Bluesfest Wednesday features pop headliners Natasha Bedingfield, Myles Smith, and Conan Gray

Bluesfest's pop night arrives Wednesday with headliners Natasha Bedingfield, Myles Smith, and Conan Gray—all members of the Billion Streamed Single club.

On the RBC Stage, Natasha Bedingfield takes the stage at 6:00 pm. Her megahit "Unwritten" (2004) has accumulated 1.8 billion streams and appears in numerous films, TV shows, and ad campaigns. She's far from a one-hit wonder; "Pocketful of Sunshine" and "These Words" were also massive hits. Myles Smith follows at 7:30 pm. His 2024 track "Stargazing" absolutely dominated the charts and crossed the billion-stream mark in less than two years. Smith's recent debut album, My Mess, My Heart, My Life, dropped last month and is full of hook-laden pop songs blending traditional folk. Conan Gray closes the evening at 9:30 pm as the night's biggest hitmaker. With two billion-streamed tracks—"Heather" has reached two billion and counting—Gray has delivered both quantity and quality since his debut, with hits including "Maniac," "Memories," and "People Watching."

For those seeking traditional blues, the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Ottawa Stage (behind the Canadian War Museum) runs a triple bill. Nikki "D" & The Sisters of Thunder perform at 6:15 pm with high-energy vocals and electrifying steel guitar. Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears take over at 7:45 pm—his 2023 Bluesfest set earned strong response. Closing at 9:15 pm is a special all-star women's blues showcase bringing together Crystal Shawanda, Angelique Francis, Dawn Tyler Watson, Angel Forrest, Tanika Charles, Dana Fuchs, and an all-women backing band led by Elena Kapeleris.

The LeBreton Stage (the tent behind main stage) features an eclectic mix. Ottawa's own Mecca of Stank opens at 5:45 pm, followed by Reuben and The Bullhorn Singers at 7:00 pm and Sons of Legion at 8:30 pm.