Montreal-based singer Léonie Gray helps kick off Jazz Festival’s 45th edition
Posted June 26, 2025 6:22 pm.
Last Updated June 26, 2025 10:52 pm.
Jazz is taking over downtown Montreal, and local singer Léonie Gray was among the many performers helping launch the 45th edition of the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal on Thursday.
The Montreal-born artist brought her blend of jazz, soul, and R&B to one of several stages set up across the Quartier des Spectacles, joining a wide mix of performers on a busy opening night.
“I feel very lucky,” said Gray about performing at the festival. “It’s also my third time doing the Jazz Fest, and I think it’s a very good festival to be part of in your own city, alongside amazing, worldwide, renowned artists. So, really lucky.”
Gray described her performance as an invitation for the audience to engage deeply with her music. “I think [they can expect] to dance a lot, to hear stories, enjoy the moment, and connect with me.”
The 10-day festival features over 350 concerts, with two-thirds of them free, running until July 5 at venues including Place des Festivals, Place des Arts, and along the Promenade des Artistes.
Big crowds mark opening night
The festival returned to its familiar downtown setting, filling the streets with music and energy as audiences flocked to multiple outdoor stages. Among them was J.P. Caron, who summed up the appeal of the evening simply.
“It’s a beautiful day, enjoying this summer. We live nine months a year in the cold, so it’s just nice to walk downtown and enjoy this great international event that brings people together,” he said.
“Montreal is a very special place, and it’s good to see the tourists and everybody enjoying this beautiful city,” he added.
When asked what keeps him coming back, he replied, “The vibe, the people. It’s just always a fun time. There’s nothing better to do on a Thursday night that’s for sure.”
Gray reflected on the same energy of performing in front of her hometown crowd.
“It’s really great because I get to see my friends, my family, and then I meet strangers that come all over the world, and from Montreal, they come to talk to me, so there’s really something special and magical happening at the Jazz Fest every year.”
She also praised the larger impact the event has on the city. “I think it’s really good for the, well, first of all, city’s economy, but also just the summer vibe in Montreal. You know, we go through long winters at home, and now there’s like this big festival that is free, and there’s so many people coming in and out. So I think it’s just good for the city’s name and the city’s vibe.”
Star-studded lineup continues
The festival’s lineup continues with performances by Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra on June 30, Thundercat on July 1, and a special Oscar Peterson Centennial Gala on July 4.
Canadian favourites Blue Rodeo will perform a free show on June 27, while Nas returns on June 28 to perform his classic album Illmatic accompanied by a live symphony orchestra.
Festival-goer Roumaissaa LaSall was particularly excited by the diversity and quality of the lineup.
“There’s always new artists that come here. So many talents. The vibe is always good. It’s multicultural. It’s diverse. And you never know what kind of artist will come, so it’s always a blast to be here.”
LaSall, who came with a friend, said their night out came down to one thing: “We wanted to listen to music. So we were like, why not just come here? It’s always a good vibe. We love jazz music.”
While she’s eager to see a specific group — “Men I Trust. I really love their group.” — She’s just as enthusiastic about discovering new artists. “I just come every day and I’m open to everything.”
Her advice to others? “Everyone should enjoy the jazz festival all the time. It’s always a blast.”
Festival goes beyond the stage
Beyond the concerts, the Jazz Fest offers late-night DJ sets at the PHONO pop-up bar, vinyl fairs, street performances, and an outdoor photo exhibit celebrating the life and legacy of jazz legend Oscar Peterson.
This year’s edition also includes artist talks, educational workshops, and roaming brass bands that bring music to unexpected corners of the festival site.
For Gray, the city’s vibrant artist community helped shape her unique sound. “Well, for me, I think the influence that Montreal brought was really the connections with other artists that I made throughout the years,” she explained. “My sound, so my voice is a bit raspy, so usually people are seeing a lot of Jazz and soul into the voice itself, but the music that I do is really more on the pop side, a pop structure, so it’s a mix of both, so I call it pop soul for myself.”
When asked about her jazz roots, she said her musical influences are more instinctive than intentional. “I think my influences are really more within me… it’s all a mix and match, and I think that’s what is the beauty in music, that, you know, you create something and yes, it’s going to sound like someone, or it’s going to sound like something that has already been done, but it’s new and it’s fun.”
She also emphasized how significant a stage like Jazz Fest is for emerging artists. “I think it’s very important, also knowing that the Jazz Fest is the biggest Jazz Festival in the world… if you bring up that you did the Jazz Fest, usually people know what it is. So I guess it helps for your status as an artist, and also it’s very motivating to be playing here and then continuing into your career afterwards.”
Looking ahead
After her performance at Jazz Fest, Gray won’t be slowing down. “After Jazz Fest, I will be at the Sherblues on July 5th, and then I will be at the FAQ in Quebec City on July 10th, and you know, all over Quebec after, like during the fall.”
Fans of her music can expect more touring around the province and possibly even internationally. “I just released an album in March, if I’m not mistaken, so we’re still like rolling on that album, and it’s my third one,” she said. “Maybe a little time for me to put out the next album. But you know, touring all over Quebec and hopefully the rest of Canada and maybe, you know, the UK or Europe, that would be really fun.”
When asked to sum up the meaning of Jazz Fest in one phrase, Gray responded simply: “Summer celebration. It’s really a summer celebration of the city.”
And for anyone thinking about coming out, she had a warm invitation: “Well, I don’t do a lot of shows in Montreal, usually maybe twice a year, so it’s really the good time to see me perform and to connect with me and come see me after the show and talk with me. So, of course, I will invite people who are fans or not fans to just come and hang out to the show.”
To learn more about the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal and see the full schedule, visit the Montreal Jazz Fest website.
