Essence Fest 2025: Jill Scott, Davido, more perform July 5 | Events

Evening Concerts: Saturday, July 5

Doors open at 6 p.m. and music starts at 7 p.m. at the Caesars Superdome.

Jill Scott’s “A Philly Jawn”

Jill Scott has always repped her hometown of Philadelphia — so much so that “Jilly from Philly” has been a regular nickname for the neo-soul and pop icon. “So much of who I am is because of the music of Philadelphia,” Scott told NPR in 2015.

And it’s easy to see why: Patti LaBelle, Frankie Beverly, Teddy Pendergrass, Boyz II Men and many other great soul, R&B and hip-hop musicians have called Philadelphia home. It’s where Black Thought and Questlove formed The Roots and brought Scott into the studio, before she cut her seminal 2000 debut album “Who is Jill Scott?”

At Essence, Scott celebrates the city’s influence on the past, present and future of Black American music with “A Philly Jawn,” featuring fellow Philadelphians LaBelle and Jazmine Sullivan. — JAKE CLAPP

Davido

Davido was born in Atlanta, Georgia, but grew up in Nigeria, where he developed a sound that is pure Lagos. Although he originally followed in the path of his father, a Nigerian business magnate, Davido turned to music while studying business at Alabama’s Oakwood University. He might come from wealth, but Davido fought for musical credibility and is now a certified global superstar.

Davido’s fifth album “5ive” dropped last April and is an homage to Afropop and amapiano. Tracks like “Funds” and “Be There Still” make for transcontinental anthems.

It’s hard to tell what Davido’s setup will be at Essence, but his live shows have involved floating platforms, a huge crew of backup singers and dancers and even a bit of fireworks. It’s bound to be explosive either way. — LIAM PIERCE

Erykah Badu

Erykah Badu has long defied genres. Blending elements of jazz, hip-hop and R&B, Badu influenced the culture of R&B in the late ’90s with her debut album “Baduizm,” which helped define the neo-soul movement upon its release.

Earlier this year, Badu announced she’s collaborating with The Alchemist on her first album in more than a decade. And they recently dropped the first single “Next To You” over the Juneteenth weekend. — MADDIE SPINNER

Buju Banton

Dancehall musician Buju Banton is making a comeback. After nearly a decade out of the spotlight, Banton gave a standout performance at this year’s BET Awards, where he announced an upcoming album due later this summer.

Banton rose to fame with early albums like “Stamina Daddy” and “Mr. Mention,” which broke Bob Marley’s record for chart-topping singles in Jamaica. And his 10th studio album, “Before the Dawn,” won the 2011 Grammy Award for best reggae album — shortly before Banton was found guilty on drug and firearms-related charges and sentenced to prison. Banton was released in late 2018 and has steadily become active again in the music industry. Banton in the past has included anti-gay lyrics in his music, although in 2019, he removed the homophobic song “Boom Bye Bye” from streaming platforms and said he would no longer perform the song live after realizing the pain it had caused.

Banton’s latest album, “Born for Greatness,” was released in 2023 and he has been working on the follow-up. — MADDIE SPINNER

Summer Walker

R&B singer-songwriter Summer Walker never shies away from writing deeply personal lyrics. She has built a career on unfiltered emotion and raw vulnerability — and it works. Channeling the spirit of ’90s R&B greats, Walker’s melodic vocals turn her heartbreak into a deeply relatable story that reads like a diary.

Her upcoming third album, “Finally Over It,” will be the final installment to her “Over It” trilogy, which chronicles the emotional stages of leaving a toxic relationship behind. — MADDIE SPINNER

Moliy

Ghanaian Afro-fusion musician Moliy is bringing a fresh voice to the dancehall scene and has become a breakout star by fusing elements of Afrobeat, dancehall and alt-pop with soft melodic vocals. Moliy’s musical approach has challenged the male-dominated dancehall genre and helped open doors to a new era of artists in the genre.

Moliy has been on a consistent rise following her breakout single “Sad Girlz Luv Money” with Amaarae, and the remix featuring Kali Uchis, and she just recently released her new single “Shake It To The Max” following its own viral success on social media. — MADDIE SPINNER

Donell Jones

The son of a Chicago gospel singer, Donell Jones grew up surrounded by music, and in the early ’90s, caught the attention of LaFace Records, the label created by Babyface and L.A. Reid. Jones worked as a songwriter, particularly for 702 and Usher, and after the song “Think of You” became a R&B hit for Usher, Jones got to work on his own solo music.

While his 1996 debut album, “My Heart,” did well, it was Jones’ follow-up, “Where I Wanna Be” that put him on the platinum-selling map. Nearly 30 years and seven full-lengths on, Jones continues to have a successful career crafting emotional, jazz-tinged pop and R&B. At Essence on Saturday, he’ll be performing an intimate Super Lounge set. — JAKE CLAPP