Bernard Côté opens hearts and airwaves with Ouvre la radio ahead of 2025 album drop
Cue the guitar strings, pop open that heart like an old-school cassette deck, and “Ouvre la radio” — literally. That’s exactly what Bernard Côté, Canada’s soulful singer-songwriter, is telling us to do as he returns with the second single off his upcoming 8th album Du sud vers l’ouest, slated to hit us like an emotional freight train in 2025.
Let’s be brutally honest, fam — Bernard ain’t just back. He’s back with purpose, with poetry, and with pain dressed in folk-country finesse.
This ain’t your average coffeehouse acoustic jam. Nah. This is therapy disguised as melody, a spiritual radio wave that hits like your ex calling you late at night just to say they still remember your favorite hoodie.
A sound you don’t just hear — you feel
Produced by Marcus Quirion (the maestro behind the boards for legends like Sandrine Hebert, Weedon, and Edward 7), Ouvre la radio is polished, lush, and warm — like slipping into a vintage leather jacket that still smells like your last big love.
And let’s talk about those vocals. Côté doesn’t sing — he bleeds into the mic. Each line pours out with raw honesty:
“Toi, je te connais par cœur, t’es comme un livre ouvert, comme une fleur à ses heures…”
That’s not just songwriting, that’s lyrical literature. That’s Rumi doing whiskey shots with Leonard Cohen in a Quebec cabin.
And the cherry on this emotive sundae? Luc Tellier’s masterful touch in post-production. If Tellier’s name sounds familiar, it should — the man’s helped shape the sonic worlds of Simple Plan, Marie-Mai, and David Usher. He doesn’t just polish songs, he canonizes them.
A journey from the South to the West… and straight to your soul
The album Du sud vers l’ouest promises a full ride across landscapes both geographic and emotional. Ouvre la radio is the warmup stretch — and baby, it’s already got us winded. This track is melancholy dipped in honey, soothing but not sleepy, dancing between nostalgia and courage.
Released on April 11, 2025, and already available on all major streaming platforms, this one’s an instant playlist essential — whether you’re on a long drive or staring out a rainy window pretending you’re in a French indie film.
Final verdict? It’s a 10/10. No debates. No skipping.
As a reviewer, you hear a lot of submissions. But when Bernard Côté dropped this gem via Groover, I knew it wasn’t just another song. This was artistry meeting emotion, a man not afraid to be vulnerable, and a team behind him pushing all the right buttons.
So here’s the plug:
Artists, why aren’t you working with thisishiphophq.com.ng?
Fans, why haven’t you followed facebook.com/thisishiphophq1?
And for the love of real music — go submit your own tracks through Groover:
Submit here
Because if Côté can show up with this much heart and heat, what’s stopping you?
QUIZ TIME (because this is deeper than a review — it’s a lesson in musical emotion)
Title: How Well Do You Know Bernard Côté’s Ouvre la radio?
- What’s the title of Bernard Côté’s upcoming 2025 album?
- Which genre best describes Ouvre la radio?
- Who produced the track?
- Which Canadian sound wizard mastered the single?
- Complete the lyric: “Toi, je te connais par cœur, t’es comme un _____…”
- What date did Ouvre la radio officially drop?
- Which platform can artists use to submit music to This Is Hip Hop HQ?
Drop your answers in the comments, share this with a friend who feels too much, and let’s ride this wave of acoustic truth together.
This is Mr. Benjamins signing off — reminding you that music isn’t just sound… it’s survival.
