Brandy & Monica, Kes the Band & Tems Dazzle at Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival 2026: 5 Best Moments
The sprawling festival blended local talent with international superstars at its latest staging. Get all the details.
Black News 
In an era overwhelmed with myriad festivals boasting painfully interchangeable lineups, Saint Lucia’s annual Jazz & Arts Festival is offering a truly fresh take on the medium.
On Mothers’ Day (May 10), Grammy-winning R&B superstars Brandy and Monica helped bring the sprawling festival to a close, marking the conclusion to just over two weeks of celebration across music, film, theatre, culinary arts, poetry, visual art and dance. Established in 1992, with assistance from BET J, Saint Lucia Jazz began as a celebration of the island nation’s rich jazz music scene, eventually rebranding into an independent, genre-agnostic event by 2013. From The Isley Brothers to Amy Winehouse and from Elton John to Ciara, a litany of international giants have graced Saint Lucia Jazz — but the festival remains committed to centering and spotlighting local talent.
The festivities formally kicked off on April 24 with an event honoring the late Mr. Edward “Chef Harry” Joseph, a legend in Saint Lucian cuisine, with the 2026 Cultural Icon Award. Over the following two weeks, several locations across the island were converted into performance and showcase spaces for virtually every discipline. Caribbean Cinemas movie theaters played films such as Elijah Anatole’s Heartfall, the acclaimed Sandals Grande resort hosted a performance of playwright Kendel Hippolyte’s Triptych, acclaimed spoken word artist George “Fish” Alphonse treated the town of Anse La Raye to his timeless storytelling, the National Cultural center in the capital city of Castries brought together moving poets like Linton Kwesi Johnson, and pop up concerts deligthed patrons across Anchorage Car Park, Pointe Serpahine, Constitution Park and Rodney Bay Marina.
Opening night of the music festival began on April 30, with high-octane sets from Caribbean stars such as Capleton, Asa Bantan, D’yani and Valiant, with Pure Jazz — the first of two nights solely dedicated to festival’s foundational music genre following on May 5. Five-time Grammy winner Esperanza Spalding headlined that femme-forward night, which also featured sets from Saint Lucian singers Leanda Modeste and Camille Charlamagne. The second Pure Jazz night (May 7), focused on the men, featuring lively performances by the Echoes drum crew, jazz pianist Jesse Billy and the Grammy-winning Branford Marsalis Quartet. In between those two nights, Saint Luzia Jazz went to church with Kingdom Night (May 6), which featured moving sets from the likes of Tye Tribbett, Ada Ehi and Shirleyann Cyril-Mayers.
After roughly half a month of expertly curated artistic celebrations, the 2026 Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival kicked into full gear with Caribbean Fusion on Friday (May 8). Blending classic reggae covers and contemporary tunes from Skip Marley, a hit-packed soca set from Kes the Band and a smoldering dancehall performance by Dexta Daps, Caribbean Fusion leaned into the power of variety. World Beats followed on Saturday (May 9), with Grammy winners Ella Mai and Tems leading a global lineup that also included Les Aiglons de Guadeloupe, Martinician zouk star Princess Lover and Saint Lucia’s very own Lu City. Ahead of Brandy & Monica’s set to close out the Ultimate Celebration on Sunday night (May 10), Pigeon Island enjoyed performances by Grammy-winning Trinidadian-British singer Billy Ocean and Olivier Award-winner Beverly Knight.
With perfect tropical weather coiniciding with a winning lineup and Saint Lucia’s rich cultural fabric, this year’s Jazz & Arts Festival reminded its thousands of patrons why the celebration remains a must-attend event year after year.
Here are the five best moments from the 2026 Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival.
