THE 2025 ESSENCE FESTIVAL OF CULTURE® PRESENTED BY COCA-COLA® RETURNS WITH THE VOICES, LEGENDS, AND ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME MOMENTS THAT DEFINE THE CULTURE. FROM THE INTIMACY OF THE SUPERLOUNGE TO THE POWER OF THE MAINSTAGE, THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS TO BE MADE LIKE THIS.
NEW ORLEANS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Today, ESSENCE Communications, the esteemed publisher of ESSENCE Magazine—America’s leading lifestyle publication dedicated to Black women since 1970, proudly announces the second wave of performers for the 2025 ESSENCE Festival of Culture® presented by Coca-Cola® Evening Concert Series. This year’s festival is a love letter to the ones who know the deep cuts, vocal runs, and the magic of a perfectly curated set. It’s for the fans who grew up on the Superdome stage and discovered their future favorites in the Superlounge. As ESSENCE Magazine celebrates 55 years of storytelling, spirit, and truth, every detail in this year’s festival continues to affirm that we are, indeed, Made Like This.
The 2025 ESSENCE Festival of Culture® presented by Coca-Cola® Evening Concert Series adds even more star power to an already stacked celebration of music’s most profound icons, legends, and rising stars with a few surprises only found in person. Newly announced additions to the lineup includes Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Babyface, along with a curated Jill Scott and Friends set featuring three generations of Philly soul royalty: the Godmother, powerhouse vocalist Patti LaBelle, Grammy Award-winning R&B icon Jazmine Sullivan, and Jill herself – all together for one unforgettable night in New Orleans.
They join previously announced headliners including genre-defining R&B quartet Boyz II Men, chart-topping global sensation Davido, New Orleans’ very own cultural architect Master P, and R&B icon Maxwell.
In true ESSENCE fashion, this year’s celebration wouldn’t be complete without space to honor the legends who laid the foundation for the sound of future generations. In an intentionally curated set, Songwriters Hall of Famer Jermaine Dupri will pay homage to the incomparable music titan Quincy Jones: a creative force whose fingerprints are etched into nearly every corner of modern music, from jazz and funk to hip-hop, soul, and pop. The “ESSENCE Flowers” tribute, a QUINCY JONES JOINT, will bring together artists whose own work reflects the reach of his legacy.
This genre-spanning performance features artists whose collaborations and creative choices reflect Quincy’s far-reaching influence. R&B icon Tyrese, who appeared on a modern rendition of “Secret Garden”, and R&B trailblazer Al B. Sure!, who was mentored by the music titan in the early stages of his career and featured on the original, a slow jam classic produced by Quincy himself. Chart-topping crooner Robin Thicke, who worked with Jones on a reimagined version of “P.Y.T.”, nods to Quincy’s genre-blending brilliance. Platinum-selling trio SWV, not only collaborated with Quincy directly on the smooth, groove-heavy track “Slows Jams”, but famously flipped one of his most iconic productions in their signature hit «Right Here (Human Nature Remix)”. R&B group Xscape, whose harmonies carry echoes of Jones’ influence on vocal arrangement, also sampled Quincy’s work on their track “Keep On, Keepin’ On”. West Coast rap icons The Pharcyde and Queensbridge legends Mobb Deep, also sampled Quincy’s catalog, proving his influence reached well beyond jazz, R&B, and pop, embedding itself into the DNA of hip-hop across generations and regions.
While the ESSENCE Festival of Culture® presented by Coca-Cola® will honor legends from around the world, one of the most influential chapters in our story began in our forever home. This year, Master P returns to the stage for his final performance. A defining moment for the New Orleans mogul, whose influence turned No Limit Records into a cultural force by rewriting the rules of ownership in hip-hop. He will be joined by the No Limit Soldiers, including Mia X, the first lady of No Limit Records and his brother Silkk the Shocker, whose signature flow helped to define the label’s sound. Also joining the set are Grammy Award-winning group Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, whose melodic rapid-fire delivery paralleled No Limit’s boundary-pushing energy with R&B mainstays Dru Hill, whose gospel-rooted vocals brought edge to R&B, and chart-topping singer-songwriter Keri Hilson, whose career reflects the label’s spirit of self-made, Southern-rooted spirit.
Every moment will be a dedication to our artistry and culture. After a highly anticipated return, the iconic Superlounge experience is back. Reimagined, reenergized, and ready to remind fans why some of the Festival’s most unforgettable moments have happened on its most intimate stage.
Rounding out this year’s multigenerational, genre-spanning lineup are Grammy Award-winning visionary Erykah Badu, melodic singer and songwriter Ari Lennox, rising R&B trio Psiryn, Afrobeats sensation MOLIY, and hip-hop’s ultimate showman Doug E. Fresh. The original human beatbox will lead a special on-stage tribute honoring ESSENCE Magazine’s 55th anniversary, blending freestyle and his signature energy to honor the songs defining the culture.
Additional performers include reggae legend Buju Banton, Grammy Award-nominated superstar GloRilla, the legendary Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Isley Brothers, lyrical legend Nas, soulful standout Summer Walker, beloved R&B singer and songwriter Donell Jones, and multifaceted hitmaker Muni Long.
The 2025 ESSENCE Festival of Culture® is presented by Coca-Cola® with major partners AT&T, L’Oréal Groupe, and Target as the official retail partner. Attendees can secure their spot at daytime experiences directly on the E360 app, with access to special offers, personalized itineraries, and real-time updates on everything happening throughout Festival weekend.
Weekend packages for the 2025 ESSENCE Festival of Culture® presented by Coca-Cola® evening concert series are available now. Book the flight. Text the group chat. Meet us in New Orleans! Join the conversation on social at @ESSENCEFest on X, Facebook, and Instagram — and subscribe to ESSENCE Magazine and newsletter to stay connected all year long.
ABOUT SUNDIAL MEDIA GROUP
Sundial Media Group, LLC (SMG), a division of the Sundial Group of Companies, is a vertically integrated media, entertainment and experiential company focused on empowering the voices and communities leading culture in the new general market. Brands in this ecosystem include ESSENCE Ventures (ESSENCE including Girls United; AFROPUNK; Beautycon™ including Naturally Curly; ESSENCE Studios; ESSENCE Festival of Culture™; and SOKO MRKT™), Refinery29, Global Black Economic Forum (GBEF), including Academy For Advancing Excellence, and New Voices Fund.
Contacts
Niyah Brooks, [email protected]
