Kaïn is a Quebec folk group founded in 1999 in Drummondville, Canada, consisting of Steve Veilleux (vocals, electric and acoustic guitar), Éric Maheu (bass guitar), John-Anthony Gagnon-Robinette (electric and acoustic guitar, ukulele, banjo), Alex Kirouac (drums and percussion) and Gabriel Desjardins (piano, keyboards and accordion). The group participated in the prestigious Francouvertes competition in 2001, reaching the semi-finals. The following year, they performed at the Festival international de la chanson de Granby, where they won the Stage Presence award and the Bandeapart FM award, solidifying their place as a rising force in the Quebec music scene. Building on this early success, the band released their first album titled Pop Culture in 2004. Three songs from the album, "Autour de l'ombre," "Comme un étoile," and "Parle-moi d'toi," propelled the group onto the Quebec radio charts, earning the group widespread recognition and acclaim. The group released their second album, Nulle part ailleurs, the following year, which soared to the top of the charts with the songs "Comme dans le temps," "Embarque ma belle," and "Mexico." The album was certified platinum in 2006 with over 100,000 copies sold, and the group was honoured with the Felix Award for Group of the Year in the same year. Kaïn released the album Les saisons s'tassent in September 2007, featuring the song "L'Amour du jour," which held the number one position on Quebec radio for 13 weeks. In September 2011, the group released the album Le vrai monde, followed by Pleurer pour rire in 2013, which placed the songs "J'sais pu comment t'aimer" and “La Bonne franquette” at the top of the radio charts. In 2017, Kaïn released the Welcome bonheur in collaboration with Éloi Painchaud. As a testament to their enduring popularity, Kaïn celebrated their 20th anniversary in 2019, presenting the double album Je viens d'ici, which included new songs as well as their classics from recent years, returning in May 2023 with single “Laisse les bons temps rouler.”
