Disiz closes Francos with 90-minute set packed with emotion
The French rapper headlined the festival's final night Saturday, performing hits including Melodrama and drawing a full crowd at Place des Festivals.
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French rapper and singer Disiz closed out the Francos de Montréal on Saturday, June 20, with a 90-minute set that proved why he's become one of the biggest names in French music at 48 years old.
The Place des Festivals was packed for his appearance on the Rogers stage. Disiz—formerly known as Disiz la Peste—has built a career spanning more than 25 years across rap, rock, and pop. His breakout moment came with Melodrama, a collaboration with rapper Theodora that set a French pop chart record with 23 consecutive weeks at number one.
The crowd took a moment to warm up, despite clear skies—a rare break in an otherwise rainy festival week. Songs like Casting sentimental and Casino opened the set quietly, but Disiz gradually won over the crowd with tracks from his 2025 album On s'en rappellera pas: Surfeur, Paroboy, and especially Fin. By the time he reached Rencontre—recorded with rapper Damso—thousands were singing along.
Disiz addressed the crowd before launching into Amsterdam, one of the standout cuts from his recent album: "It's a free concert, so the minimum you can do is let loose for real, enjoy it for real." The crowd responded immediately, jumping and dancing through the track. "That's exactly the vibe we wanted," Disiz said.
He shifted between tempos throughout the set, weaving in love songs like Coppola, the 1980s-tinged Beaugarçonne, and Klimt. The a cappella performance of Qu'ils ont de la chance—a 2017 tribute to the deceased—brought the energy down before Rire de pleurer offered a more optimistic take on grief. He then pivoted to Try Try Try, an upbeat collaboration with American rapper Kid Cudi, before launching into older hits like Splash and Melodrama.
Without his Theodora on stage, the crowd sang every word of her verse on Melodrama, closing with the famous "Olé olé olé!" chant. He wrapped with Oh Madeleine and Le récif, ending with a final message to the crowd: "Fight for love, friends. From the bottom of my heart, I'll remember this."