Closing this year's main stage in the Superdome on the festival’s opening night, Friday, July 1 will be Usher!!!

The complete night-by-night lineup is as follows:

Friday, July 1: Usher, Charlie Wilson, Jennifer Hudson, Fantasia, Boyz II Men, Macy Gray, Dwele, Alexander O’Neal and Cherrelle, Mint Condition, the Soul Rebels Brass Band, Tank, Miguel, Noel Gourdin, Mavis Staples, Irma Thomas.

Saturday, July 2: Kanye West, Jill Scott, Chaka Khan, El Debarge, Eric Benet, Timothy Bloom, Morris Day & The Time, Shamarr Allen & the Underdawgs, Stephanie Mills, the Charmaine Neville Band, Naughty by Nature, the To Be Continued Brass Band.

Sunday, July 3: Mary J Blige, New Edition, Trey Songz, Kem, Loose Ends, Hal Linton, Kourtney Heart, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, the Rebirth Brass Band, Kelly Price, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Trin-i-Tee 5:7, Brian Courtney Wilson, MC Lyte, Doug E. Fresh, the Hot 8 Brass Band.

Single-night tickets and weekend passes to Essence are on sale now through Ticketmaster.