All of these acts that are considered a part of the DIY scene initially played their music at parties only around the Montreal area, but it wasn't until the year of the release of singer-songwriter Grimes' album Visions (2012) that the subculture garnered attention worldwide.
"[3] Several acts of the Montreal scene started performing in parties at Lab Synthese and other venues close to it, and Dazed magazine described the live shows as "forcefully human" and "overly theatrical.
"[3] The artists performed at these parties where it was more "secure" for them, explained musician CFCF, instead of touring in other places; this was because, as Dazed analyzed, most audiences outside of Montreal who didn't know these acts would never care about them.
"[3] Silly Kissers, a defunct group whose members included Savage and all the people who would later form TOPS, were labeled by Dazed as an inspiration for the Arbutus acts to experiment with pop music, as well as the ethos of the Montreal scene.
"[4] According to Chart Attack, what Grimes said about Mile End in several interviews unknowingly started a competitive atmosphere between artists in the scene, and this led many acts in the culture to worry about the importance of her music.
Raphaelle Standell-Preston, frontwoman of the dreamwave group Braids, was one of these artists: "When one of your friends does really well, you’re smiling on the outside, but on the inside you’re thinking ‘Am I not doing something right?’"[2] Caila Thompson-Hannant, known for her project Mozart's Sister, described Montreal as "a really great gestation place.
[8] Tonstartssbandht, Mac DeMarco, Born Gold, Marie Davidson and Elise Barbara, are also considered contributors of the Montreal DIY subculture.