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Destiny’s Child Reunited at Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour: See the Photo

The original members of the girl group's 1997-1999 and 2000-2006 lineups posed for a group picture.

By Kyle Denis

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Reunited and it feels so good! Since they debuted in 1997, Destiny’s Child has become one of the most successful, beloved and acclaimed girl groups in music history. The group formally disbanded in 2006 — although they’ve since reunited at Beyoncé ‘s 2013 Super Bowl Halftime Show and 2018 Coachella headlining performance — but fans have been aching for a public reunion of all of the key original members. Thanks to a pic posted by OG group member LeToya Luckett on Wednesday (Jan. 3), fans finally got their wish.

Eminem Apologizes to His Kids in Emotional New Song ‘Somebody Save Me’ Featuring Jelly Roll

Beyoncé, Luckett and Roberson threw up H-Town hand signs to highlight their hometown of Houston, and Rowland and Williams opted for simple peace signs. While Beyoncé was dressed down in a simple black hoodie and sweats — she did just perform a nearly three-hour set, after all! — the four other Destiny’s Child members were decked out in glittery silvers and blacks to keep in line with the Renaissance dress code.

Fans got a brief glimpse at the moment behind the reunion picture in Beyoncé’s box office-topping Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé documentary concert film. While Beyoncé didn’t reveal exactly what the five ladies caught up on, her narration echoed the sentiments of healing that Luckett expressed in her caption. While the picture has delighted fans, it’s also sparked some rumors about more concrete reunion plans — but those remains just that, rumors.

Destiny’s Child has earned 10 top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 , including the No. 1 hits “Say My Name” (three weeks), “Independent Women, Part I” (11 weeks), “Bills, Bills, Bills” (one week) and “Bootylicious” (two weeks). On the Billboard 200 , the Grammy-winning vocal group has scored four top 10 entries, including the chart-toppers Survivor (two weeks) and #1’s (one week).

Check out the Destiny’s Child reunion picture and some of the best fan reactions below:

View this post on Instagram A post shared by LeToya Luckett (@letoyaluckett)

I would pay TOP DOLLAR for a reunion tour from Destiny’s Child https://t.co/hqgejaqzfH — It Girl Kye🦄🫃🏾 (@GxldSociety) January 3, 2024

A Destiny’s Child reunion with all the original members?! I used to pray for times like this! 😭😭😭🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻 pic.twitter.com/fsA91tPQNr — Holiday Tuxedo Charles 🎅🏼 (@cedwards0527) January 3, 2024

This photo is going on my vision board. I want to be a tour manager for the Destiny’s Child Reunion tour so bad 🥹 pic.twitter.com/4Qai4LmNwF — Nightskin Keisha (@tuhkyjuh) January 3, 2024

I would literally kill all of you for a destiny’s child reunion show. Just one show. — nippy (@quinnpossibl3) January 3, 2024

i’m being greedy but the houston shows deserved a destiny’s child reunion along with our surprise megan performance https://t.co/5BjejjIFT4 — triet (@teemodachi) January 3, 2024

I’ll be there Front row and centerd I love me some Destiny’s Child 😍 a reunion is needed fr 🥲 https://t.co/sIzMSrp71q — ♋️✨ (@itssaadee_) January 3, 2024

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No, no, no? Yes, yes, yes! Destiny's Child members reunite at Beyoncé's Houston show

Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams, LaTavia Roberson, and LeToya Luckett were all in attendance, with Megan Thee Stallion also making a surprise appearance.

Lester Fabian Brathwaite is a staff writer at Entertainment Weekly , where he covers breaking news, all things Real Housewives , and a rich cornucopia of popular culture. Formerly a senior editor at Out magazine, his work has appeared on NewNowNext , Queerty , Rolling Stone , and The New Yorker . He was also the first author signed to Phoebe Robinson's Tiny Reparations imprint. He met Oprah once.

It's the year of millennial pop reunions: *NSYNC , 98 Degrees , and now the granddaddy (or, rather, grand motha ) of them all, Destiny's Child .

Beyoncé regaled her former collaborators Kelly Rowland , Michelle Williams , LaTavia Roberson, and LeToya Luckett on Saturday night at her homecoming show in Houston for the latest stop of her Renaissance World Tour.

Fan photographs taken at the concert at the NRG Stadium show Luckett and Roberson, who founded Destiny's Child with Beyoncé and Rowland, in attendance, while Rowland was seen hanging with Williams, who joined the group later.

The only member who did not seem to attend was Farrah Franklin, who joined the group after Roberson and Luckett left, though she later quit after a few months.

Beyoncé and Roberson met in 1990, and under the guidance of Bey's father, Matthew Knowles, they formed a group called ( the hip-hop rappin' ) Girls Tyme with Rowland and three other girls.

Following their loss on Star Search , as depicted in the video for Beyoncé's song "Flawless," Knowles dedicated himself full-time to managing the group, cutting it from six girls to four, adding Luckett as the final member, and eventually settling on the name Destiny's Child.

That lineup released Destiny's Child's self-titled debut album in 1997, which contained the hit "No, No, No," but it was 1999's The Writing's on the Wall that catapulted them to superstardom. And controversy.

Roberson and Luckett had grown discontent with Knowles as their manager and attempted to split with him, though not the group. But Knowles unceremoniously fired and replaced them with two new members, Williams and Franklin, the latter of whom eventually left.

The erstwhile Children found out they had been replaced when the video for "Say My Name" premiered without them in it. Yet following years of lawsuits and bitter disputes, it seems all is well in the world of Destiny.

Rowland, Williams, and Beyoncé have reunited on multiple occasions, including for Bey's 2013 Super Bowl halftime show and 2018 Coachella performance .

Beyoncé also surprised concertgoers at Saturday's show by bringing out Megan Thee Stallion , who's also from Houston, for a performance of their 2020 collaboration, "Savage (Remix)."

"I love you, queen," Beyoncé told Megan in a video shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, to which the rapper replied, "I love you, Beyoncé."

The Houston concert was the first time the pair performed the track together live.

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Kelly Rowland talks potential Destiny's Child reunion tour and the one song she's dreamed about performing with Beyoncé and Michelle Williams again

Kelly Rowland told Insider whether we can expect a Destiny's Child reunion tour in future.
2024 marks 20 years since Rowland, Beyoncé, and Michelle Williams released their last studio album.
Rowland revealed the one song she is itching to perform again as a group — and has dreamed about it.

Could we see Destiny's Child reunite on tour? Kelly Rowland is saying wait and see.

Next year marks the 20th anniversary of the chart-topping girl group's final studio album , "Destiny Fulfilled," which spawned the hit songs "Lose My Breath," "Girl," and "Soldier" back in 2004.

Speaking to Insider this week to discuss her new partnership with FamilyGuard Brand on its YES, PLAY! initiative, Rowland said "Destiny Fulfilled" is her favorite DC album, adding: "That whole album was my relationship in my 20s."

The last time the group performed together was back in 2018 when Rowland and Michelle Williams joined Beyoncé on stage during her headline set at Coachella .

" Bey's on tour . Michelle has this amazing podcast and different things she's working on. I have things that I'm working on, and things lined up," said Rowland when we asked her about a reunion tour. "We'll see what happens. No promises."

Should the group get back together, Rowland, 42, said there is one song, in particular, she'd love to perform again as a trio. In fact, she's dreamed about it.

"'If' from the last album," said the singer. "I literally have pictured it. I've had a dream about it. I've seen us do it together, and I've seen the crowd, and I've heard how it sounds in my dream, and I woke up and I was just smiling so hard."

Beyoncé's Former Destiny’s Child Collaborators Attend Her Renaissance World Tour Stop in Houston

Megan The Stallion also made a surprise appearance during Beyoncé's hometown show in the Texas city

Kevin Mazur/WireImage

Beyoncé can always count on her Destiny's Child collaborators for their support.

The singer, 42, brought her Renaissance World Tour to her hometown of Houston, Texas, on Saturday, when five of the six overall members of the girl group were in attendance to show her some love.

According to fan photographs taken from inside the NRG Stadium that were shared online, LeToya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson — who founded Destiny's Child with Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland — were present, as was Rowland, 42, who was spotted spending time with Michelle Williams , a later addition to the group.

The only member of Destiny's Child who did not appear to attend the concert was Farrah Franklin, who joined the group after Roberson, 41, and Luckett, 42, left, though she later quit after a few months.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Beyoncé kicked off her Renaissance World Tour at the Friends Arena in Stockholm, Sweden, earlier this year, marking her first solo concert outing in seven years.

The event's set list features various songs from her seventh studio album Renaissance , such as "Alien Superstar," "Cuff It," "Pure/Honey" and "Plastic Off the Sofa."

It also features numerous hits that showcase Beyoncé's decades-long career , including "Crazy in Love," "Partition" and "Love on Top."

Beyoncé's 11-year-old daughter Blue Ivy even makes a special appearance during the show, when she joins her famous parent onstage for performances of her songs "My Power" and "Black Parade."

Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Parkwood

During Saturday's show, Beyoncé also surprised concertgoers by bringing out Megan Thee Stallion — who similarly hails from Houston.

Fans captured footage of the surprise appearance, in which the two performed their collaboration “Savage (Remix).”

"I love you, Queen," Beyoncé told Megan in one video shared on X , formerly known as Twitter. In response, the rapper stated, "I love you, Beyoncé."

The Houston concert marked the first time the “Break My Soul” singer and Megan, 28, performed the 2020 hit together live.

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Destiny’s child concert setlists & tour dates, destiny’s child at coachella festival 2018.

Lose My Breath / Say My Name / Soldier
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Destiny’s Child at Stellar Music Awards 2015

Alpha and Omega

Destiny’s Child at NBA All-Star Game 2006

The Star-Spangled Banner

Destiny’s Child at General Motors Place, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Say My Name
Independent Women, Pt. 1
No, No, No (Part 2)
Bills, Bills, Bills
Bootylicious
Jumpin', Jumpin'
The Definition of a Soldier
Do You Know

Destiny’s Child at KeyArena, Seattle, WA, USA

Destiny’s child at condé nast fashion rocks 2005.

Independent Women, Pt. 1 / Say My Name / Bootylicious / Survivor / Lose My Breath

Destiny’s Child at Spokane Arena, Spokane, WA, USA

Destiny’s child at reno events center, reno, nv, usa, destiny’s child at the arena in oakland, oakland, ca, usa, destiny’s child at staples center, los angeles, ca, usa.

Most played songs

Survivor ( 135 )
Say My Name ( 133 )
Independent Women, Pt. 1 ( 130 )
Jumpin', Jumpin' ( 129 )
Bills, Bills, Bills ( 127 )

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[unknown] 98° All Good Things American Idol Ensemble Anitta Bad Gyal Bad Pollyanna The Baseballs Beyoncé Ray BLK The Boy Detective BulletBoys C. Tangana Candlelight Alessia Cara Carol Biazin Carolina Chocolate Drops Sabrina Carpenter Charlotte Church's Late Night Pop Dungeon Charlotte Church Kelly Clarkson Erin Coburn CoCo and the Butterfields Coldplay Jonathan Coulton Craig David Die Happy Drake Dwayne Gretzky Elbow Emil Bulls Clarice Falcão Fifth Harmony FLO Four Tet Dillon Francis Girls' Generation-TTS Goldfinger Good for Gary Grace Oliver Heldens Missy Higgins Hozier Indefinite Articles Jain Jenni Mosello Karol Conká Katastro Kingswood L.E.J

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Beyoncé Commodores Creedence Clearwater Revival Five Stairsteps Israel & New Breed Janet Jackson Nelly Diana Ross Samantha Sang John Stafford Smith & Francis Scott Key Michelle Williams Stevie Wonder

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340 people have seen Destiny’s Child live.

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5 Reasons Why 'The Writing's On The Wall' Is Destiny's Child's Defining Album

From its embrace of experimental R&B production and memorable music videos, to its GRAMMY-winning empowering songs, 'The Writing’s On the Wall' remains a touchstone for fans of Destiny's Child.

In 1997, all-female R&B groups were thriving: TLC already had seven Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, En Vogue had numerous platinum singles, and Xscape reached No. 1 more than once. Soon, a quartet of teenagers would burst upon the scene and leave an indelible impact.

While Destiny’s Child are now canonical in the world of '90s and early aughts R&B, the group initially experienced spotty success. Their 1997 debut single, "No, No, No (Part 2)" peaked at No. 3 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and was certified platinum. Yet their eponymous album, released in February 1998, only hit No. 67. Their follow up single, "With Me," also failed to set the charts ablaze.

Destiny’s Child's underwhelming chart performances could’ve easily derailed the budding group. Fortunately, the four ambitious girls from Texas had other plans.

Beyoncé Knowles , Kelly Rowland , LaTavia Roberson , and Le Toya Luckett were determined not to become one hit wonders, and quickly went back into the studio to record their sophomore album. Released on July 14, 1999, The Writing’s On the Wall became Destiny’s Child’s highest selling album and spawned some of their most iconic songs — one of which led to the group's first GRAMMY win. Not only did the album establish Destiny's Child as a household name, but it fine tuned the R&B girl group concept to perfection.

"We had no idea that The Writing's on the Wall would be as big a record as it was. Especially worldwide," Beyoncé said in a 2006 Guardian interview .

In celebration of the iconic album's 25th anniversary, read on for five reasons why The Writing’s On the Wall is the defining album of Destiny’s Child’s career.

Its Members Took Creative Control

On their debut album, Destiny’s Child tapped into the neo soul trend popularized by the likes of D’Angelo , Erykah Badu , and Maxwell — artists in their early-to-mid twenties with a maturity the teen quartet didn’t yet have. The references and creative direction clashed with the reality of the group members being so young.

"It was a neo-soul record and we were 15 years old. It was way too mature for us," Beyoncé tol the Guardian .

Heading back into the studio, the girls made sure to eradicate any misalignments and put more of themselves into their sophomore album. In an interview with MTV , the members said The Writing’s On the Wall had a fresher, more youthful vibe because "it comes from us." The quartet's fingerprints are all over the 16 track album: Each member co-wrote at least 50 percent of the album.

"Even at the time, Beyoncé would produce a lot of their background vocals, and she was a leader even at a young age," Xscape's Kandi Burruss said in a Vice interview , reflecting on her work as a songwriter and producer on The Writing's On the Wall . This heightened presence enabled the group to develop lyrics that boldly reflected their opinions and youthful energy. In turn, The Writing's On the Wall netted a run of iconic hit singles.

Read more: Destiny's Child's Debut Album At 25: How A Neo-Soul Album From Teens Spawned R&B Legends

It Pushed R&B Forward

Like its predecessor, The Writing’s On the Wall is very much an R&B album. However, Beyoncé's father Mathew Knowles — who still managed the group at the time — brought in producers who weren’t afraid to experiment. The result was a more commercial album that fused classic R&B with pop influences, creating a sound that was simultaneously contemporary and timeless.

Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs and Burrus (who would go on to co-write and produce TLC’s "No Scrubs") contributed to five of the album's tracks, shaping its overall sound and differentiating it from Destiny’s Child . The duo kept a few elements from the group’s debut effort, including the sing-rapping heard on "Bug A Boo" and "Hey Ladies." With syncopated beats, thumping basslines, and their knack for writing catchy hooks, Briggs and Burrus created R&B records with the perfect blend of chart-friendly accessibility.

On the Missy Elliott produced "Confessions," synthesizers, drum machines, and electronic garbling were layered to create a lush, futuristic backdrop. Further subverting the classic R&B ballad, Elliott paired what sounds like a cabasa to match Beyonce’s cadence throughout the verses which gives her laidback vocals an almost robotic feel. In addition to producing, Elliott’s velvety vocals also appear quite prominently on the chorus, adding to the track’s sonic tapestry.

GRAMMY-winner Rodney Jerkins was tapped to produce "Say My Name." The original beat Jerkins used was two-step garage, a subgenre of UK garage. No one else liked the sound, so he completely revamped the track into the GRAMMY-winning anthem we know today. Jerkins melded funk-inspired guitar and a call and response approach, then modernized them with a shimmery, polished production. This helped "Say My Name" become the group’s most listened to song on Spotify with over 840 million streams. Jerkins has even gone on record to say this is his favorite song he’s produced to date.

Read more: "Say My Name" 20 Years Later: Why The Destiny's Child Staple Is Still On Everyone's Lips

Its Music Videos Praised Black Culture

"For me, it is about amplifying the beauty in all of us," Beyoncé said in a 2019 interview with Elle when asked about the importance of representation. Even before her solo work, the importance of spotlighting Black culture was evident in Destiny's Child's music videos.

In "Bills, Bills, Bills," we see the group play the role of hair stylists in a salon which is an obvious nod to Beyoncé's mother’s longstanding relationship with all things hair . Near the end of "Bug a Boo," the members change into their version of majorette costumes and dance in front of a marching band. Majorettes and marching bands have a vibrant legacy within HBCUs; almost 20 years after this video premiered, Beyoncé revisited this very concept for her 2018 Coachella performance.

It Delivered Mainstream Success

The Writing’s On the Wall was a hit across the charts. The group earned their first No. 1 singles on Billboard’s Hot 100 with "Bills, Bills, Bills" and "Say My Name." Promotions for the latter also reinvigorated album sales and helped shift another 157,000 copies (an impressive 15 percent increase from their first-week sales). The fourth and final single, "Jumpin’, Jumpin’" was released during the summer of 2000 and became one of the most played songs on the radio that year.

Songs from the album were nominated at both the 42nd and 43rd GRAMMY Awards. Destiny’s Child took home their first golden gramophone at the 2001 GRAMMYs, winning Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for "Say My Name." The single also won Best R&B Song and was nominated for Record Of The Year.

With 14 nominations, Destiny’s Child remain the most nominated girl group in GRAMMY history. With worldwide sales of 13 million, The Writing’s On the Wall is also the fourth best-selling girl group album of all time.

It Expanded The Concept Of "Girl Power"

The Writing’s On the Wall was much more than catchy, radio-friendly tunes. Lyrically and in production, the album reintroduced Destiny’s Child as the architects for their own lives. The tongue-in-cheek Godfather -inspired intro tees up each song with a commandment for their partners and, at times, for themselves.

Often misconstrued as a gold digger anthem,"Bills, Bills, Bills" empowers a woman to confront a lover who's financially taking advantage of her. This is a far cry from the theme of a young woman focused on finding love — a common theme on Destiny's Child — and puts their confidence on full display. "So Good" is a sassy, uplifting anthem which explicitly addresses haters with pointed lyrics like "For all the people ‘round us that have been negative/Look at us now/See how we live." Destiny's Child was sending a clear message: they’re going to be fine regardless of what others say.

And when the group became tabloid fodder due to unexpected lineup changes , "So Good" took on a new meaning for persevering through hard times. While there are some songs with morally questionable lyrics — we’re looking at you ‘"Confessions" — the consistent message of embracing one’s self-worth and independence is clear.

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Janet Jackson performs at the 2022 Essence Festival of Culture.

Photo Credit: Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for Essence

Celebrating 30 Years Of Essence Fest: How New Orleans & Multi-Generational, Diasporic Talent Create The "Super Bowl Of Culture"

Ahead of the 30th Essence Festival Of Culture, held July 4-7 in New Orleans, GRAMMY.com spoke with executives and curators of the legendary celebration of Black excellence.

Every July, millions of Black people, specifically Black women, descend upon New Orleans for the Essence Festival of Culture (EFOC). Known for many years as the Essence Festival, the festival is a celebration of Black culture, community, and heritage. Since its inception in 1995 as a one-off event to commemorate the publication’s 25th anniversary, the festival has evolved into a diasporic jubilee, drawing in people of African descent from across the diaspora.

In addition to its global presence, the festival pours millions of dollars into the local New Orleans community, which has served as the festival's home for 30 years ( with the exception of 2006, when the festival was held in Houston, because of Hurricane Katrina). In 2020, the festival was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this, the annual festival continues to be one of the most sought-after and attended festivals in the United States.

This year’s Essence Festival of Culture will be held at the Superdome from July 4-7, replete with legendary and fast-rising talents. On July 5, Birdman & Friends will celebrate the 30th anniversary of Cash Money Records. The following day will feature a special performance by Charlie Wilson, while Usher will commemorate the 20th anniversary of Confessions .

Janet Jackson and Victoria Monét will headline the festival's final night, while Frankie Beverly and Maze close out the festival with the return of All-White Night. Other performers include The Roots featuring Mickey Guyton , Ari Lennox and T-Pain , Busta Rhymes , Raphael Saadiq , D-Nice featuring Shelia E , Big Boi , and many more.

Read more: Music Festivals 2024 Guide: Lineups & Dates For Lollapalooza, Coachella, Bonnaroo & Much More

EFOC has been compared to SXSW , Coachella , Austin City Limits, and other notable festivals, yet it stands out for its empowerment-centered approach. It is not simply a festival, it is a family reunion. The one festival in the United States that does not pander to or take advantage of Black audiences, but truly celebrates them and their achievements. Although music has always been an integral part of the festival’s ethos — Aretha Franklin and B.B. King performed at the first iteration — the festival excels in its multi-generational and interdisciplinary programming. On any given day, attendees can attend sessions on Black entrepreneurship, politics, mental health, and literature, as well as seminars focused on issues impacting the Black community.

There’s a reason why the festival is referred to as the party with a purpose. For decades, it has operated as a celebratory convening place for Black people, Black families, and Black communities. Now, more than ever, spaces like EFOC are needed, as the Black community experiences an onslaught of changes — from Historically Black Colleges and Universities in North Carolina and Tennessee being subject to intense government oversight, to Black women-owned venture capital firms being targeted by conservatives , and Black voting rights becoming at risk during an election year.

Ahead of the festival’s 30th celebration, Michael Barclay, Executive Vice President of Experiential for ESSENCE Ventures and Barkue Tubman Zawolo , Chief of Staff, Talent and Diasporic Engagement for Essence Ventures, spoke to the Recording Academy about the history, legacy, and future of the Essence Festival of Culture.

This interview has been edited for clarity.

Are you part of the generation that grew up with the Essence Festival of Culture? If so, how does it feel to be a part of it?

Barkue Tubman Zawolo : I'm originally from Liberia. And even being in Liberia, prior to my family moving to the U.S. in 1980, Essence was always a thing for my mom and my aunts. When we came here, fast forward to me, as an adult, [after] graduating college, I got into the music industry. I've managed artists that have gone through the Essence stages and pages in different ways.

Essence Fest has always been something that we were familiar with. I have to say, I had not really experienced Essence Fest until 2019 when Essence was actually a client. One of the things that I was doing [at that point] was integrating the Diaspora and African creatives within the festival in fashion and music.

To be in the role that I'm in right now and to be on a team with people who have been a part of Essence for a long time…. Essence seems to be ingrained in all of our fabric. [What] started as a music festival now is the Super Bowl of Culture that is the Essence Festival of Culture. To be on the team that helps bring this to life for our community is a daunting but rewarding task all in the same.

Essence is something that I don't think anybody in our community takes lightly. Even our partners understand the value of it. We certainly understand that we serve the Essence -inverse and, and we are in service to this community. It is a huge honor to be able to be a part of the team that brings this to life and, and, and constantly hear what it means to the community globally too.

One thing that I admired, especially about last year's festival, was GU Kickback — a music event hosted by Girls United, the publication’s Gen Z vertical. I saw a number of local artists from New Orleans, such as 504ICYGRL. ESSENCE just released a series of cover stories celebrating the 30 year relationship between the publication and New Orleans; how do you highlight the city and their history?

Michael Barclay: As somebody who's worked in experiential, creating gatherings and experiences for almost 25 years now, the venue is always important when you're trying to set the box where you are creating for your community, for your audience. New Orleans has been that backdrop for us for almost 30 years now.

New Orleans is the convergence of our mission, our brand, in a city that is perfectly matched for that energy. New Orleans is as much a part of Essence Festival of Culture as Essence Magazine is to Essence Festival.

It is very much a partnership that has created this cultural movement. To be more inclusive, and highlight more of those local relationships and talent is very intentional. It has been something that we have put a lot of energy and effort into over the last couple of years.

This will be my third festival this year. I think Barkue , you started maybe a year or two before me. We're a fairly new crew that is working to help grow and reshape and solidify those relationships. Even with how we handle the management of the festival.

Our VP of Essence Festival, Hakeem Holmes is a hometown boy from New Orleans. He's the pride and joy. They love to see him coming. He's always enlightening us on the things that we need to be focused on for the city and how we make the best partnership and make the best impact on the area.

It was intentional what you saw last year. It's intentional this year. We dedicated our entire festival edition of the magazine as a love letter to New Orleans. It's a symbiotic relationship that is one of the key reasons why this festival is the Super Bowl of Culture.

I would love to hear about the talent aspect of the festival. Last year, Megan Thee Stallion headlined. In previous years, Beyoncé and Prince have served as headliners. What is the formula between balancing local talent, national talent and diasporic talent at the festival?

Zawolo : As we grow the festival, the intentionality becomes even more and more important. And, what we do in understanding where we are as a brand.

We're 30 years into the festival, the brand is 55 years. What's traditionally known as the Essence Woman is now bringing her daughter. It's multi-generational. We also know that the world is as big as your cell phone, so people are now exposed to different types of content and music.

We see the influence of Afrobeats and Caribbean music. We are intentional about making sure that every night really speaks to multiple generations, but it's anchored in a generation. It's like, who's bringing, who to the concert on Friday? Is it the daughter bringing her mama?

It's anchored in that younger demo, but we're going to make sure that they're going to have a collective good time there. Saturday is usually our heaviest night. We have our living legends that show up there; that really cuts across generations. This is anybody can bring anybody, but let me tell you, you're going to be able to teach each other, connect with each other with the different groupings of talent that we have.

We try to make sure that there is something that speaks to us, but that that connects with the diaspora on as many nights as possible. Sometimes it's not because they're from a different country, but because we know the music also resonates.

If you think of Janet Jackson, you can go anywhere in the world. She can check off that box, although she's not from there. You can create those ties, but we also are intentional about having Ayra Starr and Machel Montano . Last year we had Tems and Wizkid . The goal is to continue to grow what that looks like, because we are a global brand and that is our diasporic and global intent in connecting the global Black community is really important.

We are intentionally multi-generational. We intentionally lead into where a multitude of generational communities can come together and have fun together. There is something for everybody. We have a unique opportunity with Essence as the brand grows to be able to not only speak to what they want to call the aunties, I call the punties . I also think that this is where we get to educate the next generation on where we're coming from. We also get to learn from them on where they are and where they want to go.

What a beautiful way to kind of tie all of these connections. Last year, the festival celebrated 50 years of hip-hop ; this year you're celebrating the 30th anniversary of the festival. What is the intention behind this year’s music programming?

Zawolo : Paying homage to people who had done some historical things on our stages. We have Janet [Jackson] back. People are like, “Oh, we saw Janet two years ago,” but Janet is also one of the highest sellers in the festival's history.

If we're going to celebrate, let's celebrate, because we know Janet never disappoints. We also want to lean into some of the [older] talent, like Charlie Wilson, Uncle Charlie. He's graced that stage so many times, but yet it's still very relevant. Using this moment to reignite things that we've done in the past and bring them back to life that we know the audience missed.

Frankie Beverly, who is going to come , this is probably going to really be his last performance. The passing of the torch. This year was about having to be intentional about what other milestones are happening that are important to this culture. Cash Money is also celebrating 30 years. Who better , right?

Essence has been in New Orleans for 30 years. Cash Money and crew are from New Orleans. Juvenile just got the key to the city from the mayor. We want to honor and celebrate him, but we also want to recognize the influence that this group of very creative, entrepreneurial, rappers and artists have had on culture, because there was a time where we all were backing that ass up.

Making sure we highlighted milestones, connecting with people who have historically been a part of making history with us, introducing some new ones — that's what we have to do. We have to set up now for the next 30 years. We want to go to the soul of what appeals to our audience, and we're really all about good music.

I think the 30th year just continues to do what we do. As we look to grow and connect demos, Megan Thee Stallion is a very viable option because again, the daughter now is going to bring the mama. Intergenerational diasporic and connecting demos, I think that only happens at the Superdome. That's also happening in the convention center, which I believe is honestly the soul of the festival.

What are your hopes and aspirations for the next 30 years of the Essence Festival of Culture? Will Essence Fest always be in New Orleans? Are we going to have an Essence Fest in Lagos, Nigeria?

Barclay: Being on this side of [EFOC], seeing the true impact of the festival and how it impacts the communities, how it impacts the folks that come to New Orleans, and now, because we've expanded to our virtual audience, the 1.7 million that are viewing around the world, my hope for the festival is that we continue to show up where our community needs us.

We're going to be in New Orleans. We're going to be in our official world as we call it. If you can't make it to New Orleans, you can tune into Essence.com and you can see what's going on there. We are creating virtual experiences, AR experiences, VR experiences, all those things, so really keeping up with the way that people continue to connect with each other, whether they're physically in the same place or halfway across the world.

I think that type of innovation is what I want to continue to see us do and allow us to create that joy that we generate in New Orleans and wherever it's needed for our community.

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Omar Apollo Embraces Heartbreak On 'God Said No'

Photo: Aitor Laspiur

Omar Apollo Embraces Heartbreak And Enters His "Zaddy" Era On 'God Said No'

Alongside producer Teo Halm, Omar Apollo discusses creating 'God Said No' in London, the role of poetry in the writing process, and eventually finding comfort in the record's "proof of pain."

"Honestly, I feel like a zaddy," Omar Apollo says with a roguish grin, "because I'm 6'5" so, like, you can run up in my arms and stay there, you know what I mean?"

As a bonafide R&B sensation and one of the internet’s favorite boyfriends, Apollo is likely used to the labels, attention and online swooning that come with modern fame. But in this instance, there’s a valid reason for asking about his particular brand of "zaddyhood": he’s been turned into a Bratz doll.

In the middle of June, the popular toy company blasted a video to its nearly 5 million social media followers showing off the singer as a real-life Bratz Boy — the plastic version draped in a long fur coat (shirtless, naturally), with a blinged-out cross necklace and matching silver earrings as he belts out his 2023 single "3 Boys" from a smoke-covered stage.

The video, which was captioned "Zaddy coded," promptly went viral, helped along by an amused Apollo reposting the clip to his own Instagram Story. "It was so funny," he adds. "And it's so accurate; that's literally how my shows go. It made me look so glamorous, I loved it."

The unexpected viral moment came with rather auspicious timing, considering Apollo is prepping for the release of his hotly anticipated sophomore album. God Said No arrives June 28 via Warner Records.

In fact, the star is so busy with the roll-out that, on the afternoon of our interview, he’s FaceTiming from the back of a car. The day prior, he’d filmed the music video for "Done With You," the album’s next single. Now he’s headed to the airport to jet off to Paris, where he’ll be photographed front row at the LOEWE SS25 men’s runway show in between Sabrina Carpenter and Mustafa — the latter of whom is one of the few collaborators featured on God Said No .

Apollo’s trusted co-writer and producer, Teo Halm, is also joining the conversation from his home studio in L.A. In between amassing credits for Beyoncé ( The Lion King: The Gift ), Rosalía and J Balvin (the Latin GRAMMY-winning "Con Altura"), SZA ("Notice Me" and "Open Arms" featuring Travis Scott ) and others, the 25-year-old virtuoso behind the boards had teamed up with Apollo on multiple occasions. Notably, the two collabed on "Evergreen (You Didn’t Deserve Me At All)," which helped Apollo score his nomination for Best New Artist at the 2023 GRAMMYs .

In the wake of that triumph, Apollo doubled down on their creative chemistry by asking Halm to executive produce God Said No . (The producer is also quick to second his pal’s magnetic mystique: "Don't get it twisted, he's zaddy, for sure.")

Apollo bares his soul like never before across the album’s 14 tracks, as he processes the bitter end of a two-year relationship with an unnamed paramour. The resulting portrait of heartbreak is a new level of emotional exposure for a singer already known for his unguarded vulnerability and naked candor. (He commissioned artist Doron Langberg to paint a revealing portrait of him for the cover of his 2023 EP Live For Me , and unapologetically included a painting of his erect penis as the back cover of the vinyl release.)

On lead single "Spite," he’s pulled between longing and resentment in the wake of the break-up over a bouncing guitar riff. Second single "Dispose of Me" finds Apollo heartsick and feeling abandoned as he laments, "It don’t matter if it’s 25 years, 25 months/ It don’t matter if it’s 25 days, it was real love/ We got too much history/ So don’t just dispose of me."

Elsewhere, the singer offers the stunning admission that "I would’ve married you" on album cut "Life’s Unfair." Then, on the very next song — the bumping, braggadocious "Against Me" — Apollo grapples with the reality that he’s been permanently altered by the love affair while on the prowl for a rebound. "I cannot act like I’m average/ You know that I am the baddest bitch," he proclaims on the opening verse, only to later admit, "I’ve changed so much, but have you heard?/ I can’t move how I used to."

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Omar Apollo On “Evergreen,” Growth & Longing

Given the personal subject matter filling God Said No — not to mention the amount of acclaim he earned with Ivory — it would be understandable if Apollo felt a degree of pressure or anxiety when it came to crafting his sophomore studio set. But according to the singer, that was entirely not the case.

"I feel like I wouldn’t be able to make art if I felt pressure," he says. "Why would I be nervous about going back and making more music? If anything, I'm more excited and my mind is opened up in a whole other way and I've learned so much."

In order to throw his entire focus into the album’s creation, Apollo invited Halm to join him in London. The duo set up shop in the famous Abbey Road Studios, where the singer often spent 12- to 13-hour days attempting to exorcize his heartbreak fueled by a steady stream of Aperol spritzes and cigarettes.

The change of scenery infused the music with new sonic possibilities, like the kinetic synths and pulsating bass line that set flight to "Less of You." Apollo and Halm agree that the single was directly inspired by London’s unique energy.

"It's so funny because we were out there in London, but we weren't poppin' out at all ," the Halm says. "Our London scene was really just, like, studio, food. Omar was a frickin' beast. He was hitting the gym every day…. But it was more like feeding off the culture on a day-to-day basis. Like, literally just on the walk to the studio or something as simple as getting a little coffee. I don't think that song would've happened in L.A."

Poetry played a surprisingly vital role in the album’s creation as well, with Apollo littering the studio with collections by "all of the greats," including the likes of Ocean Vuong, Victoria Chang, Philip Larkin, Alan Ginsberg, Mary Oliver and more.

"Could you imagine making films, but never watching a film?" the singer posits, turning his appreciation for the written art form into a metaphor about cinema. "Imagine if I never saw [films by] the greats, the beauty of words and language, and how it's manipulated and how it flows. So I was so inspired."

Perhaps a natural result of consuming so much poetic prose, Apollo was also led to experiment with his own writing style. While on a day trip with his parents to the Palace of Versailles, he wrote a poem that ultimately became the soaring album highlight "Plane Trees," which sends the singer’s voice to new, shiver-inducing heights.

"I'd been telling Teo that I wanted to challenge myself vocally and do a power ballad," he says. "But it wasn't coming and we had attempted those songs before. And I was exhausted with writing about love; I was so sick of it. I was like, Argh, I don't want to write anymore songs with this person in my mind ."

Instead, the GRAMMY nominee sat on the palace grounds with his parents, listening to his mom tell stories about her childhood spent in Mexico. He challenged himself to write about the majestic plane tree they were sitting under in order to capture the special moment.

Back at the studio, Apollo’s dad asked Halm to simply "make a beat" and, soon enough, the singer was setting his poem to music. (Later, Mustafa’s hushed coda perfected the song’s denouement as the final piece of the puzzle.) And if Apollo’s dad is at least partially responsible for how "Plane Trees" turned out, his mom can take some credit for a different song on the album — that’s her voice, recorded beneath the same plane tree, on the outro of delicate closer "Glow."

Both the artist and the producer ward off any lingering expectations that a happy ending will arrive by the time "Glow" fades to black, however. "The music that we make walks a tightrope of balancing beauty and tragedy," Halm says. "It's always got this optimism in it, but it's never just, like, one-stop shop happy. It's always got this inevitable pain that just life has.

"You know, even if maybe there wasn't peace in the end for Omar, or if that wasn't his full journey with getting through that pain, I think a lot of people are dealing with broken hearts who it really is going to help," the producer continues. "I can only just hope that the music imparts leaving people with hope."

Apollo agrees that God Said No contains a "hopeful thread," even if his perspective on the project remains achingly visceral. Did making the album help heal his broken heart? "No," he says with a sad smile on his face. "But it is proof of pain. And it’s a beautiful thing that is immortalized now, forever.

"One day, I can look back at it and be like, Wow, what a beautiful thing I experienced . But yeah, no, it didn't help me," he says with a laugh.

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Aaron Frazer Dives 'Into The Blue': How His New Album Goes Further Beneath The Surface Than Ever Before

The singer, songwriter and drummer with Durand Jones & the Indications discusses his new sophomore solo album. The result of many big life changes, 'Into The Blue' sees Frazer digging into a broader range of influence and emotion.

If Aaron Frazer had not wound up singing and playing drums with the soul outfit Durand Jones & the Indications , or on his own solo records, he suspects he may have ended up working as a music history teacher.

"My favorite classes in college were music history. Even something I knew already, like the history of rock and roll, those are songs your dad probably played, but hearing it through the lens of somebody who truly loves it and looks at you and says, ‘Isn’t this amazing?’ that stirs something up in you," says Frazer.

Unfortunately for his would-be music students, Frazer did decide to make music. He started making hip-hop beats in high school, then learned to play the drums and studied music engineering at Indiana University, where he met the musicians who would form Durand Jones & the Indications in 2012. The quintet have released three studio albums (and one live record) of R&B, soul, and disco, each of which open with a statement of political consciousness.

It was in the early days of the Indications that Frazer learned he could do more than play drums and write songs: he had an innate ability to sing in the upper-range falsetto — an extremely useful tool in soul ballads. Arguably, Frazer's delicate lead on the Indications' 2017 single " Is It Any Wonder? " helped popularize the group.

Frazer released a solo album in 2021, fittingly titled Introducing… , produced by the Black Keys ' Dan Auerbach . With ample amounts of his signature falsetto, the debut is rooted in pure, sweet soul that could easily be mistaken for a recording from the '60s. Interspersed throughout his songs are bouncy bass lines, flourishes of horns, strings, organ and piano, funky guitar patterns, and backing vocals. Lyrics tell earnest stories of love, breakups, disappointment, loneliness, and joy.

Frazer's second solo album arrives June 28. Into The Blue features some of his trademark sweet soul sounds, and adds in inspiration from the Spaghetti Western film scores of Ennio Morricone , the lush jazz-rock recordings of David Axelrod , and late-90s hip-hop from artists like Nas and Jay-Z .

Into The Blue is a collaboration with GRAMMY-winning producer Alex Goose, known for his crate-digging samples and collaborations with artists like Brockhampton and Madlib . Goose and Frazer have a shared love of the tension that many hip-hop songs create by rigging disparate elements together.

Similarly, Into The Blue combines cinematic string sections, breakbeats, and tambourines with driving bass lines, fuzz guitar, iPhone recordings and one-take vocals, and added a range of samples, including the '90s R&B group Hi-Five. Frazer’s love of hip-hop is evident in the beats: if you were to isolate the drumming on many of his tracks, they could easily lay the bedrock for an MC to rhyme over.

Frazer recently spoke with GRAMMY.com about creating Into The Blue , his experiences with the Indications, working with Dan Auerbach, and his new life on the West Coast.

What inspired the new sounds you’re exploring in ‘ Into The Blue’?

There were multiple changes in my life. My relationship of five years came to an end, and I moved across the country by myself from New York to Los Angeles.

Durand Jones and The Indications had just finished an insane year of touring. We had spent seven or 10 months on the road. No more partner, no more band, and I was in a new city where I didn’t know many people. I was heading into the unknown, literally and emotionally, that was the feeling of the album.

What sound were you aiming for?

I’m a student of so many genres of music. So sonically, I’m always on a quest to bring all my influences together seamlessly and authentically, and I believe I’ve done that. It’s rooted in classics but [sounds] contemporary.

It’s soul music, and falsetto-driven, but with a country Western influence I’ve liked since high school, like Mississippi John Hurt, and gospel and disco, and always hip-hop. Hip-hop has been in my DNA since high school; I wanted to partner with a hip-hop producer to bring that DNA to the forefront.

How did you combine those specific musical elements?

The construction of the album took a ton of work, but I think all of the influences blend together and it really makes sense. If you listen to Ennio Morricone and David Axelrod , they both have these cinematic string arrangements and operatic vocals, but the drums are like MPC fodder — like proto hip-hop.

With Morricone, you hear the bass and it’s heavy. You hear the grimiest timpani drum sound. That is RZA all day. In hip-hop, they rely on samples, and they end up in conversation with so many records. It’s like chutes and ladders short cuts but with a homebase of cohesion.

How did you first get into hip-hop, and how exactly does it appeal to you?

I was probably 10 when I first heard hip-hop. In high school I started making beats on Fruity Loops. I loved Will Smith ’s "Big Willie Style" and Jay-Z 's "Hard Knock Life." "Annie" is the softest s— ever, but he put this pocket behind it. It moved me, and lit my brain up.

In high school I drummed for a musical production of Annie, and when we got to "Hard Knock Life," of course I started playing the Jay-Z version. The teacher was like, "Can you not do that?"

You got into sound engineering at Indiana University. What attracted you to that work?

At that time I didn't have any sort of music theory background. I thought about majoring in percussion, but I’m not a classical music guy and I’m not a jazz drummer. I grew up listening to rock and hip-hop. Meg White and Questlove were my heroes, so I wasn’t shaped for the conservatory. I just wanted to make beats. My parents suggested I learn the practical side of things so I could get a job, so I was like okay, let me do this and figure it out .

The Indications guys were classmates in the recording program. We started out making rock and roll, but we bonded over Dilla’s "Donuts," and the Jerry Butler "Just Because I Really Love You" sample pulled on our heartstrings. We geeked out on that, and then we met Durand [Jones], and that was the first time I could bring all my influences together. We were rowdy but soulful.

Is that around the same time you started singing a lot of falsetto vocals?

I discovered I could sing falsetto when I made a scratch vocal track for Durand. It was far enough removed from my own speaking voice that I could hear it as its own instrument, and it just felt like me for the first time. It’s been my signature style ever since.

In the last few years, I’ve figured out ways to incorporate both registers of my voice. I didn't grow up singing, so it’s still an adventure to learn that instrument.

How did Durand Jones & The Indications impact your life?

They are family. We have been through so much together. We traveled the world together. We put in so many hours on the road, and so many miles, and we got through it together. It’s not easy to tour, to get in the trenches and get in a van. Being able to grind it out together and grow together, being a part of a band that writes and produces together.

Now I think about us like the Avengers. There’s a main story line, and you create a universe around it, and everyone has their own worlds and universes. Right now I’m drumming on [keyboardist] Steve Okonsky’s jazz record, and Okonsky is playing bass on my record. I produced a record with a Durand on vocals.

It’s important to have a place you can go and learn from each other and collaborate, and also have a place to go on your own. We all are eclectic, I don’t think we’ll ever run out of interesting avenues to explore .

Dan Auerbach produced your first solo album, ' Introducing… ' in 2021. What did you learn from that experience?

We were writing three or four songs a day, and we wrote the record in a week. We were blasting through songs. Dan accesses and celebrates first instinct and intuitiveness. You do two sessions a day, and you come out with a song per session.

Read more: From The Black Keys To Behind The Board: How Dan Auerbach's Production Work Ripples Through The Music Community

On the new record, I tinkered for hours over some moments, but many moments just happened. On the song "The Fool," we used iPhone files. You can hear the drummer say "play it again," just like a demo. It had magic to it. We tracked it again, but the voice memo had a looseness to it, and I gave myself permission to use something that wasn’t perfect.

"Perfect Stranger" was a one-take vocal. I could have auto-tuned it, but wanted it to sound like I was on the edge of tears, and about to lose it, which I was. Dan gives himself that same permission to embrace spontaneity.

You and producer Alex Goose experimented with samples on this new album. How so?

This record is fusing my childhood artistic self with the artist I’ve grown into. The first beat I ever made, I didn’t have production software. I had a CD compilation of jazz, put it in my tower computer, opened up Windows Movie Maker, dragged the audio in there and moved it around. That was one of my first experiences making my own music and looping. I wanted to bring that vibe back. One of the things that makes hip hop sound the way it does, is the tension created by rigging disparate elements together.

Recorded with different rooms, preamps, and signals creates an amalgamation that you can’t get when everyone is playing in the same room. We recorded stuff in different places and stack those recordings on top of each other, so it feels hip hop even though it's not. When people hear this record, they might wonder if they’re hearing samples.

What challenges popped up making this record?

When I first started, after moving to L.A., I was having trouble writing lyrics. I felt sad and heartbroken and lonely. At a certain point, a friend convinced me not to fight it, and just write about what I was feeling. As soon as I did, songs started to flow.

I’m a private person, but audiences today expect you to share all details of your life. There’s no backstage options for artists now. It required me to be vulnerable, and remember the good things about my relationship and show people the giddiness and excitement of a new relationship. The challenges were more emotional than musical.

You’ve performed on shows like "The Tonight Show" and "CBS Saturday Morning." You have more than 4.8 million monthly listeners on Spotify. How does it feel to know your music is reaching so many people?

It is wild. I think a lot about how lucky I am, knowing how many people in the world put out music every day on Spotify or Soundcloud or YouTube. It’s insane. I’m incredibly fortunate to reach people and talk to people about my records.

You have to work really hard and be really good but there’s also an element of luck. I try to help my bandmates and friends and also give people I don’t know a platform, tell my fans about them, and bring people on tour.

With the exception of college in the Midwest, you’ve always lived on the East Coast. How’s the West Coast treating you?

It’s definitely a cultural adjustment. I moved here because that’s where the culture lives. Soul music kind of fell by the wayside for a few decades, but now there’s a revival. The communities that kept that music precious and safe and alive and thriving were on the West Coast , from S.F. to L.A. and Phoenix, and San Antonio. That’s where this culture is alive, so I wanted to go and experience that, and see what doors open.

I miss the subway and public transit. I miss my midnight honey turkey sandwich from the bodega, but L.A. has shown me so much love. It’s crazy to see all the lowrider, Chicano soul bands out here.

When the Indications first started, we made our music in a basement, not a bar. We weren’t entertaining people, so it was a soft, sweet soul, and it really touched a nerve. That style has exploded. It’s cool to know that we had a hand in shaping this movement.

How Durand Jones' Debut Album 'Wait Til I Get Over' Helped Him Explore His Roots & Find Self-Acceptance

Photo: Kevin Kane/WireImage via Getty Images

7 Legendary Prince Performances You Can Watch Online In Honor Of 'Purple Rain'

Fans of the Purple One, unite: it's time to celebrate 40 years of 'Purple Rain.' Crank up these classic Prince performances in tribute to that epochal album, and beyond.

Have we really been living in a Prince less world for eight years? It doesn't feel like it. With every passing year, Planet Earth feels more of the magnitude of the Purple One's unbelievable accomplishments. Which includes the sheer body of work he left behind: his rumored mountain of unreleased material aside, have you heard all 39 of the albums he did release?

Yes, Prince Rogers Nelson was an impressive triple threat, and we'll likely never see his like again. In pop and rock history, some were wizards in the studio, but lacked charisma onstage, or vice versa: Prince was equally as mindblowing in both frameworks.

His iconic, GRAMMY Hall of Fame-inducted 1984 album Purple Rain — a soundtrack to the equally classic film — turns 40 on June 25. Of course, crank up that album's highlights — like "Let's Go Crazy," "When Doves Cry," and the immortal title track — and spin out from there to his other classics, like Dirty Mind , 1999 , and Sign o' the Times .

To get a full dose of Prince, though, you've got to raid YouTube for performance footage of the seven-time GRAMMY winner through the years. Here are seven clips you've got to see.

Capital Centre, Landover, Maryland (1984)

Feast your eyes on Prince, the year Purple Rain came out. With guitarist Wendy Melvoin , keyboardist Dr. Fink, drummer Bobby Z. , flanking him, even suboptimal YouTube resolution can't smother the magic and beauty. Check out this killing performance of Purple Rain 's "I Would Die 4 U," where Prince's moves burn up the stage, with Sheila E. as much a percussion juggernaut as ever.

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Carrier Dome, Syracuse, New York (1985)

"Little Red Corvette," from 1982's 1999 , has always been one of Prince's most magical pop songs — maybe the most magical? This performance in central New York state borders on definitive; bathed in violet and maroon, caped and cutting a rug, a 26-year-old Prince comes across as a force of divine talent.

Paisley Park, Minnesota (1999)

"I always laugh when people say he is doing a cover of this song… It's his song!" goes one YouTube commenter. That's absolutely right. Although "Nothing Compares 2 U" become an iconic hit through Sinead O'Connor 's lens, it's bracing to hear the song's author nail its emotional thrust — as far fewer people have heard the original studio recording, on 1985's The Family — the sole album by the Prince-conceived and -led band of the same name.

Watch: Black Sounds Beautiful: Five Years After His Death, Prince’s Genius Remains Uncontainable

The Aladdin, Las Vegas (2002)

Let it be known that while Prince could shred with the best of them, he could equally hold down the pocket. This Vegas performance of "1+1+1=3," from 2001's The Rainbow Children , is a supremely funky workout — which also shows Prince's command as a bandleader, on top of the seeming dozens of other major musical roles he'd mastered by then.

Read More: Bobby Z. On Prince And The Revolution: Live & Why The Purple One Was Deeply Human

Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction (2004)

Words can't describe Prince's universe-destroying solo over the Beatles ' "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," in front of an all-star band of classic rockers including Jeff Lynne , Tom Petty , and George Harrison 's son, Dhani. At song's end, Prince's guitar wails for a few more rounds, he tosses his Telecaster into the pit, and he struts offstage. We'll never see his like again.

Super Bowl Halftime Show (2007)

If you're the type of Super Bowl devotee who skips the Halftime Show, please — make time for Prince. When he digs into the trusty "Let's Go Crazy," it's hard not to follow suit. With fireworks blazing, and the Love Symbol brightly illumined, Prince arguably outshined the football game — as he tumbled through inspired cover after cover, by CCR , Dylan , and more. Naturally, he crescendoed with "Purple Rain," augmented by the drummers of the Marching 100.

Read More: Behind Diamonds and Pearls Super Deluxe Edition: A Fresh Look At Prince & The New Power Generation’s Creative Process

Coachella (2008)

At Coachella 2008, Prince offered a bounty of karaoke-style yet intriguing covers — of the B-52's ("Rock Lobster"), Sarah McLachlan ("Angel"), Santana ("Batuka"), and more. Chief among them was his eight-minute take on Radiohead's (in)famous first hit, "Creep," with a few quixotic twists, including flipping the personal pronoun I to a very Prince-like U .

"U wish U were special, / So do I," he yelps in the pre-chorus. Oh, Prince: to quote the radio-edited, de-vulgarized chorus of "Creep," you were so very special . 8 Ways Musicology Returned Prince To His Glory Days

1 5 Reasons Why 'The Writing's On The Wall' Is Destiny's Child's Defining Album
2 Celebrating 30 Years Of Essence Fest: How New Orleans & Multi-Generational, Diasporic Talent Create The "Super Bowl Of Culture"
3 Omar Apollo Embraces Heartbreak And Enters His "Zaddy" Era On 'God Said No'
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Destiny's Child Announces Tour Dates

May 2 -- Destiny's Child announced the dates for the first TRL package tour yesterday afternoon on (where else?) the popular MTV request show. The two-month trek, headlined by the chart-topping trio, will kick off July 18 in Albany, N.Y., and wrap up with a two-night stand in Honolulu on Sept. 21 and 23.

Joining the threesome on the bill is a host of current faves, including Eve, Dream, 3LW, Nelly, and Jessica Simpson. Which artists will appear in what cities, as well as specific venues and on-sale dates, are expected to be announced shortly.

Destiny's Child's third full-length, Survivor, hit record stores on Tuesday and is anticipated to debut in the No. 1 spot on the Billboard album charts next week. The group will appear on Saturday Night Live this week to promote the disc.

MTV TRL Tour, starring Destiny's Child, tour dates:

JulyJuly 18 — Albany, N.Y.July 19 — Hartford, Conn.July 20 — Virginia Beach, Va.July 21 — Raleigh, N.C.July 22 — Washington, D.C.July 25 — Buffalo, N.Y.July 28 — Atlanta, Ga.July 29 — St. Louis, Mo.

AugustAug. 1 — Minneapolis, Minn.Aug. 2 — Kansas City, Mo.Aug. 3 — Oklahoma City, Okla.Aug. 4 — Houston, TexasAug. 5 — Dallas, TexasAug. 8 — Holmdel, N.J.Aug. 9 — Philadelphia, Pa.Aug. 10 — Boston, Mass.Aug. 11 — New York, N.Y.Aug. 15 — Nashville, Tenn.Aug. 16 — Cincinnati, OhioAug. 17 — Charlotte, N.C.Aug. 18 — Tampa, Fla.Aug. 19 — Miami, Fla.Aug. 22 — Indianapolis, Ind.Aug. 23 — Detroit, Mich.Aug. 24 — Pittsburgh, Pa.Aug. 25 — Cleveland, OhioAug. 26 — Chicago, Ill.Aug. 29 — Lancaster, Calif.Aug. 30 — San Diego, Calif.Aug. 31 — Las Vegas, Nev.

SeptemberSept. 1 — Oakland, Calif.Sept. 2 — Irvine, Calif.Sept. 3 — Phoenix, Ariz.Sept. 8 — Albuquerque-Las Cruces, N.M.Sept. 9 — Denver, Colo.Sept. 13 — Seattle, Wash.Sept. 14 — Portland, Ore.Sept. 15 — Vancouver, British ColumbiaSept. 17 — Edmonton, AlbertaSept. 19 — Anchorage, AlaskaSept. 21 — Honolulu, HawaiiSept. 23 — Honolulu, Hawaii

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The Unique Burial of a Child of Early Scythian Time at the Cemetery of Saryg-Bulun (Tuva)

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Pages: 379-406

In 1988, the Tuvan Archaeological Expedition (led by M. E.вЂЇKilunovskaya and V. A.вЂЇSemenov) discovered a unique burial of the early Iron Age at Saryg-Bulun in Central Tuva. There are two burial mounds of the Aldy-Bel culture dated by 7th century BC. Within the barrows, which adjoined one another, forming a figure-of-eight, there were discovered 7 burials, from which a representative collection of artifacts was recovered. Burial 5 was the most unique, it was found in a coffin made of a larch trunk, with a tightly closed lid. Due to the preservative properties of larch and lack of air access, the coffin contained a well-preserved mummy of a child with an accompanying set of grave goods. The interred individual retained the skin on his face and had a leather headdress painted with red pigment and a coat, sewn from jerboa fur. The coat was belted with a leather belt with bronze ornaments and buckles. Besides that, a leather quiver with arrows with the shafts decorated with painted ornaments, fully preserved battle pick and a bow were buried in the coffin. Unexpectedly, the full-genomic analysis, showed that the individual was female. This fact opens a new aspect in the study of the social history of the Scythian society and perhaps brings us back to the myth of the Amazons, discussed by Herodotus. Of course, this discovery is unique in its preservation for the Scythian culture of Tuva and requires careful study and conservation.

Keywords: Tuva, Early Iron Age, early Scythian period, Aldy-Bel culture, barrow, burial in the coffin, mummy, full genome sequencing, aDNA

Information about authors: Marina Kilunovskaya (Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Dvortsovaya Emb., 18, Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russian Federation E-mail: [email protected] Vladimir Semenov (Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Dvortsovaya Emb., 18, Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russian Federation E-mail: [email protected] Varvara Busova (Moscow, Russian Federation). (Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation). Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Dvortsovaya Emb., 18, Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russian Federation E-mail: [email protected] Kharis Mustafin (Moscow, Russian Federation). Candidate of Technical Sciences. Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. Institutsky Lane, 9, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Moscow Oblast, Russian Federation E-mail: [email protected] Irina Alborova (Moscow, Russian Federation). Candidate of Biological Sciences. Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. Institutsky Lane, 9, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Moscow Oblast, Russian Federation E-mail: [email protected] Alina Matzvai (Moscow, Russian Federation). Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. Institutsky Lane, 9, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Moscow Oblast, Russian Federation E-mail: [email protected]

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Savvino-storozhevsky monastery and museum.

Zvenigorod's most famous sight is the Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery, which was founded in 1398 by the monk Savva from the Troitse-Sergieva Lavra, at the invitation and with the support of Prince Yury Dmitrievich of Zvenigorod. Savva was later canonised as St Sabbas (Savva) of Storozhev. The monastery late flourished under the reign of Tsar Alexis, who chose the monastery as his family church and often went on pilgrimage there and made lots of donations to it. Most of the monastery’s buildings date from this time. The monastery is heavily fortified with thick walls and six towers, the most impressive of which is the Krasny Tower which also serves as the eastern entrance. The monastery was closed in 1918 and only reopened in 1995. In 1998 Patriarch Alexius II took part in a service to return the relics of St Sabbas to the monastery. Today the monastery has the status of a stauropegic monastery, which is second in status to a lavra. In addition to being a working monastery, it also holds the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum.

Belfry and Neighbouring Churches

Located near the main entrance is the monastery's belfry which is perhaps the calling card of the monastery due to its uniqueness. It was built in the 1650s and the St Sergius of Radonezh’s Church was opened on the middle tier in the mid-17th century, although it was originally dedicated to the Trinity. The belfry's 35-tonne Great Bladgovestny Bell fell in 1941 and was only restored and returned in 2003. Attached to the belfry is a large refectory and the Transfiguration Church, both of which were built on the orders of Tsar Alexis in the 1650s.

To the left of the belfry is another, smaller, refectory which is attached to the Trinity Gate-Church, which was also constructed in the 1650s on the orders of Tsar Alexis who made it his own family church. The church is elaborately decorated with colourful trims and underneath the archway is a beautiful 19th century fresco.

Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is the oldest building in the monastery and among the oldest buildings in the Moscow Region. It was built between 1404 and 1405 during the lifetime of St Sabbas and using the funds of Prince Yury of Zvenigorod. The white-stone cathedral is a standard four-pillar design with a single golden dome. After the death of St Sabbas he was interred in the cathedral and a new altar dedicated to him was added.

Under the reign of Tsar Alexis the cathedral was decorated with frescoes by Stepan Ryazanets, some of which remain today. Tsar Alexis also presented the cathedral with a five-tier iconostasis, the top row of icons have been preserved.

Tsaritsa's Chambers

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is located between the Tsaritsa's Chambers of the left and the Palace of Tsar Alexis on the right. The Tsaritsa's Chambers were built in the mid-17th century for the wife of Tsar Alexey - Tsaritsa Maria Ilinichna Miloskavskaya. The design of the building is influenced by the ancient Russian architectural style. Is prettier than the Tsar's chambers opposite, being red in colour with elaborately decorated window frames and entrance.

At present the Tsaritsa's Chambers houses the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum. Among its displays is an accurate recreation of the interior of a noble lady's chambers including furniture, decorations and a decorated tiled oven, and an exhibition on the history of Zvenigorod and the monastery.

Palace of Tsar Alexis

The Palace of Tsar Alexis was built in the 1650s and is now one of the best surviving examples of non-religious architecture of that era. It was built especially for Tsar Alexis who often visited the monastery on religious pilgrimages. Its most striking feature is its pretty row of nine chimney spouts which resemble towers.

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International Football

The story behind the viral photos of Lionel Messi and a baby Lamine Yamal

Follow live coverage of England vs Netherlands in the Euro 2024 semi-final today

“It was a difficult photo to take,” Joan Monfort tells The Athletic . “We can say I sweated some blood to take it.

“(Lionel) Messi is still shy now; he was much more shy when he was starting out and he finds himself there with a tiny baby in a plastic bath full of water. And with his mother. At the start, there was not much interaction. It was difficult for all of them. But, bit by bit, it started to happen and in the end, it’s a pretty good photo.”

In December 2007, Monfort took a photo of a 20-year-old Lionel Messi , who had begun his legendary Barcelona career just over four years earlier, and Lamine Yamal — who was just six months old.

It was published in a 2008 charity calendar organised by Barcelona’s club foundation and Catalan newspaper Diario Sport, with the money raised going to charitable organisations including UNICEF and different NGOs around Catalonia.

Members of the Barcelona squad were photographed alongside children. Hundreds of families collaborated with the initiative for a number of years and most of the photos have now been forgotten, outside of the families of the children who have treasured private memories.

It just so happens that Yamal, Barca’s teenage star of the future, ended up paired with the man who would go on to win the Ballon d’Or eight times.

The bathing photo, as well as a number of other images from the shoot, including one where Messi is seen cradling a baby Yamal in a towel and another where his mother Sheila Ebana helps wash her son, have returned to public view because one was posted on social media on Thursday night by Mounir Nasraoui , the father of Barca’s Yamal — the record-breaking 16-year-old who is starring for Spain at this summer’s European Championship .

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Men in Blazers (@meninblazers)

“It’s something incredible,” Monfort says. “Back then, nobody could imagine that this baby would be who he is now — and you could not have known that Messi would become who he became, either.

“We are talking about 2007. Messi was only beginning at Barca then. Destiny plays an important role in these things.”

In December 2007, Messi had already won two La Liga titles and a Champions League, but was still just an emerging talent in a squad full of established stars including Ronaldinho, Samuel Eto’o, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Carles Puyol, Thierry Henry and many other household names.

“They gave you a list of players — 12: one for each month,” Monfort says. “You have to take your time. Often footballers come in and say, ‘Let’s go, let’s do it. I’m in a rush; what do you want to do?’.

“It can be a bit cold, especially in a photo where you need interaction between two people who do not know each other. Then, when one is six months old and the other is 20, it can get difficult, but it turned out pretty well.

“The mother helped a lot. Her presence was super necessary, so the baby did not feel it was too strange. You look for a tender image — something sweet and nice.”

Monfort says he always tried to make sure each family got a copy of the photos he took to keep themselves, especially in this case given the effort Yamal’s mother made to take him to Camp Nou from the town of Mataro, north-east of Barcelona.

“I’d always want to give them a photo; it makes them really happy,” Monfort says. “The player might not be too worried but the parents of the kids would be very excited. They lived in Mataro, 40km away from Barcelona. Not everyone would do that, with a young baby too. They would have to make the trip, then wait for the player to arrive; for everything to be set up.”

Six and a half years later, Yamal started to get the train regularly from Mataro when he joined Barca’s La Masia academy.

What makes Lamine Yamal such a special footballer?

His progress has been phenomenal: a La Liga debut aged 15 in April 2023, an international debut at 16 last September, and now Yamal is a key part of the Spain side which on Friday beat Germany 2-1 to make the Euro 2024 semi-finals.

“It’s a one-in-a-million chance that this could happen,” Monfort says. “It’s such good fortune.

“These days, it happens a bit more as people have their phones and share photos, but this is like the photo of Guardiola as a kid applauding (former Barcelona and England manager) Terry Venables being carried on players’ shoulders. When Venables died, Pep posted the image.”

This photo of a 15-year-old Guardiola, himself then a La Masia student and Barca ball boy, later a Barca player and coach, and now Manchester City manager, is from April 1986. Englishman Venables was then midway through his three-year spell as Blaugrana coach and was hoisted aloft by players Paco Clos and Migueli after the team came from 3-0 down and then won a penalty shootout in a European Cup semi-final against Goteborg.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by PepTeam (@pepteam)

Monfort is still taking photos, these days for Madrid-headquartered Diario AS. He was surprised when a former colleague from Diario Sport contacted him after the photo of Messi and Yamal was posted and went viral.

“He asked me, ‘Was this my photo?’,” Monfort says. “I said ‘yes’. He sent me the photo and I asked him, ‘Who is the baby?’ and he started to laugh, and said ‘Lamine, Lamine’.

“He told me the father had put it on social media. In Sport, they could hardly believe it. They had just realised too.

“It’s been really surprising, all this. We take so many photos, so many images. Some of them will remain.

“For Lamine to grow up to be a footballer, and to have this photo, I’m just really happy it happened. It’s especially nice in today’s football, when so much is to do with money and power.”

Spain's Lamine Yamal passes school exams during Euro 2024

(Top photo: Diario Sport/Joan Monfort)

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Dermot joined The Athletic in 2020 and has been our main La Liga Correspondent up until now. Irish-born, he has spent more than a decade living in Madrid and writing about Spanish football for ESPN, the UK Independent and the Irish Examiner. Follow Dermot on Twitter @ dermotmcorrigan

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New Braunfels native Catie Offerman talks about playing at record-setting concert with George Strait

Offerman says she feels like she was born to play music.

Julie Moreno , Executive Producer/Digital Content

“Don’t Do It In Texas.”

It’s a song that country singer Catie Offerman co-wrote soon after Universal Music Group signed her to a record deal in 2020.

But on June 15, Offerman did do something BIG in Texas — she performed at a record-setting concert with George Strait.

It was a destiny that may have been put into motion at a San Antonio hair salon when she was just 14 years old. That’s where she met the King of Country — with her hair swamped in conditioning treatment, wearing a salon cape and a bonnet on her head.

She remembers thinking, “(I’m) meeting my hero in this outfit.”

It’s an epic story she’s retold countless times. Now, 16 years later, their paths have crossed once again. This time, on the stage.

“I think it was just kind of like everything pushed in that direction, and I don’t know, but I think that it all came back to meeting him in the hair salon,” Offerman said.

She calls Strait a “major influence” in her music.

Offerman grew up in New Braunfels. She learned piano at age four, has been classically trained on the guitar, fiddle, mandolin and accordion, and has been playing music professionally since she was a child.

“I played polka music for a long time, and that was like my gig. I was homeschooled, playing Octoberfest around the country, and, I just always loved music. Music was always a part of me,” Offerman said.

She received a scholarship to attend Boston’s prestigious Berklee School of Music when she was 16 and graduated in three years.

Influenced by artists like Ray Price, Bob Wills and Alison Krauss, Offerman then decided it was time to get back to her country roots.

“ I’m like, you know, at some point, I gotta play some gigs that, like, my friends are going to want to come out, too,” Offerman joked.

“The goal for me was never like, oh, I want to be famous or all this,” she said. “I was just always curious and always wanting more of like, okay, well, I play fiddle. Now, let’s play guitar. We’re writing songs. All right, let’s try singing. All right, now, let’s try playing on stage and it be my own band. I’ve just loved the journey, you know. And so for me, it’s just always been fun chasing that .

And playing at Kyle Field in College Station in front of 110,905 fans was the epitome of fun.

“To see that many people watching, just good country music. There wasn’t like some fancy light show, there wasn’t glitter falling from the sky, you know, it was just honest country music (with) no tracks behind there,” she said. “It’s just the raw country music of connecting with people. And it just reminded me that people still love that. Like they’re not looking for, you know, they don’t have to have all the fancy stuff always.”

Offerman still calls Texas home even though she lives in Nashville with her husband when she’s not playing gigs across the country.

And even though she said it feels like yesterday, she’s had a long road between playing Wurstfest and polka gigs and playing in front of a sold-out stadium.

“I’ve played everything from funerals to pizza parlors to weddings, you know, whatever. I’ve done it all,” Offerman said.

Her music career has taught her patience and perseverance because it’s not every day that you get a call from George Strait. But, then again, on some days, you do.

“I am putting it out there in the world and saying prayers for more George, in 2025,” Offerman said. “That has been one of the biggest, surprises and blessings in my life. And if I just had a tour with me, Parker McCollum and George, that’s all I really need. That’s all I really want in life. So I’m like, add it to your prayer list, people.”

Check Offerman’s website or Instagram to get the latest on her tour dates including a still-to-be-announced show at Gruene Hall in October.

Want to hear how Catie Offerman first met George Strait in a San Antonio hair salon? Watch the video below to hear her tell it:

About the Author

Julie moreno.

Julie Moreno has worked in local television news for more than 25 years. She came to KSAT as a news producer in 2000. After producing thousands of newscasts, she transitioned to the digital team in 2015. She writes on a wide variety of topics from breaking news to trending stories and manages KSAT’s daily digital content strategy.

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