, “Togogrphe” and “Pow” off 2019’s Junior and “Jump Cut” and “Caméra” off 2024’s Mimi.
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