On the heels of International Women’s Day, 2026 ESSENCE Festival of Culture unveiled its first wave of performers on Monday (March 9), with the ladies leading the way.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
Cardi B is set to make her ESSENCE debut and hit New Orleans’ Caesars Superdome stage alongside a lineup that includes Kehlani, Latto, Patti LaBelle, Brandy and Monica.
Presented by Coca-Cola, the 2026 Evening Concert Series is slated for Independence Day Weekend (July 3 to July 5) in the Big Easy, as it’s shaping up to be a star-studded affair.
Three-day ticket packages are currently available for the 2026 ESSENCE Festival of Culture on Ticketmaster. Festivalgoers using the E360 app will have access to exclusive offers, personalized itineraries and stay up-to-date on all things ESSENCE.
Among the performers, it’s the ESSENCE Festival debut not just for Cardi, but also for Latto, Brandy and Monica. Additional acts will be announced in the coming weeks heading into the festival.
Cardi B is currently dominating stages across North America as part of her Little Miss Drama Tour, which serves as the Grammy-winning rapper’s first headlining trek.
Fans can expect Kehlani to have new music when she returns to New Orleans, as the “Folded” singer is set to release a new album in the coming months.
Additional daytime programming at the festival will include ESSENCE Food & Wine Festival, ESSENCE Film Festival, ESSENCE Authors and Beautycon.
The 2025 ESSENCE Festival boasted a stacked lineup that featured appearances from GloRilla, Summer Walker, Muni Long, Maxwell, Boyz II Men, Davido, Nas, The Isley Brothers, Donell Jones, Buju Banton and Master P.
