CANADA’S LEADING MUSIC DISCOVERY FESTIVAL
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BILLBOARD CANADA PARENT COMPANY AMG
ANNOUNCE THE FIRST ROUND OF EMERGING SHOWCASING ARTISTS
FESTIVAL TO TAKE PLACE IN TORONTO JUNE 11-15, 2025
CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF UNFORGETTABLE MOMENTS: NXNE RETURNS TO SANKOFA SQUARE (FORMERLY YONGE-DUNDAS SQUARE) JUNE 12, 2025
THE BILLBOARD LIVE STAGE WILL SPOTLIGHT CHART-TOPPING ARTISTS, HEADLINED BY A MAJOR GLOBAL STAR
NEW PARTICIPATING VENUES ANNOUNCED
NXNE promo image | download here
(Toronto, ON - February 27, 2025) Canada’s iconic music discovery festival, North by Northeast (NXNE), in collaboration with Billboard Canada’s parent company ArtsHouse Media Group (AMG), is proud to reveal the first wave of emerging Canadian and international artists performing at the 30th annual event, taking over Toronto’s premiere live music venues from June 11th - 15th. See below for the full list of confirmed artists for the 2025 season.
In addition to unveiling the first selection of performing acts, NXNE is thrilled to announce its return to Sankofa Square (formerly Yonge-Dundas Square) for what promises to be an unforgettable 30th Birthday Party musical celebration on The Billboard Live Stage. Scheduled for Thursday, June 12th from 4-9 pm ET, this exciting event will showcase an array of chart-topping talent, culminating in a highly anticipated headline performance by a global music icon.
“We were honoured to present the first ever concert in the Square when Gord Downie played NXNE in 2003 and we had the biggest crowd ever for Iggy and the Stooges in 2010. With Flaming Lips, St. Vincent, Raekwon and so many great shows, we have a great history at Yonge and Dundas, and we are thrilled to return on our 30th anniversary to the freshly named Sankofa Square to again bring incredible, free live music to the city and the world,” says NXNE president and CEO Michael Hollett.
Adds Amanda Dorenberg, CEO of ArtsHouse Media Group and Billboard Canada; "For 30 years, NXNE has been a defining force in Canada’s music landscape, championing talent and shaping the future of live performance. As Billboard Canada and ArtsHouse Media Group continue to support music’s evolution, we’re proud to celebrate NXNE’s 30th anniversary with the Billboard Live Stage at Sankofa Square, further extending its legacy by giving artists a platform to reach new audiences and make a global impact."
Stay tuned, as more details about this extraordinary stage and celebration will be revealed in the months ahead.
NXNE at Yonge-Dundas Square in 2010 | Download promo image here
NXNE at Yonge-Dundas Square in 2010 | Download promo image here
Known for being integral in identifying new talent and opening doors for artists on the brink of their big break, NXNE is where rising stars shine in intimate venues before taking their place on the world stage just like festival alumni’s Feist, Lizzo, and The Lumineers. For three decades, the dedicated NXNE team has curated a dynamic and diverse lineup of the most promising musical talent from Canada and around the world, driven by a commitment to provide an immersive, boundary-pushing, exceptional music experience.
The first wave of confirmed showcasing acts for the 2025 festival features talent from Canada, the USA, the UK, Australia, Aruba, and Ireland. Notable highlights include Vancouver-based comedian and trained opera singer Toddy, Montreal-based singer-songwriter Avery Jane, Welland, Ontario rock’n’roller Andy Colonico, Newfoundland experimental hardcore band The Order of the Precious Blood, and award-winning producer and soul-hop artist B1GJuice.
NXNE performer Vancouver-based comedian and trained opera singer Toddy
NXNE performer Newfoundland experimental hardcore band The Order of the Precious Blood
NXNE performer Montreal-based singer-songwriter Avery Jane
This year, the festival is expanding its footprint in the city by adding nine new participating venues to its roster for a total of 23, including NXNE’s official headquarters for 2025, The Theatre Centre (1115 Queen St. W.). Lee's Dance Cave, Lee's Palace, Death & Taxes, Duffy's Tavern, Infinity Room, Rivoli, The Pilot and the Redwood Theatre will also be joining the 14 established locations from previous years. This growth broadens the festival's reach, offering attendees diverse spaces to discover new music and turning the event into a true citywide celebration.
For the 2025 festival season, NXNE offers three ticket options to make great music accessible and inclusive. Priced the same as the festival’s debut in 1995, the NXNE Festival Pass ($29) grants access to all Clubland shows and Artist Development Day panels. The NXNE VIP Pass ($149) includes additional events like VIP access to the 30th birthday party, exclusive networking opportunities, swag bags, and front-of-the-line access to Clubland shows. For the ultimate experience, the NXNE Executive Pass ($499) offers everything in the VIP pass, plus access to the VIP Lounge, exclusive receptions and dinners, and more, along with front-of-the-line access to Clubland shows.
NXNE First Wave Announce Poster | download here
The first wave of artists to perform at the 30th annual NXNE festival include;
538st (Vancouver, BC, Canada)
A Cure for Love (Columbus, OH, USA)
A Short Walk To Pluto (Toronto, ON, Canada)
Absolight (Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada)
A Weekend at Ramona’s (Toronto, ON, Canada)
activemirror (Oranjestad, Aruba, CARB)
Adam Ambrose (Vancouver, BC, Canada)
Alena Ciera (Washington D.C, USA)
Alex Dolphin (London, ON, Canada)
Andy Colonico (Welland, ON, Canada)
Attack the Sound (Chicago, IL, USA)
Ash Molloy (Torbay, NL, Canada)
Avery Jane (Montreal, QC, Canada)
B1GJuice (Part of the BitterJuice Collective) (Toronto, ON, Canada)
av club (Toronto, ON, Canada)
Basset (Toronto, ON, Canada)
Beach Season (Calgary, AB, Canada)
Bebe and Oona (Toronto, ON, Canada)
BIG MILK (Toronto, ON, Canada)
Bitch Stick (Toronto, ON, Canada)
Bitter&Broke (Scarborough, ON, Canada)
BlackBudget (Toronto, ON, Canada)
BongoBandana (Toronto, ON, Canada)
Boniface (Winnipeg, MB, Canada)
Bradley Hale (Heidelberg, ON, Canada)
BREE TAYLOR (Mississauga, ON, Canada)
Casual Cries for HELP (Halifax, NS, Canada)
CEC (Winnipeg, MB, Canada)
Certified Bad Guyz (Toronto, ON, Canada)
Chara Kai-Le (Toronto, ON, Canada)
City Circuits (Toronto, ON, Canada)
CMAGIC5 (Toronto, ON, Canada)
Cruel Hope (Toronto, ON, Canada)
Cure-Pipe (Saguenay, Québec, Canada)
Dandelion Highway (Toronto, ON, Canada)
DAPHNE (Vaughan, ON, Canada)
David San Clair (Drogheda, Louth, IRL)
Dead Roots (Waterloo, ON, Canada)
DEREV (Toronto, ON, Canada)
Diamond Weapon (Toronto, ON, Canada)
Discontinuity (Toronto, ON, Canada)
Dynesti (Toronto, ON, Canada)
Dov Beck-Levine (Toronto, ON, Canada)
Evan Denley (Toronto, ON, Canada)
Falls for the Elderly (London, ON, Canada)
Feura (Toronto, ON, Canada)
Fleeting Colours (Montreal, QC, Canada)
FRANKIE FLOWERS (Waterloo, ON, Canada)
Full Throttle (London, ON, Canada)
Garrett Neiles (Toronto, ON, Canada)
gee. (Mississauga, ON, Canada)
GODDESS (Hamilton/Toronto, ON, Canada)
Hendrika (Whitehorse, YT, Canada)
Honey Moon (Toronto, ON, Canada)
Hormoans (Toronto, ON, Canada)
Hotfix (Hamilton, ON, Canada)
Jade Hilton (Toronto, ON, Canada)
Jasmine Kiara (Toronto, ON, Canada)
Julie Title (Toronto, ON, Canada)
June Hawthorn (Toronto, ON, Canada)
Junko Daydream (London, ON, Canada)
Karen Lee Andrews (Sydney, NSW, AUS)
KING FALCON (New York, NY, USA)
Laraw (Montreal, QC, Canada)
LeeL (Hillsdale, NJ, USA)
Lennie Rayen (North Bay, ON, Canada)
LESS KILLJOY (Toronto, ON, Canada)
Lightkeeper (Toronto, ON, Canada)
Live Animals (Toronto, ON, Canada)
Living Dead Girl (Peterborough, ON, Canada)
Living Room for Small (Waterloo, ON, Canada)
Lost Faculty (Hamilton, ON, Canada)
Lostvoy (Toronto, ON, Canada)
LTtheMonk (Hamilton, ON, Canada)
LUELLA (Kingston, ON, Canada)
Lunchmeat (Toronto, ON, Canada)
magenta (Toronto, ON, Canada)
Matt Kristan and Elfrida (Hamilton, ON, Canada)
Mawzy (Toronto, ON, Canada)
Max Parker (Toronto, ON, Canada)
Melo Griffith (Ajax, ON, Canada)
Merv xx Gotti (Regina, SK, Canada)
Miss Mae (Brantford, ON, Canada)
Monstrosa (Toronto, ON, Canada)
Museums (Montréal, QC, Canada)
Noise Hotel (Ottawa, ON, Canada)
Orlas (New York, NY, USA)
oui merci (L’Assomption, QC, Canada)
papaya noon (Cardiff, WAL, UK)
Permilla (Niagara Falls, ON, Canada)
Problem Patterns (Belfast, NIR, UK)
Raveen (Toronto, ON, Canada)
Rebecca Sichon (Vancouver, BC, Canada)
RedFox (Montréal, QC, Canada)
Reno K.O.Q (Queens, NY, USA / Kingston Jamaica)
Sam Louis (Toronto, ON, Canada)
Sea of Lettuce (Calgary, AB, Canada)
Seago (Brampton, ON, Canada)
Shébani (Toronto, ON, Canada)
Spring Colours (Toronto, ON, Canada)
Sudden Waves (Montreal, QC, Canada)
Summer School (Seattle, WA, USA)
SWiiMS (Toronto, ON, Canada)
Tatum Quinn (Montréal, QC, Canada)
The Blue (Calgary, AB, Canada)
The Codas (Kingston, ON, Canada)
The Holy Gamblers (Toronto, ON, Canada)
The Jailbirds (Mississauga, ON, Canada)
The New Hires (Ottawa, ON, Canada)
The Order of the Precious Blood (St John’s, NL, Canada)
The Satisfactory (Toronto, ON, Canada)
Toddy (Vancouver, BC, Canada)
Tre. Charles (Durham, NC, USA)
TRUSS (Cleveland, OH, USA)
TWIST IT (Philadelphia, PA, USA)
VOYAGR (Buffalo, NY, USA)
Waahli (Montréal, QC, Canada)
Wedding (Toronto, ON, Canada)
Willem James Cowan (London, ON, Canada)
ZOCHI (Regina, SK, Canada)
About NXNE:
North by Northeast (NXNE) has been Canada’s leading festival of music discovery since 1995. Canadian and international stars from Billy Talent, Haviah Mighty and Sam Roberts to Lizzo and The Lumineers all performed critical NXNE showcases early in their careers. Originally formed in partnership with Austin’s SXSW, founder Michael Hollett continues to lead NXNE as president and CEO, along with managing director Barbara Hefler. The festival’s primary goal remains to showcase and support emerging musical talent from Canada and around the world while promoting Toronto’s live music scene.
About ArtsHouse Media Group (AMG):
ArtsHouse Media Group is a premier music media company and publisher producing bilingual content that resonates with audiences across Canada and beyond. As the parent company of Billboard Canada, Billboard UK, Rolling Stone Quebec, Waveland Canada, Climate Library, and Arts Help, AMG collaborates with diverse creators to elevate voices and deliver compelling narratives. Through innovative storytelling and strategic partnerships, AMG connects local culture with global audiences at the forefront of the new cultural economy, redefining the media landscape.
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