Two Canadian bands are flying south to appear in one of the world’s most famous music festivals this month: Coachella.
Each spring, the otherwise sleepy desert town of Indio, California, transforms into a cultural mecca as thousands descend upon the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. In 2025, alongside the marquee headliners and dazzling art installations, come local talent is cutting through the noise, bringing a northern touch to one of the world’s most iconic festivals.
Toronto’s favourite band The Beaches will be playing the festival this weekend. In addition Montreal band TOPS, and OVO artist 4batz are among the artists proudly repping the Canadian music scene this year, carving out space on the sprawling Empire Polo Club grounds from April 11–13 and 18–20.
Toronto rockers The Beaches have made a name for themselves for their guitar-driven anthems with a feminist edge, delivering live shows packed with swagger, energy, and a healthy dose of cheek. The band, which came to life in the idyllic beaches neighbourhood, has been on a steady climb since their breakout and are poised to capture an even wider audience under the unforgiving California sun.
The band hits the Gobi Stage, one of a whopping eight stages at the festival, on Sunday afternoon at 3:45 on the first and second weekends. The headliner for that stage on both of those days will be Australian punk band Amyl and the Sniffers.
Some of the big names headlining Coachella include, well, the biggest names in music: Lady Gage, Ed Sheeran, Post Malone, and Megan Thee Stallion. In addition, and as per usual, the festival has found a slew of older acts that bring some cool and nostalgic swagger to the festival including the likes of The Go-Gos, and punk pioneers Circle Jerks.
The band just released the first new single of its forthcoming album No Hard Feelings, which is set for release on Aug. 29. Can’t make it to Coachella, the band will play the historic Kee to Bala in Muskoka on July 28.
Also representing the Great White North is Montreal’s indie pop group TOPS, whose lush, laid-back tracks will offer a mellow and groovy break from Coachella’s typical high-octane fare.
Then there’s 4batz, a rising artist affiliated with Drake’s OVO Sound label, whose genre-blurring style and moody R&B aesthetics are taking the world by storm. He’s an American artist, but his collaboration with Drake and work with OVO give him some honorary status.
Coachella is as much about the fit check as it is about the setlist. What began in 1999 as a humble desert gathering for alt-rock and underground electronica fans has since evolved into a glitter-drenched, influencer-saturated, see-and-be-seen extravaganza. Luxury VIP experiences, glamping accommodations, branded parties, and celebrity sightings have all become baked into the Coachella mythology. So, Canadian acts hitting the festival is a very big deal, and could help propel these artists to even greater international heights.
Some Coachella shows will be live streamed via YouTube and on the Coachella app.
