Osheaga 2024 Day 3 recap: SZA performs a love letter to her fans, Hozier calls for 'peace and safety' in Gaza

The third and final day of Osheaga 2024 has wrapped, and attendees had the opportunity to get excited for one of the music festival's biggest days yet. On Sunday, festivalgoers embraced even more of Montreal's heat warning, along with a chance of rain and a thunderstorm.

Despite the fierce sun and weather threats, people were still all smiles at Parc Jean-Drapeau, as performances by music icons like R&B superstar SZA, South African hitmaker Tyla, rapper Kevin Abstract and English singer RAYE filled the island with top-hit tunes.

Even though rap and R&B might not be to everyone's tastes, Sunday had performances for every kind of music lover. Amongst those internationally-known artists, people attending the festival on Aug. 4 got a chance to catch sets from Canadian indie pop band Alvvays, local Quebecois act Clay and Friends, Irish icon Hozier and French electronic duo Justice.

Whether you're stuck at home feeling like you're missing out on the 17th edition of the festival, or you're onsite trying to make as many memories as you can, we have you covered for some of the best moments of this year's event. From Aug. 2 to 4, read more about some of the moments you might've missed at Osheaga 2024.

SZA performs a love letter to her fans

Kicking off her headlining show with songs from her beloved 2017 debut album, "Ctrl," it was clear SZA was marking her show as a love letter to her fans — both old and new. It was made even more apparent upon the loud cheers amid the intro to her hit collaboration with Travis Scott, "Love Galore," which was her set's first song, as well as when she slyly asked the crowd who her "day ones" were.

The 34-year-old singer performed a range of songs, including tracks from her first album like "The Weekend," "Go Gina" and "Supermodel," as well as music from her 2022 sophomore album, "SOS." Sprinkled in with the classics were fan-favourite tunes like "Kill Bill," "Snooze" and "I Hate U" — all of which were seamlessly blended into one dream-like set that left many fans wanting more.

On top of connecting with her devoted fans in Montreal, SZA — whose real name is Solána Rowe — showed off her appreciation for nature. The American artist's set was full of stunning visuals, props and backdrops, taking viewers on a blissful journey through underground caves and bright green forests, to environments leaning towards the tech side and fire-infused settings.

Stand-out vocals was one part of the show, but SZA's comfort-level in front of thousands of people showed she's at a superstar level. From casually jumping into the splits and letting her fans let loose on Drake and Sexyy Red viral hit "Rich Baby Daddy," to riding a giant-sized ant (yes, the insect) like a motorcycle and giving a C-3PO-like robot a lap dance, there's no better place for SZA than the stage.

Hozier calls for peace 'for everybody in Gaza'

Taking to one of the festival's main stages on Sunday evening, Hozier was able to draw out a sing-along from the majority of audience members. While many people in the crowd likely arrived to the area early to get a closer spot to see headliner SZA, there were few people watching who didn't know the lyrics to "Take Me To Church."

The 34-year-old musician ended his set with the tremendously-popular song from 2013, as well as his more-recent viral song, "Too Sweet." While the Irish artist, whose real name is Andrew Hozier-Byrne, could've easily wrapped his show with just his greatest hits, he instead decided to impart some wishes on his listeners through a pro-Palestinian speech.

As a plea to his audience, he asked people to contact their local representatives about the Israel-Hamas war happening in Gaza. Moreover, he wished for "peace and safety and security for everybody in the region, everybody in Gaza."

Tyla brings out her inner tigress

Performing on a stage that was mostly taken up by an enormous inflatable tiger, Tyla showed her fans exactly how she wants to be seen — as strong and fierce as that animal. The South African singer stepped onto the Belairdirect Stage slightly before 7 p.m. to perform a set full of tracks from her self-titled 2024 album.

The 22-year-old star, who has seen massive success after the viral breakout of hits like "Water" and "Jump," was full of confidence during her 45 minutes on stage. It was a show full of body, sexual energy and dance, featuring talented male and female rival dance groups — as well as her own dance prowess — throughout the show.

But the Amapiano artists also filled her show with gratitude for her fans — and some moments of sweetness. She shared it was the first time she was performing in Montreal, and mid-way through her song "On and On," she stopped and apologized to the audience, explaining she was having issues with her ear piece and that she wanted to "just give you guys the best."

Potential thunderstorm temporarily cuts shows short

While many Montrealers may welcome a potential thunderstorm to cut through the humidity, many Osheaga attendees were disappointed the potential dangers of weather cut some shows short. Artists like Aussie band Amyl and The Sniffers had to get off stage amid the warning, coming back shortly later and saying, "Just a reminder, things don’t always go as planned."

English singer-songwriter RAYE was about 15 minutes late to her set, and mid-way through her first song on one of the festival’s main stage, she was told she had to cut her show short. The 26-year-old songstress was, like her numerous fans, disappointed she couldn't continue, asking the on-stage official if she could still potentially continue her set. But more than 15 more minutes for the artist to get back out on stage.

Clay and Friends jam out in their hometown

Local band Clay and Friends brought their supercharged show to Day Three of Osheaga, performing their hip-hop and soul-infused songs on one of the festivals main stages. Taking the stage at 3:20 p.m. for a 45-minute set, dozens of fans were excited to see a local act take such a big stage.

That was apparent on the group's song, "Que Onda," where audience members — despite an intense sun raining down on the festival site — scooted to the left and then to the right as frontman Mike Clay directed the crowd. He even pulled out a trumpet mid-show, showcasing an extra layer of his formidable talent during the afternoon show.

Throughout their show, the group — which has no record label contract and has been running independent since 2017 — filled the space with songs like "Ahorita" and "Going Up The Coast." It was a strong start to a day that has back-to-back scheduled sets from huge names in the music industry.