The 2024 Francos de Montréal line-up was stacked with fabulous Québecois talent, making our decision to take an early summer vacation in the city an easy choice. Seeking to maximize our music adventures whilst in the city, another of the must-see acts circled in bold Sharpie on our concert schedule was Gaspésie-born, and now Montréal-based siblings Stéphanie and Mélanie Boulay – Les soeurs Boulay.
Team GDW have enjoyed Canadian Francophone music for closing in on two decades now, and fondly recall the Boulay sisters bursting onto the scene back in 2013 with their stunning “Le poids des confettis” debut album. I know we often toss out statements about albums that raise the bar for all future folk-pop acts to follow – but we stand behind our convictions here – this album still sounds as fresh and remarkable as it did back in the day (and finding a copy on vinyl late last year, this one has seen some playtime here at home).
Being granted the opening slot on the main Bell Stage on a glorious Sunday evening – the sisters received a lively ovation as they were introduced. Of course, with Mélanie taking time out to raise a family and Stéphanie pursuing a solo career, a lengthy five years had passed since the two artists had performed together in Montréal – many fans were clearly excited at the prospect of finally having an opportunity to see this duo following their hiatus, and gratuit too.
Backed by a musical trio (including Camille Gélinas on keyboards – instantly recognizable given we’d see her perform as part of Lisa LeBlanc’s touring band both in ON and VA recently), Les soeurs Boulay drew immediately from their 2022 “Échapper à la nuit” album (which, by pure coincidence, we happened to find on vinyl during some record store exploring the previous day up on Mont Royal). Opening with “Les lumières dans le ciel,” and following immediately with “Je vais te faire dander,” the duo would revisit later to share their popular singles “Comme si” (added emphasis on the keys) and “Laisse aller la vie.”
Given that this was our first time seeing the siblings perform, we craved tunes from that debut album – and would be rewarded with an amazing version of “Mappemonde” (shortlisted for the 2013 SOCAN Songwriting prize), accompanied by a sea of harmonies from an appreciative crowd around us. Adding in “Cul-de-sac,” the duo would also extend an invitation to hip hop/soul artist Rose Perron (Rau_Ze) to join them, and collectively performed “Ôte-moi mon linge” – another favorite cut from the album.
Emerging Montréal folk artist Arielle Soucy would also make a guest appearance, and with a wonderful twist, Mélanie and Stéphanie would provide harmonies for “Ottawa,” one of Arielle’s own compositions (credit to Camille’s vintage keys here too). The sisters would add an unexpected cover of their own down the stretch, rocking a mean variation of the Diane Dufresne dance-pop hit, “Oxygène.” And, with time for one final number, the acoustic-yet-upbeat “Fais-moi un show de boucane” from their 2015 “4488 de l’amour” album made for a perfect closer. Adding a crowd-pleasing visual element, Mélanie invited her two young children to join them on stage – children who relished the opportunity to dance alongside mom with natural flair, and zero stage fright – clearly those performing genes run deep in this family. A fabulous end to an amazing hour of music – and another must-see duo finally scratched from our bucket list.
Set List:
- Les lumières dans le ciel
- Je vais te faire danser
- Les couteaux à beurre
- Cul-de-sac
- Nous après nous
- Langue de bois
- Ôte-moi mon linge (ft. Rose Perron)
- Mappenmonde
- Des shooters de fort aur ton bras
- Ottawa (ft. Arielle Soucy)
- Comme si
- Je rêve
- Laisse aller la vie
- Oxygène (Diane Dufresne cover)
- Fais-moi un show de boucane
The British guy that crossed the ocean and crash landed in central Pennsylvania (to quote Greg Keelor, “And I wonder what am I doing here?”). As the youngest of four siblings, exposure to music from a very early age nurtured my passion and appreciation for many musical genres. Continuing to discover some amazingly diverse and talented musicians based in Canada, I gravitate to live music experiences and remain devoted to spreading the word about such a vibrant music scene.
