As a project, N NAO has had many configurations depending on the time and the place. At its core sits singer-songwriter-producer Naomie de Lorimier, but N NAO has evolved into an ever-changing amorphous concept throughout the years — and as such, it's been hard to pin down. 

Her creative process is often improvisational and akin to scientific research, working with a motley crew of musicians — including longtime collaborators Charles Marsolais-Ricard and Samuel Gougoux — to weave the metaphysical, the spiritual and the natural into her music. 

Her individual creative prowess is also impressive, as highlighted on her latest dual album Nouveaux Langages (not to be confused with her 2025 Polaris long-listed album Nouveau Language), where one side is dedicated to a series of unreleased pieces recorded on a 4-track during a creative residency, putting her mastery on display.

All that to say: N NAO is not what you'd call a likely suspect for a contest like Nouvelles Ondes by SiriusXM. Launched last spring by the satellite radio giant (and major FME sponsor), the contest was touted as a springboard for three emerging Francophone artists, chosen by a panel of industry professionals, who would benefit in mentorship with Quebec pop star Ariane Moffatt and perform at both the Festival d'été de Québec and FME, where the winner would be announced live on stage. Said winner would win both $25,000 CAD and a trip to France to perform and participate at the MaMA Music & Convention in Paris.

It could be argued that their definition of emerging is somewhat stretched when you look at the careers of all three finalists: indie rock duo Grand Eugène, R&B jazz singer HAWA B, and N NAO. All are signed artists with years under the belt, with Grand Eugène being the more recent project of the three. But even within this context, N NAO stands out; how would her mystical and sprawling rhythms translate to the main stage of the FME sandwiched between her two fellow competitors?

Turns out, incredibly well. While she (spoiler alert) may not have won the contest, she did win the public vote, which would intimate that her project is already resonating with a larger audience. And judging by the reception her performance received on Day 3 of the FME, this might be the beginning of N NAO's long overdue ascension.

Performing as a trio, the production was appropriately beefed up to take advantage of the large stage. They immediately set the tone with "Destin," a beautifully languorous harp-heavy piece  that opens Nouveau Language (and got the remix treatment by the excellent DJ and producer RegularFantasy on Nouveaux Languages). They then slipped into "Miroir," a stunning sputtering experimental piece that highlights N NAO's knack for juxtaposing brilliant vocal layering with field recordings and abrasive sonic textures.

The midsection is where the set really picks up, with the more upbeat electronic productions taking centre stage, allowing de Lorimier to embrace her main pop girl era. She's a commanding presence, whether rolling on stage controlling her own spotlight, or dancing freely to the garage beats of "Fleuron," and it's it's been impressive and satisfying seeing the evolution of the N NAO stage show throughout the years. 

If there were any lingering doubts as to whether N NAO was ready for prime time, de Lorimier and co.'s showing at the FME did wonders to chase them away. After years contributing to the Quebec music scene alongside artists like Klô Pelgag, Marie-Pierre Arthur and Jonathan Personne, Naomie de Lorimier has more than paid her dues — now it's time for her spotlight. 

https://exclaim.ca/music/article/arielle-soucy-passages-rouyn-noranda-concert-review-fme 2026-09-05T16:32:55.373Z

For someone who doesn't particularly like to perform live, Arielle Soucy seemed remarkably at ease at Agora des Arts. With a simple gauzy archway as backdrop and a smattering of candles, Soucy made a sombre entrance and launched straight into a stunning choral introduction to open her FME set.

What better venue than a former church-turned-theatre to attend the most delicate of agnostic masses? While her four-piece band were all masters of their respective instruments, including an organ and a cello, their voices are what leaves a lasting impression. The complex choral arrangements found on Soucy's new album Passages were transformed and amplified on stage, providing what was tantamount to a religious experience.

Most songs blend directly into the next, including an incredibly effective passage that went from the title track of her debut album, Il n'y a rien que je ne suis pas, into "Lumière 1 & 2 (technique tintinnabuli)," complete with a mise en scène that included spotlights and hand mirrors, as well as integratrating multiple tintinnabulums for added authenticity and impressive visual and sonic affect.

Soucy is generous on stage, softly tuning her guitar while sharing stories with the audience. An experience dealing with tinnitus and how it made her feel like her body had betrayed her — to the point she became inexplicably scared of ghosts — inspired the song "Around the Corner," about becoming friends with our own anguish and the importance of treasuring our loved ones. 

After a quick solo segment, Soucy launched into her gorgeously moody cover of "Soleil soleil" by Nana Mouskouri, which she recorded for the television series Veille sur moi. "When they approached me to record this song, I thought 'I wanna do that!' and you know what, I did that!" she quipped, eliciting laughs and applause. 

She closed off the show with a touching and vulnerable rendition of "Pattern," the opening track of Passages, making her way to the front of the stage to kneel by the candles, as if in lament. While Soucy has every right to decide how often to perform and whether she will continue in the long run, what a privilege it was to witness such raw emotion, faultless musicianship and inspiring camaraderie. Catch her while you still can.

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