Essence Fest announces Superdome nightly music lineups | Music | Gambit Weekly

The Essence Festival of Culture is signing up the main points of its music lineup for when the occasion returns to New Orleans Friday, July 3, via Sunday, July 5. The annual celebration of Black ladies and Black tradition on Thursday announced the nightly lineups for its main live shows occurring within the Caesars Superdome.

Essence Fest kicks of July 3 with Cardi B, Kehlani, Latto and SZN4 together with one other performer to be introduced on May 12.

Brandy & Monica then headline July 4 with Patti LaBelle, Leon Thomas and Josh Levi. There can even be one other act reveal on May 14 centered on the “anniversary of one of R&B’s most iconic albums.”

And George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic with particular visitors Big Boi, Big Freedia, Nona Hendryx and extra high the July 5 lineup, which additionally options Babyface, Public Enemy and Doug E. Fresh. The “final Mothership manifest” will likely be revealed on May 19, the pageant says.

Along with the nightly Superdome live shows, Essence Fest takes over the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center throughout the day for vendor expos, audio system, interviews, workshops and extra. This 12 months, the pageant introduced curators for elements of the occasion. Musician and actor Teyana Taylor is the pageant’s chief curator and is joined by chef Nina Compton because the Essence Food & Wine Festival curator, writer Mara Brock Akil and Nikole Hannah-Jones because the Book Festival at Essence Authors fiction and non-fiction curators, respectively.

Three-day live performance tickets are actually on sale beginning at $230.40 through ticketmaster.com. To discover extra data at essence.com/essencefestival2026.