The Festival de musique émergente en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (FME) and SiriusXM, has announced the 23rd edition of the yearly event offering cutting edge music in the heart of Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec From August 28th-31st 2025, FME offers a carefully-curated program showcasing artists that combine innovative approaches and unique sounds, presenting both local headliners and up-and-coming artists, with an international selection that includes a number of exclusive concerts.

Young artist Bille du Page is kicking things off on the traditional 7th Street outdoor stage, launching the SiriusXM Concert Series with her anthems of freedom. Hyper-pop singer BéLi follows with her vibrant yet torn, corporeal yet heady creations. Marie-Pierre Arthur then presents her meticulously crafted Album bleu, an opus that employs the energy of rock in constructing orchestral R&B pieces. For the finale, singer-songwriter Jay Scøtt, sharing his rap verses, melodic choruses, guitar, and beatmaking through a set flush with catchy tunes.

Friday evening, combinines psychedelia, divergent Francophone music, and cryptic poetry. First up, Population II will draw from their subversive yet haunting full-length album Maintenant Jamais—which earned them a spot on the 2025 Polaris Music Prize Long List. Ariane Roy follows with songs from her Dogue. The lineup concludes with Klô Pelgag and her powerful, soul-searching manifesto, Abracadabra (recipient of the Francophone Album of the Year at the 2025 Junos), and its accompanying show that blends music, wit, colour, and movement.

Saturday, features Empanadas Ilegales, a seven-piece, Vancouver-based psychedelic cumbia & salsa band powered by experimental synthesizer sounds, slinky dub grooves, and unique percussion excursions. Renowned music magazine PopMatters describes the sound of the Toronto band The OBGMs as “a brutal, sensual, frantic, and hungry mix.” The group, known for their wild performances that converge rock, punk, and hip-hop influences, present their latest album: Sorry, It’s Over. Closing out the SiriusXM Concert Series, we treat ourselves to the catchy, sarcasm-tinged tunes of legendary Québec band, Les Trois Accords, as they draw from seven albums, offering a barrage of hits that include: “Hawaiienne”, “Saskatchewan”, and “Grand Champion”.

In addition to the Main Stage, the curators present a moonlit concert series on the Fizz Stage—also located on 7th Street—starting Thursday with hyper-pop-touching-on-R&B artist, Virginie B. Friday features Anishinaabe Métis DJ of North African descent, Handsome Tiger (Vancouver, BC), and his blend of electro and traditional music. On Saturday, Poolgirl offer their Riot Grrrl movement-inspired blend of garage and grunge.

For over twenty years, Festival de musique émergente en Abitibi-Témiscamingue has established itself as a fertile ground for emerging talent and innovative artistic practice. True to its unbridled spirit, the festival returns in 2025 with an edition aiming to blur the lines between fiction and reality, rumour and revelation. Amidst a joyfully-orchestrated chaos, music remains the compass, the curators proposing a rich, surprising, and vibrant program, where novel sounds, leftfield artists, and bold propositions coexist.

order tickets for FME 2025 HERE