It was majestic to witness such an explosion of Black joy, solidarity and creative expression at Essence Fest 2022, which occurred just before Independence Day at Caesars Superdome in one of the greatest music cities in the world — New Orleans, Louisiana.
But the power of those performances — by Nicki Minaj, the Isley Brothers, the Roots, Jazmine Sullivan, Janet Jackson, and so many other Black leading lights — goes hand-in-hand with their heartfelt candor backstage, when they picked up a mic to speak with GRAMMY.com.
Below, check out a selection of the artists GRAMMY.com spoke with at Essence Fest 2022. See you next year, New Orleans!