#NEWMUSIC: NXNW ADDS 100 EMERGING ACTS

North by Northeast (NXNE), Canada’s premiere festival for music discovery, today announces a new wave of high-profile artist additions to its landmark 2026 edition, taking place June 10–14, 2026 in Toronto. Building on its earlier announcement of the first 100 emerging acts, the festival is thrilled to reveal a series of special performances, intimate shows, and industry events headlined by Fionn, Frank Walker, Covet, Yot Club, and Sickick, alongside a growing roster of the world’s most exciting emerging talent.

These additions join an already stacked lineup featuring over 300 artists across 30 iconic Toronto venues, confirming NXNE 2026 as the festival’s most expansive edition in its 31-year history. Tickets are on sale at NXNE.com

“We’re thrilled to announce 100 more great emerging talent, along with more established acts doing intimate shows, a trademark of NXNE. Acts like Yot Club, Sickick and Frank Walker will all give fans special up-close shows as part of NXNE 2026.” Said Michael Hollett, NXNE President and Founder.

Special Performances & Shows: JUNE 10: Fionn at The Rivoli

Rising indie sensation Fionn kicks off the festival week with an intimate night at The Rivoli, one of Toronto’s most beloved live music rooms.
Tickets on sale Thursday, March 26 at 10am ET.

JUNE 11: Frank Walker at SOUNDSTAGE (Q&A & Intimate DJ Set/Listening Party)

Canadian DJ and producer Frank Walker brings his signature electronic energy to SOUNDSTAGE for a special Q&A session followed by an intimate DJ set and listening party, offering a rare, up-close experience for fans and industry insiders alike.

Sign up at ca.billboard.com/frankwalker

JUNE 12: Covet at Lee’s Palace

Math-rock trio Covet brings their virtuosic, genre-defying sound to the storied stage of Lee’s Palace. Tickets are on sale now.

JUNE 13: Yot Club at The Mod Club

Indie bedroom-pop favourite Yot Club headlines The Mod Club for a night of dreamy, hook-driven songwriting. Tickets are on sale now.

JUNE 13: Sickick at SOUNDSTAGE

Multi-platinum Canadian producer and performer Sickick closes out the penultimate night at SOUNDSTAGE with what promises to be one of the festival’s most electrifying sets.
Tickets on sale Thursday, March 26 at 10am ET.

Today’s announcement builds on NXNE’s first wave of 100 emerging artists confirmations, selected from more than 2,000 applications. The lineup celebrates the best of Canadian talent alongside breakthrough acts from across the globe, including Teenage Joans (Australia), WHO SHOT SCOTT (New Zealand), nothhingspecial (Germany, and many more.

Highlights from the emerging artist lineup include: Akeem Oh, AloneKitty, Angelique Dancel, Blood Dealer, Clara Smallman, DESIIRE, Floating Mansions, GHOSTFORM, HEATER, Kaeley Jade, Kreesha Turner, Lauren Ash, Leila Dey, Maddee Ritter, Merv xx Gotti, NIA NADURATA, Phantom High, Rooky Kamiz, Sarah Jayne Riley, Sęwà, T3MPURA, Techno Westerns, The Wild Palominos, Will Clift, XO JUMPO, Yuzu, ZINA, and more – each performing signature 40-minute sets across Toronto’s finest venues.

About NXNE:
For more than 30 years, NXNE has been the heartbeat of new music in Canada — a cultural institution that unites artists, fans, and industry leaders while shaping what comes next. More than a festival, NXNE is a platform for discovery, a launchpad for emerging talent, and a global meeting ground for the most influential voices in music and culture. Generations of artists, from The Beaches to Post Malone, The Arkells, Lizzo, Daniel Caesar and Kaytranada, first stepped onto the NXNE stage before defining their eras.

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.
www.nxne.com

For more information, tickets, and the full artist lineup, visit NXNE.com.

#NEWMUSIC: NXNE 2026 PROGRAMMING ANNOUNCEMENT

North by Northeast (NXNE), Canada’s premier festival for music discovery, is thrilled to announce its return to Toronto from June 10–14, 2026, with tickets now on sale for the week-long festival. Today, NXNE also announces its first 100 confirmed artists of the over 300 acts playing NXNE. Celebrating its 31st year, the festival is set to be its most expansive edition yet, featuring over 300 artists across more than 30 iconic venues, alongside high-profile industry summits, marquee events, and new programming highlights for 2026.

The festival celebrates and puts forward the best Canadian emerging acts as well as top discovery talent from around the world, including performers from Aruba (activemirror), Australia (Teenage Joans), India (Easy Wanderlings), Germany (nothhingspecial), New Zealand (WHO SHOT SCOTT), the United Kingdom (MOA), and more.

For over three decades, NXNE has served as the heartbeat of the Canadian music scene, providing a launchpad for global superstars like Lizzo, Post Malone, Daniel Caesar, Kaytranada, and The Beaches, who first commanded the stage. The festival returns with a culturally important partnership with AMG (parent company of Billboard Canada and Rolling Stone Canada), amplifying its global reach. This year’s edition will feature artists across 30-plus venues and marquee industry gatherings, including Billboard Canada Power Players, Managers to Watch, Billboard Summit, Billboard Canada: The Stage, Billboard Canada LIVE, and the Canadian Sync Awards.

Anticipating hundreds of thousands of attendees over five days—including stages at Union Station, Billy Bishop, and Pearson Airport—and billions in media impact, NXNE 2026 will stand as a defining cultural moment where music, innovation, and community converge.

Emphasizing an artist-centric approach, NXNE prioritizes accessibility and inclusion, striving to make a lasting impact by empowering and supporting artists through meaningful connections, education, and, above all, providing a platform for performance. NXNE is resolutely focused on dismantling financial barriers for both creators and audiences. This commitment is reflected in its policy of waiving application fees, ensuring that artists receive compensation for their contributions, and maintaining a low all-access festival pass price.

Centered in the heart of Toronto’s vibrant live music scene, the festival delivers a rare moment of cultural concentration across music, design, and nightlife.

Here’s what guests can expect for NXNE 2026 with Programming:

FIRST 100 ARTISTS ANNOUNCED TODAY – We’re thrilled and proud to announce 2026’s lineup of the first 100 emerging artists – each one standing out from a pool of more than 2,000 applications. Artists from Ontario, across Canada, and around the world will play 40-minute sets with a 20-minute changeover – NXNE’s signature format – in 30+ of Toronto’s best live music venues.

NXNE ARTIST HOUSE – The Centre Social Innovation at Queen and Spadina is transformed into NXNE Artists’ House and headquarters – a welcoming space with comfortable seating and an open kitchen/bar will anchor the festival, making it a conducive meeting ground and busy hub for artists for the duration of the festival.

BILLBOARD SUMMIT AT NXNE: Taking place at TIFF Lightbox, this premiere event features masterclasses and panels with cultural innovators. Following the success of 2025’s sessions with deadmau5 and Diljit Dosanjh, the 2026 summit promises bold new perspectives on the industry.

NEXT LEVEL PANELS: A two-day intensive at TIFF Lightbox geared toward industry professionals and creators, covering everything from sync licensing and streaming to touring and songwriting.

BILLBOARD CANADA POWER PLAYERS – A high-level event celebrating the Canadian music industry’s most influential figures and leaders who are shaping the future of global music.

BILLBOARD CANADA MANAGERS TO WATCH: A celebration of the top music managers in Canada, artists, and related music industry professionals, highlighting the momentous career leaps that helped break an artist wide open in a given year, in partnership with MMF.

CANADIAN SYNC AWARDS – Celebrating excellence in music supervision across film, TV, and media – in partnership with the Guild of Music Supervisors.

“The festival grew dramatically last year, our 30th, and we intend to blast past that with an even bigger NXNE in 2026,” says Michael Hollett, NXNE President and Founder. “Band applications are up 100 per cent, we’re close to doubling our number of venues, and our secret shows and underplays will feature arena acts. There’s so much musical talent in Canada and from around the world, and we are thrilled to present the best of it, often at the very beginning of a musician’s artistic journey.”

For more information, tickets, and the full artist lineup, visit NXNE.com.

Follow NXNE: Instagram | TikTok | X / Bluesky

About NXNE:
For more than 30 years, NXNE has been the heartbeat of new music in Canada — a cultural institution that unites artists, fans, and industry leaders while shaping what comes next. More than a festival, NXNE is a platform for discovery, a launchpad for emerging talent, and a global meeting ground for the most influential voices in music and culture. Generations of artists, from The Beaches to Post Malone, The Arkells, Lizzo, Daniel Caesar and Kaytranada, first stepped onto the NXNE stage before defining their eras.

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.
www.nxne.com

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 Canada, 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.

NXNE is generously supported by FACTOR, the Government of Canada, Ontario Creates, Experience Ontario, and the City of Toronto.

#SPOTTED: DILJIT DOSANJH IN TORONTO FOR BILLBOARD SUMMIT AT NXNE ’25

NXNE ’25 has kicked-off in Toronto and new this year is the Billboard Summit, taking place at TIFF Lightbox, celebrating accomplishments of Canadian and global music. Appearing at the all-day affair were the likes of Rezz, Charlotte Cardin, deadmau5, OVO‘s Drex, and the biggest Punjabi music artist in the world, Diljit Dosanjh. The latter chat with Grammys President Panos Panay, who came in for the event, moderating the Q&A before Dosanjh‘s most ardent Canadian fans.

Actor/Singer Dosanjh sold-out Rogers Centre last Summer as part of his Dil-Luminati Tour, proving that demand for global music has never been greater. He chat – in fluent English (which he is still mastering) – with Panay about the musical path being determined for him at a young age, and how he could never imagine himself in another career, showing a lack of interest in studies. He speaks about his obsessions with Yoga and the number zero, and also his time at Coachella this year where he had the distinction of being the first ever Punjabi artist to play the Festival. This has been a big year for him, getting an invite to the Met Gala, and also an opportunity to collaborate with Shakira.

Some highlights from the evening:

More on the Summit here.

NXNE runs till Sunday, June 15, 2025. More here.

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

#FIRSTLOOK: FIRST WAVE OF ACTS ANNOUNCED FOR NXNE 2023

Canada’s discovery music festival, NXNE, has announced its initial lineup of invited artists for this year’s event taking place June 13-17, with close to 300 acts showcasing the most exciting emerging talent. NXNE is also pleased to announce a festival partnership with Neo Financial that will allow fans to score a FREE full festival pass, plus a $10 credit by signing up for a Neo product with no financial commitment at nxne.com. This exciting partnership will make NXNE even more accessible this year, in addition to full festival passes available now for just $25 and single tickets available for $15. 

Each year thousands of music fans descend on Toronto’s live music venues at NXNE to see bands often before they break it big, in a massive week-long club crawl of intimate performances. With the buzziest artists and venues, this year promises to be one of the best yet! NXNE is committed to diversity and gender equity when selecting artists, welcoming all marginalized communities and genres.

“NXNE has never been more committed to reducing financial barriers for people to make and consume music than we are right now as demonstrated by our elimination of fees to apply to play, our commitment to paying all performing artists and our extremely low cost festival passes,” said NXNE Founder, Michael Hollett. “Our revolutionary partnership with Neo allows us to go one step further and offer NXNE fans a chance to attend the festival for free and even have some cash for a drink, parking or the TTC. It has never been easier — or cheaper — to explore the future of music at NXNE.”

“NXNE is the ultimate celebration of music and creativity, where art and entertainment come together to create unforgettable memories,” said Richard Okeke, Director, Channel Growth, Neo Financial. “A must-attend festival for music lovers and culture seekers alike, we are excited to partner with NXNE to bring this experience to life!”

Featuring some of the world’s best bands of today and tomorrow, music lovers will be able to catch a diverse group of acts that will be the next generation of headliners. The first wave of invited performers include Black Note Graffiti, Broken Fires, Charmaine, Housewife, Josh Bogert, Missy D, Platinum Moon and Shawnee Kish with more announcements to come in the lead-up to the festival. NXNE Headquarters, located at It’s OK* (468 Queen Street West), will feature a lounge, parties, band merchandise, performances and more! It will also be home to a series of enriching music industry panels for performing artists programmed in conjunction with the Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA). 

Showcase lineups this year will see the city of Memphis’ music export initiative (MEM) bring the BBQ and five incredible contemporary Memphis acts for day and evening showcases, while Humber College will host a special battle of the bands competition for a coveted spot to play in their showcase. Additional showcase partners this year also include the Corporation of the city of Brampton, Canada’s Music Incubator, the City of Kitchener and Side Door Access with more announcements to come. 

A partial list of artists invited to perform include:

36? (Calgary, AB)

Accolades (Toronto, ON)

Alex Southey (Toronto, ON)

Almyr Jules (Ottawa, ON)

Ariel View (Ontario, CA)

ashlye (Brampton, ON)

Balto (Los Angeles, CA)

Banditos (Nashville, TN)

Bandits on the Run (Brooklyn, NY)

Bealby Point (North Vancouver, BC)

Big Loser (Winnipeg, MB)

Black Note Graffiti (Ann Arbor, MI)

Black Pontiac (North Vancouver, BC)

Blvck Hippie (Memphis, TN)

Borderline Toxic (London, UK)
Borito (Tel Aviv, Israel)

Bree Taylor (Mississauga, ON)

Broken Fires (Swansea / London, UK)

CHARMAINE (Toronto, ON)

Chris Pierce (Savannah, GA)

Cindë (Toronto, ON)

Cinzia & The Eclipse (Montréal, QC)

Dali Van Gogh (Halifax, NS)

Danny Toeman (London, UK)
Diamond Weapon (Toronto, ON)

Dilettante (Manchester, UK)

Durham County Poets (Ormstown, QC)

Electric Religious (Edmonton, AB)

Equal (Oshawa, ON)

Eric Ryan (Toronto, ON)

Fame Cartel (Hamilton, ON)

Fionn (Vancouver, BC)

FKB (Edmonton, AB)

Flamél (El Paso, TX)

FRANKIE FLOWERS (Waterloo, ON)

Gunner & Smith (Saskatoon, SK)

Half Tangerine (San Jose, Costa Rica)

Harkness (Toronto, ON)

Hot Fudge Sundae (Guelph, ON)

Housewife (Toronto, ON)

Jessica Sevier (Toronto, ON)
Joey O’Neil (Dawson City, YT)

Josh Bogert (Vancouver, BC)

Kevin Daniel & The Bottom Line (Nashville, TN)

King Kuda (Brighton, UK)

King of Foxes (Edmonton, AB)

KYLO (Toronto, ON)

LGS (Ottawa, ON)

Living Room for Small (Kitchener/Waterloo, ON)

Luxe (Toronto, ON)

Lynn (Taipei City, Taiwan)

Maddisun (Cranbrook, BC)

Mark and the Tiger (Pasadena, CA)

Missy D (Vancouver, BC)

Monad (Tel Aviv, Israel) 

monarch. (Brooklyn, NY)

Moving City (Vancouver, BC)

Napoleon (Toronto, ON)

Nederveen (Bristol, UK)

Nicole Ariana (Halifax, NS)

Osyron (Calgary, AB)

Pixie & The Partygrass Boys (Salt Lake City, UT)

Platinum Moon (New York, NY)

Pony Girl (Ottawa/Hull, ON)

Prado Monroe (Vancouver, BC)

Queens & Kings (Toronto, ON)

Rip Pop Mutant (Montreal, QC)

Sadé Awele (Vancouver, BC)

Saults (London, UK)

Shawnee Kish (Edmonton, AB)

Sky Olson & The Valley (Salt Lake City, UT)

Sleep Outside (Cardiff, Wales)

Sorry, Peach (Spartanburg, SC)

St.Arnaud (Edmonton, AB)

Stuck On Planet Earth (Vaughan, ON)

Surf Dads (Regina, SK)

Taylor Ashton (Vancouver, BC)

The 12/21 (Winnipeg, MB)

The Band Ice Cream (Toronto, ON)

The Eagle Rock Gospel Singers (Los Angeles, CA)

The Garrys (Saskatoon, SK)

The Magnettes (Pajala, Sweden)

The Motive (London, UK)

The People Versus (Oxford, UK)

The Q-Tip Bandits (Boston, MA)

The Vanrays (Vancouver, BC)

theWorst (Portland, ME)

Velvet Rouge (Philadelphia, PA)

Victory (Toronto, ON)

VISSIA (Edmonton, AB)

Walter Sickert & The Army of Broken Toys (Boston, MA)

Wave Montega (Malton, ON)

We Demand Parachutes (Boston, MA)

Wonderstate (Minneapolis, MN)

YASSiN & Sean Terrio (Oakville, ON)

ZELA (Newcastle, UK)

Zeroscape (Toronto, ON)

#FIRSTLOOK: NXNE RETURNS TO TORONTO IN JUNE 2023

The legendary annual music event NXNE announced today that tickets for this year’s festival are now on sale at www.nxne.com. Taking place from June 13-17, 2023, downtown Toronto will sizzle with a celebration of community, the best new music, industry events, parties, and more. The $25 festival pass admits music lovers into every show at every venue for the duration of the festival – an incredible offer that is cheaper than the festival’s 1995 $29 launch price. But wait, there’s more! Just in time for the holidays, 2-for-1 festival passes are available until December 31, 2022.

Dozens of artists from Canada and all over the world performed their first live shows ever at NXNE. Top Canadian and international acts have all played NXNE at key early stages of their careers including:  Lizzo, Arkells, Feist, Billy Talent, Run The Jewels, Daniel Caesar, Big Freedia and many more. The festival remains an accessible festival with few financial barriers to perform or attend and is wholly committed to diversity and gender equity in selecting NXNE artists. 

“Our commitment to eliminating financial barriers to attend or perform at the festival means we can present the most accurate snapshot of Canada’s emerging talent – playing to full houses across the city,” says NXNE Founder, Michael Hollett. “Our festival passes are cheaper than in our first year – back in the ‘90s. Less than five bucks a night if you attend NXNE from Tuesday to Saturday. And that’s before the 2-for-1 deal.”

New this year will be the NXNE Headquarters, a busy artist and festival hub in the heart of Toronto’s live music district. Located at It’s OK (468 Queen Street West), NX HQ will feature a lounge, parties, industry panels, band merchandise and performances. 

Another new and exciting addition to this year’s NXNE will be a collaboration with the City of Memphis’ Music Export initiative, MEM. The partners will be presenting an official nighttime showcase plus a day show that highlights the best of contemporary Memphis music to NXNE’s audience of discovery-obsessed music lovers. Furthermore, it should be noted that MEM will not only be showcasing musical talent … they will be bringing BBQ.

“Artists in Memphis have been telling us for a while that Toronto is a top market they’re interested in, so working with NXNE on a showcase just made sense. We’re so excited to bring the tastes and sounds of our city to Toronto in June and hope this is the beginning of a long-standing partnership!” – Elizabeth Cawein, Executive Director, MEM.

NXNE is grateful for the support of all of our partners including FACTOR, Government of Canada, SLAIGHT Music, Music Export Memphis and Steam Whistle.

#SPOTTED: ANNA CAMP + SKYLAR ASTIN IN TORONTO FOR NXNE

As an absolute surprise, stars Skylar Astin (21 & Over, Graves) and Anna Camp (True Blood, Mad Men) are in the City for the NXNE Festival, last night judging an Acapella contest at Yonge-Dundas Square. The real-life couple who both star in the Pitch Perfect franchise together both are working on their own endeavours right now. Astin just released the single Call My Name, on which he provided guest vocals for Phantoms. Camp meanwhile is in Califorinia filming Good Girls Revolt, a new series.

It is said that Camp has family here and the soon-to-be-married couple were to spend some time with them.

Engagement Photo:

Is this real life?? Thank you to @katieshuler for capturing this beautiful moment between my love and I. Can’t wait to marry my best friend. @therealannacamp

A photo posted by Skylar Astin (@skylarastin) on Jun 13, 2016 at 6:50pm PDT

We were thrilled to meet the Couple who kindly stopped for a Photo!

So awesome meeting this talented couple, #AnnaCamp + #SkylarAstin, whom star together in the #PitchPerfect franchise. They were here to judge an Acapella competition last night for the #NXNE Festival.

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Jun 17, 2016 at 12:10pm PDT

We’re unclear if like their Pitch Perfect Co-Star Brittany Snow who came a couple years back, they will be at the iHeartRadio MMVAs this weekend.

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

#SPOTTED: MACAULAY CULKIN + THE PIZZA UNDERGROUND IN TORONTO FOR NXNE FESTIVAL

The ’80s were good to Child Star Macaulay Culkin, who rocketed to international fame with Home Alone and its massively-successful Sequel.  That popularity carried over to the ’90s with him starring in heartbreaking My Girl opposite Anna Chlumsky, who has seen a resurgence of late with her role on acclaimed Veep.  Where has Culkin been, many wonder?

Well, he’s certainly in Toronto right now partkaing in the fun of the Comedy-focused NXNE Festival, and the Actor-turned-Musician has been turning heads with his The Velvet Underground Parody Band, The Pizza Underground.  Comprised of five Members, the New York based Band has been doing the Festival Circuit and in addition to surprising with a performance on a TTC Streetcar last night, they played a show at Lee’s Palace.

Earlier today, they played a surprised show at Edward Day Gallery on Queen Street West.  Despite being an hour late as Festival Crew fumbled to keep their prop Pizza from collapsing and ensuring that microphones were working, Fans were rewarded with free Pizza from Panago and Vitaminwater.

“Don’t get your hopes too high”, says Frontwoman Deenah Vollmer. “This is about as good as it gets”.  She makes it clear early on that their musical ambitions are geared towards fun, the Band craftily substituting Pizza-inspired lyrics of the famous American Rock Band to which they pay homage.

Culkin is seen on-stage alternating between percussion (Pizza Boxes are not spared!) and the Kazoo, enthused and focused on entertaining in sunglasses and the Audience knows now to be too harsh, sedated by their charm and the carbs of the three varieties of pizza offered.  I liked the Chicken most. And will be the first to admit I actually had fun!

See a Clip below of the Performance:

NXNE runs through Sunday. More details here.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)