Appearing on the national radio show Ask, Talk & Listen with Leroy Jones, Jr., R&B crooner Leon Bridges talked about why performing at ESSENCE Festival, held June 30-July 3 in New Orleans, means so much to him. “It’s truly an honor because all of my family is from New Orleans,” he said. “And my family has been attending the ESSENCE Festival since the early ’90s.
“So…as their son, as their nephew, it’s an honor to be playing music at ESSENCE Festival for my people. That is definitely going to be a refreshing and beautiful time for me.”
ESSENCE Festival Artist Leon Bridges: My Life in 10 Songs
Bridges, who won a Grammy nomination for his 2015 debut Coming Home, is hoping to school some young fans with his retro-soul sounds. “It’s harder for the youhger generation, like myself, to understand what I’m doing because the culture has changed,” he said. “If you’re a young man bringing back this old thing, some people don’t understand it.”
ESSENCE Fest Retro-Soul Man Leon Bridges Kicks It Old and New School
But with his timeless style, Bridges believes his music can be appreciated and enjoyed by all generations: “I want to make music that can bless everyone.”
Listen to the entire interview below.
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