Montreal Cultural Calendar

West Africa – QC

The music of this self-taught, multidisciplinary artist is free-spirited and eclectic, much like himself. His creative mashups, synthesized on his MIDI keyboard, are a distillation of his diverse and iconoclastic tastes, ranging from Latin percussion to keb rap, from R&B to UKG, from reggaeton to Afrobeat, from baile funk to electro in all its forms, and the list goes on. Clearly, his musical passions will take him anywhere! But one thing is certain: his samples will never sacrifice dance!

Zalam Kao, “through a fusion of styles, embodies a kind of vibrant musical spirit that has been part of Montreal since the 1970s, namely an uninhibited blending of cultures that form the mosaic of our music scene,” (Le Devoir, 2026). This big winner of the 19th edition of the Syli d’Or de la Musique du Monde awards doesn’t hold back as it moves through jazz, funk and soul. Sunny and unifying, Zalam Kao’s music is not only eclectic, it’s truly mind-blowing! Global music has never carried its name so well.

It’s a return to his roots for Élage Diouf, whose career in Montreal began with Nuits d’Afrique almost 30 years ago, when he was discovered thanks to his appearance on the Colocs’ album Dehors novembre, on the song “Tassez vous de d’là” (yup, the one that everyone still pretends they know the words to as they try to sing along!) Élage and the three Sissokho brothers, Sadio, Fa and Noumoucounda—whose extensive careers are studded with collaborations with illustrious artists—have known each other for years. Tonight will be all about coming together. And it’s going to be wild! Djembes, dunduns, tamas… We’re talking about some seriously talented percussionists here! But that’s not all! The kora will also have pride of place, befitting its prestige and magical qualities. Mbalax, sabar and akasso along with smiles from ear-to-ear: this reunion won’t soon be forgotten, that’s for sure!

She sings to exist and to resist. “Powered by the rock vibe of the trio from Lyon accompanying her, Sahra Halgan has but one aim: to put her country on the world map,” (RFI, 2021). With her national flag always within reach, this emblematic artist from Somaliland—a small country that declared its independence from Somalia in 1991 but is recognized by virtually no other nation—transforms each concert into an opportunity to speak out. Her raw, fiery voice breathes new life into ancient melodies that intersect with hard-hitting riffs and hypnotic drums at the crossroads of Ethio-jazz, Tuareg blues, and garage rock.

Lately, Kizaba has been going non-stop, with performances at venues around the globe in these last few months alone. The career of the man behind Future Village (Disques Nuits d’Afrique, 2025) is literally booming. Among the Révélation Radio-Canada 2024–2025, the artist embodies Afrofuturism, playing with a variety of styles, including roots, French touch, Afrobeat, folk, dubstep and Afro-pop rock, while he summons the ancestors to chart a future guided by their wisdom. A multi-instrumentalist, he creates a world where soukous guitars, explosive synths and an arsenal of percussion instruments collide to form a socially conscious, perfectly catchy and danceable Congolese electro sound that bridges ancestral memory, the golden age of SAPE and a holographic vision of a future waiting to be reinvented.

Tailored for dancing, Systema Solar’s infectious vibe emerged from the picós of Colombia’s Caribbean coast. The collective’s “dauntless, madcap spirit,” (Billboard, 2017) led to shows that are part neighbourhood festival, part alternative scene, and wholly addictive. Mixing cumbia, champeta, bullerengue, hip-hop, and electro without restraint, their performances are full-on from start to finish.