North by Northeast Music Festival (NXNE) ran from June 11th to 15th in Toronto. This was my second time attending the festival, and the lineup was stacked with headliners such as Khalid, Daniel Cesar and local legend The Beaches. Emerging artists included RENFORSHORT, who released a new EP, Experience of A Girl. Also on the bill were The Haileys, Dynesti, Zochi, Merv xx Gotti, Gee, and New York-based band Orlas. This year, I attended two showcases where I discovered my new favourite venue, Poetry Jazz Cafe, an intimate, cozy space. Read on for my favourite moments from this year’s festival.
Dynesti at Poetry Jazz Cafe:
Queen Dynesti ruled her set! Dynesti put on a one-woman show where she was unapologetically herself. Her stage presence was warm and inviting. While watching Dynesti I felt empowered to continue my journey of self discovery. Dynesti is a powerful reminder that we all have space to be heard, although it is scary to put myself out there I must conquer the obstacles in my way. She opened with the anthem “No Man,” a mantra for all woman as she belts in the chorus “no man can hinder me.” She also performed “Queen In Da House” and ended with my all time favourite “Dun Da Place” which is about doing something better than you ever have before. Dynesti is my role model and I am always learning from her I am honoured that I had the opportunity to interview her for Met Radio back in December.
Gee at Poetry Jazz Cafe:
What I loved about Gee’s set is the range of genres he showcased. One minute he was hyping up the crowd with his latest single “401,” and the next there was karaoke with the audience, and later an improv song where he wrote a short verse on the spot using random words he was given. One of my favourite moments was the acoustic segment where he performed two songs with his friend and collaborator Merv xx Gotti. They performed an acoustic version of Gee’s other single “May Queen,” inspired by one of Gee’s favourite horror films Midsommar. They also performed an unreleased remix of Gotti’s song “Sad Boys” with Gotti on guitar and both singing. The crowd were also treated to a performance of Gee’s upcoming single “Reset” dropping on July 18. After hearing it live I know it will be on repeat for me when it comes out next month. It is the summer of Gee as his album Love Sounds drops August 22 via Trifecta Sound Company. Stay tuned to the Met Radio Soundcloud page for my interview with Gee before his NXNE set.
Merv xx Gotti at The Painted Lady:
The first time I heard Merv xx Gotti’s music was last year when I got the exciting opportunity to interview him for the radio show Live Off The Floor At Met Radio. While we were setting up for the session, Gotti and I were chatting about how I loved his 2024 release Guitar Songs EP. I mentioned that one of my favourites songs was “Krispy Kreme” as the lyrics resonated with me. It was inspired by his time in Toronto when he was part of a hip-hop band Samurai Champs (his former focus.) When I listen to “Krispy Kreme” I feel like I am living vicariously through Gotti as he discusses his memories playing shows and exploring Toronto with his best friend and bandmate. Fast forward one year later, I am at The Painted Lady enjoying the relaxed vibe of Gotti’s intimate NXNE set, where he performed “Krispy Kreme” live. It was a full circle moment, as this song still is one of my favourites. It was amazing to witness Gotti’s confidence on stage, passion for music, and hear about the inspiration behind each song. Gotti’s sets are special because it is just him and his guitar. The crowd were instantly hoked by Gotti’s raw and emotional vocals. There was pure silence in the room, enhancing the intimacy of this performance. He also performed some other favourites “Soju” and “Jiujitsu,” as well as his latest single “20 Years” Gotti will be playing a bunch of shows this summer including July 3 at The Garrison for the Seven Magazine Issue 3 launch, as well as, Mariposa Folk Festival in Orillia on July 5 and 6, and a show at Toronto’s Harbourfront on July 31 as part of Sofar Sounds.
NXNE 2025 was another successful festival, I loved the variety of music genres and artists showcased. Feel free to check out the Met Radio instagram page @friendsofmetradio for more of the festival content.