Essence Music Festival takes place in New Orleans and is celebrating the 40th anniversary this year of Essence magazine. This was the first mag to have Janet Jackson on its cover. It was just announced that Jackson will perform at the festival on July 4th weekend.
The festival is held at the Superdome in New Orleans, the place where thousands of Hurricane Katrina victims took refuge five years ago. To add to the festive spirit, the weekend coincides with the American national holiday.
Janet Jackson is headlining the festival, along with Alicia Keys and Mary J. Blige. Jackson will take the stage on July 2. This will be her only concert appearance in 2010 and her first since 2008. It will be her first big show since the death of her brother, Michael Jackson, last year.
The announcement was made on the same day her new single, Nothing, was released on iTunes. She co-wrote, co-produced and performed Nothing. It is the theme song for the film Why Did I Get Married Too?.
Besides Jackson, Keys and Blidge, other artists on tap to perform at this year’s festival include Arrested Development, Estelle, LL Cool J, Trey Songz, Dumpstaphunk, Mary Mary, Ruben Studdard and many more.