A crash course in the Montreal TikTok scene

Over a year into the pandemic, TikTok now rules my life. The wildly addictive and contentious app helps fill the endless hours after curfew, inspiring FOMO and despair as I watch the last prime years of my youth slip away. But as someone who believes in the adage to do things locally, I’ve become deeply invested in the Montreal TikTok community. Though largely populated by first-year McGill students trying to vibe (no shade but been there/seen that), when you get beyond the surface, you’ll find a rich and vibrant community of Montrealers using the app in fun and creative ways.

Consider this list a crash course in the local TikTok scene. It’s not necessarily comprehensive but will give you a good start. 

Adamsusser

Hockey fans may recognize @adamsusser from The Gazette‘s Hockey Inside Out show from 2016–2020. A comedian by profession, @adamsusser has adapted to the limitation of the pandemic by taking his comedy online in this time of continued isolation. Susser covers a wide variety of topics with deadpan and absurdist takes on pressing (and not so pressing) issues, as well as poking fun at dull and worn-out TikTok trends. 

Citron_rosee

A talented dancer and an incisive observational comedienne, Citron_rosee has a knack for putting into words what most Montrealers are feeling. Her channel is filled with hilarious observations, absurd stories and literal ça va bien aller moments. @Citron_rosee is a ray of sunshine and your future TikTok best friend. 

Enola.bedard

For those who have only the vaguest idea of what TikTok is, @enola.bedard’s content fits the bill. To oversimplify her talents, she dances and has quickly risen on the app as the next big thing. Against crowded backdrops (don’t worry, she’s masked as needed), she performs incredible feats of rhythm and athleticism that would make members of Cirque du Soleil gasp. While undeniably striking a universal chord, her content has a local vibe featuring iconic locales such as Lionel-Groulx metro station and Quartier des spectacles.

Eveparkerfinley

The Patron Saint of Montreal Twitter, Eveparkerfinley is the total package: a talented musician (her song “Anthem for a Burnt out Girl” is on @cultmtl’s Best Montreal Songs of 2020 list), incisive, funny and ridiculously charming. Her content has universal appeal, and she’s amassed a large following outside of la belle province but remains true to Montreal with her lovingly critical jabs at the city’s uniquely poetic collective delusions. In an app that celebrates authentic and good vibes, Eveparkerfinley hits all the right marks— an absolute joy worth following. 

La_belle_province

Rather than user-generated content, @la_belle_province is a fever dream of Quebec’s past. Collecting various videos from TV, movies and commercials, the careful curation of @la_belle_province will unearth memories you didn’t even know you had. Some of the content lands on the more socio-cultural side, like a 1977 TV segment for a traditional tourtière from Lac-St-Jean recipe to 1966 reactions to men with long haircuts. 

Maryzemusic

Earlier this year, @Maryzemusic went viral for rating Montreal’s deadliest icicles. While she has continued her essential work evaluating ice formations across the globe, her videos do far more than that. A singer with a good sense of humour, @Maryzemusic’s content is familial, funny and personal. Rather than try to curate a boxed-in brand, Maryze has a lot of fun with TikTok in a way that is wildly relatable and engaging. 

Michelle1furtado

On the forefront of bilingual comedy, @Michelle1furtado toys with different Montreal regions and cultural barriers are sources for her comedy. Likely drawing from her work in retail, her vibe nails the strained apathy of public-facing positions in videos that lovingly mock West Island kids reading Walmart announcements. Many of her other videos are also Quebec reinterpretation of popular pop songs like 7 rings by Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj’s Anaconda. 

Recofilms

For something a little different, @recofilms is an urban exploration channel based in Montreal. Exploring Montreal’s “dark side,” they delve into some of the best and least well-known abandoned spaces the city has to offer. Going for a creepy vibe, it nonetheless provides a fun insight into the unseen corners of Montreal, sure to satisfy your morbid curiosity. 

For more, please visit the Arts & Life section.