The ESSENCE Music Festival will host its first ever New and Next concert at the New Orleans Superdome this year, celebrating young, emerging artists. Diggy Simmons, The OMG Girlz and New Orleans’ marching band, The Roots of Music, are scheduled to perform.
In addition, Doug E. Fresh will host an ESSENCE Music Festival Block Party in Champions Square each night before the main stage concerts. The event is free to the public and will feature MC Lyte, DJ Spinderella and local acts, Kourtney Heart, Dee I and F. Stokes.
“We are always thinking of new and accessible ways to celebrate our audience and our community on a deeper level at the ESSENCE Music Festival,” states Michelle Ebanks, ESSENCE President. “In addition to our ESSENCE Empowerment Experience seminars — which has always been free and open to the public — we are excited to be offering for the first time ever, the New and Next stage concerts as well as a daily block party as yet another way to give back to our audience. The ESSENCE Music Festival not only celebrates great musical talent but the triumphs of youth, Black women and our festival attendees.”
Legendary artists Aretha Franklin and Mary J. Blige are confirmed to perform alongside Trey Songz, D’Angelo, Estelle, Marsha Ambrosius and Kevin Hart, who will perform one hour of comedy.
On the Gospel front, we’re celebrating Mary Mary and Fred Hammond with tributes by Yolanda Adams, Kim Burrell, Tremain Hawkins, Israel Houghton and more.
See you in the Big Easy this 4th of July weekend!
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ESSENCE Music Festival Launches 'New and Next' Concert & Block Party
Diggy Simmons, The OMG Girlz and The Roots of Music will perform on July 5.