As Essence Festival 2025 comes to a close, singer, songwriter, and actress Stephanie Mills shared her experience as a performer in a letter addressed to the organizers following a set interrupted by technical difficulties.

She began by expressing gratitude for the opportunity to perform, but noted that she couldn’t fully enjoy the moment or entertain the audience due to major production issues.

“The challenges I encountered were multifaceted and, in my view, indicative of broader organizational shortcomings,” she wrote. “The scheduling and time management were severely lacking, creating a chaotic and stressful environment backstage. This disorganization cascaded onto the stage, impacting the flow of the event and ultimately diminishing the quality of the performances.”

Attendees echoed her concerns, pointing to a noticeable shift in the event’s structure and a lack of Black American cultural representation. One X user tweeted, “Essence Fest lost its essence this year. I’ve always respected what the Essence Festival stood for — celebrating Black culture, community, music, and excellence. But this past weekend was off. From the performances starting late, to the questionable artist selections, to the lack of inclusivity in the convention center programming — it just didn’t feel like the Essence I’ve known and loved. It felt commercial. Disconnected. As if the soul of the festival got lost in the noise.”

On Saturday night (July 5), Lauryn Hill’s set didn’t begin until after 2:30 a.m. While she’s often associated with late arrivals, Essence organizers clarified that she arrived on time, and the delay was not her fault. One X user backed that up, tweeting, “And for once it wasn't her damn fault. The event was run terribly, everybody's sets were insanely delayed and most ALSO ran long. They been doing essencefest for eight trillion years now, there's no reason for it to be this disorganized.”

In her letter, Mills also raised concerns about the level of professionalism, writing that it fell short of the standards expected from a festival of this stature. She called for a comprehensive review of the festival’s organizational structure and operations.

“I sincerely hope that my feedback will be taken seriously and utilized to address these significant concerns, ensuring a vastly improved experience for both artists and attendees in the years to come.”