{"id":47726,"date":"2016-07-01T20:58:53","date_gmt":"2016-07-01T17:58:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ngradio.gr\/en\/?p=47726"},"modified":"2016-07-01T21:01:41","modified_gmt":"2016-07-01T18:01:41","slug":"kendrick-lamar-beyonce-prince-more-essences-michelle-ebanks-talks-memorable-festival-moments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ngradio.gr\/en\/news-el\/music-en\/kendrick-lamar-beyonce-prince-more-essences-michelle-ebanks-talks-memorable-festival-moments\/","title":{"rendered":"Kendrick Lamar, Beyonc\u00e9, Prince & More: Essence’s Michelle Ebanks Talks Memorable Festival Moments"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cIt\u2019s called delirium at this point,\u201d says Michelle Ebanks with a laugh when recently asked how plans for the 2016 Essence Festival were coming along. \u201cAll things considered, this year is smooth sailing,\u201d continues the president of Essence Communications. \u201cFortunately, we\u2019ve got a lot of these under our belt, so it\u2019s hard to throw us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Indeed, New Orleans staple the Essence Festival has survived everything from acts of God (2005\u2019s Hurricane Katrina) and man (2010\u2019s BP oil spill) over the last 11 years. But clear skies and water are on tap as the annual Fourth of July weekend celebration kicks off its 22nd<\/sup> year. The partying shifts into full effect tonight (July 1) through Sunday (July 3) as more than 40 established and emerging acts commandeer the New Orleans Superdome mainstage and super lounges. This year\u2019s headliners include Maxwell(celebrating his 20th<\/sup> anniversary in music), New Edition and Babyface (July 1); Mariah Carey, Charlie Wilson and Common (July 2) and Kendrick Lamar and Puff Daddy & the Family (July 3).<\/p>\n

Ebanks now has a total of 14 festivals under her watch. Among the performers she\u2019s looking forward to seeing is Carey, who surprisingly will be making her first festival appearance. \u201cThis time the stars finally aligned,\u201d says Ebanks. \u201cI can\u2019t even imagine how she\u2019s going to curate a set without people screaming for the songs they love that she might not perform.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asked to list five of the most memorable performances she\u2019s witnessed, Ebanks ticks off the following (in no particular order): Lamar (\u201chis first festival appearance last year was so incredible, we had to have him back\u201d); Lionel Richie re-uniting with theCommodores in 2009; Beyonc\u00e9\u2019s Mrs. Carter Tour<\/em> closing night performance in 2013; any performance by perennial fan favorites Charlie Wilson and Mary J. Blige; andPrince\u2019s \u201cepic\u201d 20th<\/sup> anniversary sell-out show in 2014.<\/p>\n

\u201cPrince poured his heart and soul into that performance for the fans,\u201d recalls Ebanks. \u201cAnd it showed.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Presented by Coca-Cola for the last 21 years, the Essence Festival officially got under way yesterday (June 30) at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center with an initial rollout of daytime-staged cultural showcases, panel discussions and workshops that will continue through the weekend. Oprah Winfrey will mark her first Essence Festival appearance on July 2, part of a speaker lineup that includes Selma <\/em>director Ava Duvernay and ballet dancer Misty Copeland. Beyonc\u00e9\u2019s mother Tina Knowles-Lawson will accept the Inspiring Leadership Award during the festival\u2019s all-star gospel tribute on July 3.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn a given night, we can have 30,000-40,000 people in the Superdome,\u201d says Ebanks, who also notes that 70 percent of the attendees come from outside the state of Louisiana. Last year\u2019s festival drew nearly half a million people to the Big Easy during its four-day stretch.<\/p>\n

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