Today, Folk Alliance International (FAI), the world’s leading nonprofit dedicated to serving, strengthening, and engaging the global folk music community, unveiled the lineup of Official Showcases for its thirty-seventh annual conference, scheduled for February 19-23, 2025, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Featuring over 175 artists from 38 countries, 19 U.S. states, and all 13 Canadian provinces, the 2025 showcase slate is among the largest in the conference’s history.
The theme for the 2025 conference, Illuminate, is inspired by the awe-inspiring beauty of the Northern Lights, which symbolize interconnectedness and the natural world’s spiritual significance.
The full list of artists performing Official Showcases is available here. Featured artists include:
- Ron Sexsmith, JUNO Award-winner and critically acclaimed singer-songwriter
- Mimi O'bonsawin, Indigenous music Award-winner, Odanak First-Nation member
- Connie Kaldor, legendary Canadian folk singer and Order of Canada honoree
- Tania Elizabeth, fiddle player formerly with The Avett Brothers
- Mama's Broke, Halifax folk duo who appeared on NPR's Tiny Desk Concert
- Kaïa Kater, lauded as a “star in the making” by Folk Alley
- Vienna Teng, Chinese-American pianist/vocalist featured on NPR
- Amy Speace, personally signed by folk icon Judy Collins
- Sara Curruchich, pioneering Guatemalan singer-songwriter
- Steve Poltz, platinum-selling, internationally renowned solo performer
- SaulPaul, GRAMMY-nominated rapper and singer-songwriter
- ISMAY, praised for their “rich colors and hazy atmospherics” by the AP
- Basia Bulat, Polaris Music Prize short-listed autoharpist and JUNO Award nominee
- Flamy Grant, winner of the 2023 Kerrville New Folk Competition
- Angelique Francis, 2023 JUNO Award-winning blues artist
- Wesli, one of Haiti’s most celebrated musical ambassadors
"We are thrilled to present this incredible lineup from around the world," said Jennifer Roe, Executive Director of Folk Alliance International. "The Illuminate theme will guide our programming as we return to Montreal to celebrate the diversity and richness of folk music traditions across the globe."
A playlist of Official Showcase artists is forthcoming.
More About the Theme: Illuminate
Each year, FAI’s conference centers on a theme to inspire conversations within the folk music industry. The 2025 theme, Illuminate, draws from the wonder of the Northern Lights, reminding us of our connection to the universe and to each other. Folk artists are invited to rekindle their creativity, fueling artistic expression and social change.
About the Conference
The Folk Alliance International Conference is the largest gathering of folk musicians and music industry professionals in the world. It provides five days of professional development, networking, and performances, with Official Showcases highlighting the best in folk music.
In addition to performances, the conference offers panels, the International Folk Music Awards (IFMAs), and late-night Private Showcases.
About Folk Alliance International
Founded in 1989, Folk Alliance International is the world’s largest membership organization for the folk music industry. FAI is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, welcoming marginalized and underrepresented communities to participate in its programming. FAI defines folk broadly, encompassing sub-genres from Appalachian to Zydeco, and programs in multiple languages and cultural traditions.
For more information, visit www.folk.org.
