By all accounts, the 2014 Essence Music Festival was a smashing success. From Prince’s headlining set on July 4 (during which Trombone Shorty came out to jam) to Lionel Richie closing things out on July 6, there were great performances lined up back to back in the Mercedes Benz Superdome.
Photographer Pompo Bresciani was there to catch all the action as The Roots, Janelle Monáe, Charlie Wilson, Mary J. Blige, Tank, Erykah Badu, and more entertained the Essence Fest crowds.
All photos by Pompo Bresciani. Click here to view the gallery on Flickr.
![Janelle Monáe at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6](https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3868/14596264202_7d48e87be9_m.jpg)
Janelle Monáe at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6
![Janelle Monáe at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6](https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3849/14410279350_817ba92645_m.jpg)
Janelle Monáe at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6
![Prince at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6](https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3863/14596264102_04a03d2a80_m.jpg)
Prince at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6
![Prince at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6](https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3861/14410312008_2b34b48dfe_m.jpg)
Prince at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6
![Prince and Trombone Shorty at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6](https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3852/14410488777_db0f36ee31_m.jpg)
Prince and Trombone Shorty at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6
![Tank at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6](https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2905/14410279260_b36bbcf113_m.jpg)
Tank at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6
![Mary J. Blige at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6](https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2898/14410279150_04e2c09bab_m.jpg)
Mary J. Blige at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6
![Mary J. Blige at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6](https://farm6.static.flickr.com/5479/14593624631_374a8e4bb6_m.jpg)
Mary J. Blige at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6
![Nephew Tommy at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6](https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2913/14410279090_115f689cec_m.jpg)
Nephew Tommy at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6
![Erykah Badu at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6](https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2901/14594993174_4edfa73a4d_m.jpg)
Erykah Badu at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6
![Lionel Richie at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6](https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3875/14573879256_6216867241_m.jpg)
Lionel Richie at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6
![Estelle at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6](https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2914/14573879226_2ae907435d_m.jpg)
Estelle at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6
![Prince at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6](https://farm6.static.flickr.com/5492/14596913395_2af9b948e4_m.jpg)
Prince at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6
![Tank at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6](https://farm6.static.flickr.com/5537/14410488577_f29272ecb9_m.jpg)
Tank at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6
![Ledisi at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6](https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3883/14573879136_52a853a44b_m.jpg)
Ledisi at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6
![The Roots at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6](https://farm6.static.flickr.com/5535/14616992693_04d020d9e1_m.jpg)
The Roots at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6
![Common with the Roots at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6](https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2934/14410278880_423643e5df_m.jpg)
Common with the Roots at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6
![Jill Scott at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6](https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3870/14573879036_0887c8b3a0_m.jpg)
Jill Scott at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6
![Mary J. Blige at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6](https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2920/14593624271_d7a31aace2_m.jpg)
Mary J. Blige at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6
![Mary J. Blige at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6](https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2917/14596263642_db87bbcc43_m.jpg)
Mary J. Blige at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6
![Mayor Mitch Landrieu at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6](https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2921/14410278780_1c1e7ef939_m.jpg)
Mayor Mitch Landrieu at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6
![Tamar Braxton at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6](https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2931/14410488347_bd5b5763dc_m.jpg)
Tamar Braxton at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6
![Charlie Wilson at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6](https://farm6.static.flickr.com/5529/14593624111_29381f164c_m.jpg)
Charlie Wilson at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6
![Charlie Wilson at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6](https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2904/14593624071_a77875a3d9_m.jpg)
Charlie Wilson at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6
![Charlie Wilson at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6](https://farm6.static.flickr.com/5474/14616992323_5ca1eba07d_m.jpg)
Charlie Wilson at Essence Fest 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 3-6