After 25 years, essencefest is more family reunion than music festival EssenceFest
This year, yet more fans, brands and gatekeepers recognized the power of the festival -- which is ultimately the consumer and influencer power of Black women -- and got in the game. Essence Festival was bigger than ever, with more performances, more activations and activities, and entertainment brands like HBO, Spotify and BET taking up residence for the weekend. All things Black culture are now working to carve out a space during the weekend.
More than just a music festival, the weekend can perhaps be most closely compared to SXSW in how it utilizes the host city as a backdrop for events and activations from music, to film and TV, to entrepreneurship, politics and more. During the day, attendees can opt for free panels, discussions, demonstrations and performances at the New Orleans Convention Center.
Justice Baiden, 26-year-old co-founder of LVRN -- label home of next gen R&B artists 6lack and Summer Walker -- attended the festival for the first time this year. He came in part because Walker was performing at Spotify’s inaugural House of AreNBe, but also took the opportunity to observe as a creator, curator and executive. “I realize there’s a gap between the generation that’s the core Essence-goer and my generation, but I also feel like there are a lot of similarities.
But when it doesn’t gel, like New Jack Swing maestro Teddy Riley’s somewhat disjointed two-hour set -- which included a 30-minute Teyana Taylor performance better suited for the lounge, a weirdly-placed Wyclef performance, and a seemingly unrehearsed Timbaland performance -- it can be awkward. But there were bright moments in the set, namely Pharrell sharing stage with mentor Riley for the first time ever, marking his first Essence Fest appearance.
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