Apashe
Something completely different took place on October 8, 9 and 10 at Montréal's Maison symphonique as electronic artist John De Buck, more commonly known as Apashe, took over the venue alongside the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (OSM) for a symphonic interpretation of his repertoire. After months of meticulous preparation and literal orchestration, the much-anticipated performances finally took place in the Place des Arts neighbourhood.
Although the collaboration between the OSM and Apashe might not come as a complete surprise to those familiar with his work, it felt like a particularly exciting meeting of two musical universes. The Belgian-born, Montréal-based producer has spent years developing a signature sound that blends electronic music with epic orchestral influences. While Apashe has incorporated orchestras into his performances before, this time his music took centre stage at the Maison symphonique, a venue inaugurated in 2011 that is closely associated with live classical music events. Under the direction of conductor Dina Gilbert, with orchestration by Hugo Bégin, the performance brought his catalogue into a whole new context.
I've been fortunate enough to witness Apashe perform on several occasions, including his set at Ultra Miami in 2023, his Antagonist tour at MTELUS later that year, his memorable appearance at the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal in 2024, Igloofest in the winter of 2025, and now, in 2026, his collaboration with the OSM. Having experienced many of his performances in such different settings, I can confirm that this one felt intentionally distinct. The atmosphere and setup were noticeably more intimate, and the format offered a different way to experience music I'd previously encountered in much more conventional electronic settings.
Apashe is infamous for keeping his audience on its toes, and this performance was no exception. The first guest to join him onstage was electronic pop singer Lia Kuri, who appeared during “Kryptonite,” from his Antagonist album. Ymir then joined him for “Revenge of the Orchestra,” “Contraband” and “Never Change,” captivating the audience with his vocals. KROY, the talented Montréal singer-songwriter, followed with “Rain,” her collaboration with Apashe from his Renaissance album. Her appearance was particularly fitting given that the track was released in 2020 and that she opened for Apashe at Jazz Fest back in 2024.
When “Distance” began, Geoffroy, another familiar face and voice, joined Apashe onstage. The evening then took a more solemn turn as ten choristers entered the room carrying lanterns and joined Ukrainian artist Alina Pash onstage. She took a moment to draw the audience's attention to the ongoing war in Ukraine before performing “Resilience” and “Kyiv” with the choir, making for one of the evening's most emotional moments. Her collaboration with Apashe extends beyond a guest appearance: the two artists also released Hymns of Resilience, a project that connects their musical work with themes of Ukrainian identity and resilience.
Wasiu, Apashe's longtime collaborator and frequent creative partner, also joined the show on two occasions, bringing his characteristically high-energy and charismatic presence to the stage. The night wrapped up with “Majesty,” an epic and familiar track.
The show concluded with a standing ovation that lasted several minutes, a fitting response to such an ambitious and unique performance. Between the grandiose setting of the Maison symphonique and the overload of talent onstage, the evening was all the more memorable. Apashe has carved out a genre of his own, blending electronic music with classical influences, and hearing that sound brought to life alongside the OSM's incredible musicians made this collaboration truly unforgettable. A historical moment for the music industry, and a memorable collaboration for the books!
