MusicOntario and CION announce lineup at M for Montreal Lineup 2025
Ontario @ M for Montréal 2025
November 20 - 23, 2025 @ Quai des brumes, Montréal, QC.
In partnership with Cultural Industries Ontario North (CION) and CIMA, MusicOntario is excited to announce our lineup of Ontario-based artists showcasing at this year's M for Montreal, taking place from Thursday, November 20 to Saturday, November 23, 2025, in Montréal, QC.
Since 2005, M for Montreal has been a vital catalyst for emerging artists, propelling them toward national and international careers.Over three exciting days, more than 500 local and international music industry professionals will gather to discover showcases, attend inspiring conferences, and participate in strategic networking activities.
MusicOntario gratefully acknowledges the support of FACTOR Canada and Ontario Creates in making this opportunity possible.
Check out the lineup below:
Hollerado
A rousing indie rock combo from Ottawa, Ontario, Hollerado was formed in 2007 by (lead vocals, guitar), Dean Baxter (bass, backing vocals), and brothers (lead guitar, backing vocals) and Jake Boyd (drums, backing vocals), most of whom grew up on the same street in the nearby suburb of Manotick. Their self-released debut, 2009's Record in a Bag, introduced fans to their high energy, hooky power pop and was soon re-released by Canadian indie in 2010. Constant touring and positive press raised their profile significantly and in 2011, they were nominated for a Juno Award for Best New Group. Their follow-up LP, White Paint, arrived in 2013 and Hollerado hit the road even harder, playing all across North America, South America, Europe, and even China. They shared bills with Billy Tallent and among others. Their next studio project grew out of a promotional bundle sold alongside the White Paint album in which the band agreed to write a custom song for anyone who ordered a combined T-shirt, album, and poster combo. The resulting collection, 111 Songs, took two years to complete and did indeed include 111 songs, which were offered digitally to fans in early 2015. Preceded by the title track single, Hollerado delivered their third proper studio album, Born Yesterday, in the summer of 2017. ~ Timothy Monger, Rovi
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Featurette
Featurette is a late-night snack of gritty ear porn with hooks you can sink your teeth into. Think Flume meets Nine Inch Nails with a little Billie Eilish sprinkled on top. They are known for their telltale high-energy shows, cinematic music videos, forward-pushing sound design, and thought-provoking lyrics.
Fronted by powerhouse Lexie Jay (Vox) and backed by bandmates Marc Koecher (Keys/Synth/Guitar) and Jon Fedorsen (Drums/Synths), the Toronto-based trio have been pushing the forefront of alternative electronic pop with genre-bending dark, bouncy, addictive sounds and stimulating lyrics fashioned deep from within their subterranean studio, Illegal Audio.
Their music has been captivating audiences for years, and they have shared the stage with acts such as Milky Chance, Mother Mother, and X Ambassadors. Their debut LP CRAVE, released in 2016, launched the band into overdrive, resulting in a top 10 JUNO Masterclass finalist selection and securing an Emerging Artist of the Year win (COCA, 2017). Their 2020 follow-up DREAM RIOT continued to usher in accolades for the band with radio play, a high-profile soundtrack spot in Ginny & Georgia, and two 2022 Canadian Independent Music Video Award wins, including Best Overall Music Video and Best In Pop Music Video for their single, "The Blame" (Exposed Version). Fresh off their fall 2023 EP, Unluckiest, FEATURETTE continues to release new music throughout 2024 to support their headlining tour with CARYS, this fall.
“We are storytellers and performers. We live and breathe to bring our music to journeyers with open ears,” says Lexie Jay.
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Softtub
Softtub is the greatly anticipated solo project of multi-instrumentalist Keegan McDonald. With roots firmly planted in Sudbury, Ontario, Keegan has spent the last decade performing, arranging, and recording music as a core member of local bands The Almighty Rhombus, Tofino, and White Hot. His contributions to the Sudbury scene offered him both the opportunity to hone his craft and secure opening slots for national acts like The Dirty Nil, Jane’s Party, PUP, Texas King, Ivory Hours, The Penske File, and Zeus, to name a few.
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Lennie Rayen
Lennie Rayen, 23, is a Canadian singer-songwriter from North Bay, Ontario. Between 2021 and 2023, she released multiple singles, including Waste Your Time, which gained attention on Spotify editorial playlists.
In 2023, Lennie released her debut EP, Believe That It’s Blue. Her songwriting is reflective, exploring philosophical themes and personal experiences. While consistently writing new music, Lennie has been focusing on touring and building her live show.
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