Essence Festival 2025: A Love Letter to the Culture

Director of Culture & Creative Impact with featured duster By VanShawn KAYIE Branch

Whew, what a weekend! Essence Festival 2025 is officially in the books, and once again, our city was blessed with a celebration of Black excellence, talent, and community. While the festival had a slow start Friday night and a few delays, Saturday and Sunday more than made up for it. The energy, the performances, the people, pure magic.

Overall, I’d give this year’s festival a solid 8 out of 10. There’s still some room to grow, especially when it comes to announcing the lineup earlier. We understand the excitement of surprise guests, but waiting until the last minute (or not announcing at all) affects both planning and participation. Folks are coming from all over the world, booking flights, hotels, outfits and even locals want to know who’s performing so they can plan around work, kids, and life. Securing talent and confirming the lineup earlier will only enhance attendance, boost revenue, and elevate the overall experience.

But now… let’s get to the good stuff.

Baby Face

BABYFACE! Baby, baby, baby!! 67 where?! The talent. The grace. The catalog. The charisma. 10 out of 10. No notes. Watching a true legend pour out decades of artistry on that stage was a moment we won’t soon forget. A living masterclass in music.

Lauryn Hill

Lauryn Hill...Sister Lauryn… thank you. People love to talk. They judge. They anticipate the worst. But when you stepped on that stage, you delivered. Your performance was spiritual. Emotional. Timely. We felt you. We thank you. And no matter what they say, you are loved.

Boys II Men

Boyz II Men! hew… they moved me to tears. When "End of the Road" played, it wasn’t just a song, it was a moment. Their performance was deeply emotional, tender, and nostalgic. It took me back, reminiscing, remembering, recounting past feelings and the people I’ve loved and lost along the way. But it also reminded me to stay present, to hold tight to the now, and to walk with hope into what’s still ahead. Their set was more than music, it was memory and meaning woven into harmony.

There were so many unforgettable performances, familiar faces, and rising stars. From the Superdome to the Convention Center, from Bourbon to the Bywater, Essence once again brought the heartbeat of Black culture to our streets. The impact is deeper than music, it’s about presence, pride, and power. And then there was the lineup. Just take a look at this incredible range of artists who blessed our stages: Psyrin, Lucky Daye, Coco Jones, GloRilla, The Isley Brothers, Babyface, Maxwell, Lauryn Hill, Ari Lennox, Moliy, Donell Jones, Buju Banton, Erykah Badu, Davido, Jill Scott, Jazmine Sullivan, Patti LaBelle, Alex Isley, Leon Thomas, Honey Bxby, Muni Long, Doug E. Fresh, Teddy Riley, Adam Blackstone, Chante Moore, Deborah Cox, Keke Palmer, Yolanda Adams, India Shawn, Andra Day, Tamar Braxton, Jermaine Dupri, Xscape, SWV, Pharcyde, LL Cool J, Al B. Sure!, Tyrese, Robin Thicke, Nas, Master P, Keri Hilson, Dru Hill, Choppa Style, and Boyz II Men, to name a few. From legends to new-school stars, R&B to hip-hop, gospel to Afrobeats, it was a mosaic of Black sound that could only happen at Essence.

Rocquel Caliste, RDC Magazine Editor & Chief, Kynitra K. Watson. RDC Magazine Director of Culture & Creative Impact, Tamah Vanderhorst Friend of RDC

To Essence: thank you for choosing us year after year. Even when we complain—about traffic, parking, long lines, tipping, or sold-out gumbo. Thank you for continuing to show up. You bring more than music. You bring: Culture, Class, Camaraderie, Connection, Commerce, Celebration, and most of all, Community.

Essence Festival is more than a weekend. It’s a feeling. A tradition. A moment where Black joy, power, and artistry take center stage in the heart of our city. And baby, it felt damn good this year.

Until next time…

With deep love and gratitude,

Kynitra K. Watson RDC Director of Culture & Creative Impact New Orleans, LA