The rain was falling outside the Bell Centre Tuesday night as thousands of Ariana Grande fans lined up for the first of three sold-out Montreal concerts.
But inside the venue, another message was taking shape — one focused not just on music, but on civic participation.
As part of Grande’s Eternal Sunshine tour stop in Montreal, fans were invited to take part in a voter engagement campaign led by her Brighter Days Ahead Foundation in partnership with Apathy is Boring.
The initiative encourages young people to learn about Quebec’s upcoming provincial election on Oct. 5, 2026, and pledge to vote.
“We partnered with Ariana Grande’s Brighter Days Ahead Foundation to essentially let people know that there is an election coming up in Quebec this October, a provincial election,” said Ash Montgomery, director of communications for Apathy is Boring.
“And we’re just encouraging people to first of all know that it’s happening and second of all to pledge to vote.”
At the Apathy is Boring booth inside the Bell Centre, concertgoers could scan a QR code to sign up for election reminders. Those who participated also received an Ariana Grande-designed button reading “Vote for Brighter Days Ahead.”
Montgomery says the campaign is not about influencing how anyone votes — it is about helping young people feel informed and ready to participate.
“We’re not telling anyone how to vote or who to vote for, we’re really just getting people to engage in the elections.”
Apathy is Boring, a national non-profit organization, focuses on engaging Canadians between the ages of 18 and 30 in civic life.
Montgomery says one challenge is that many young voters are less likely to hear about provincial and municipal elections compared with federal campaigns.
“I think a lot of the times people say that they only find out about elections after the fact, especially when it comes to provincial and municipal elections,” Montgomery said.
“I think we tend to hear a lot more about the federal election. So I think it’s really important to just have these moments where we can be here to actually chat to people and remind them that it’s coming and that their vote matters.”
The partnership came after Grande’s Brighter Days Ahead Foundation reached out to Apathy is Boring about bringing the initiative to her Canadian tour dates. Montgomery said Grande has supported similar voter engagement efforts at her U.S. concerts through the organization HeadCount.
For fans, the campaign represents a way for an artist with a massive audience to encourage participation beyond the concert itself.
Gaelle, a Montreal concertgoer, said Grande’s platform can help bring attention to the importance of voting.
“I do think it’s a good initiative,” she said. “She’s using her fan base, I guess, and her influence to encourage people to vote, which is important as citizens to vote, especially when we’re young if we want our voices to be heard.”
Sammy, who travelled from Toronto for the show, said people with large platforms have an opportunity to encourage positive action.
“I think it’s really important for people who have such influence to be proactive in what they do and like with their voice sharing what they feel is right,” she said.
Stephane, a Montreal fan, said using a concert setting to start conversations about politics could help reach people who might otherwise disengage.
“I think it’s a really nice thing for a pop star to do because a pop star just reaches so many people and engages so many people,” he said.
“I like politics is one of those things that’s really hard for people to stay engaged with.”
He said a reminder from someone with Grande’s reach could encourage younger audiences to pay attention.
“I think it’s through the thing that they’re using to tune out the world, they actually are forced a little to recognize, actually, there are things that we should care about, like voting.”
One father attending the concert with his daughter also supported the initiative, saying participation is ultimately about making sure people have a say.
“If more people vote, more people get their voice out there,” he said.
With three Montreal shows bringing thousands of fans together this week, organizers hope the message continues beyond the Bell Centre.
Despite the rain outside on opening night, the campaign’s message inside was one of optimism: brighter days ahead begin when people choose to make their voices heard.
