Philadelphia’s Multicultural Affairs Congress (MAC), a division of the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau (PCVB), and the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation (DRWC) are proud to announce that Grammy-nominated vocalist Kenny Lattimore, singer/songwriter Elle Varner and R&B crooner Luke James, have joined the Global Fusion Festival (GFF) as headline artists. Philadelphia’s largest one-day festival takes place on Saturday, July 21st from noon – 8 PM at Penn’s Landing, Great Plaza and is a part of Global Fusion Week, which runs from Monday, July 16th – Sunday, July 22nd.
This must-attend event, themed “Rhapsody”, features cultural performers, multicultural vendors, a children’s pavilion and a FREE concert known for its Grammy award-winning entertainers and diverse talent line-up. The festival celebrates the coming together on stage of Philadelphia’s African Diaspora, Hispanic, Caribbean and Asian cultures in a show of unity. The show is an integral part of PECO’s Summer-long Multicultural Festival Series at Penn’s Landing.
After graduating from college, Kenny Lattimore was awarded a solo recording deal with Columbia Records and released his self-titled 1996 debut. That album went Gold and spawned the hit single “Never Too Busy” and the perennial wedding song “For You,” winning Lattimore a reputation as a dynamic and romantic performer. The album’s success earned him an NAACP Image Award as Best New Artist.
In 2003, Lattimore released “Things That Lovers Do”, a well-received album of duets with his ex-wife and fellow R&B star Chanté Moore. His newly released song, “Find A Way,” is the first single from his forthcoming album, “Back 2 Cool “, which is due out this summer.
Born Gabrielle Shellise Varner, Elle Varner is a graduate of New York University’s renowned Clive Davis Department of Recorded Music. Signed with MBK/J-RCA Records in 2009, she released her debut single “Only Wanna Give It to You” featuring rapper J. Cole in 2011. The song peaked at #20 on the U.S. Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and was followed by her second single “Refill” in January 2012, which is currently in heavy rotation on radio stations nationwide. Varner’s self-written debut, “Perfectly Imperfect” is due to be released later this year.
Luke James is a singer/songwriter who first came to the nation’s attention after a standout performance at the 2012 BET Honors show. More recently, he was the sole opening act for icon Beyonce’s sold-out Atlantic City concert. A former background vocalist for R&B singer Tyrese, James began honing his skills as a songwriter nearly four years ago.
Since then, he has collaborated on songs for Chris Brown, Justin Bieber, Brittany Spears, Keri Hilson and Brandy. In preparation for his debut solo album “Made To Love”, James joined 2011 GFF performer Estelle on the BET Music Matters Tour in February.
While GFF was initially produced by MAC to celebrate their 20th anniversary, this year MAC and DRWC partner to offer an even more spectacular event than the past five years. The festival has expanded from a two-day event entertaining more than 5,000 people, to a weeklong celebration attracting more than 30,000 attendees. Past festival headliners include: Melanie Fiona, Estelle, Meek Mill, Marsha Ambrosius, En Vogue, Bell Biv Devoe, Jazmine Sullivan, Huey Dunbar, Oro Solido, Bobby V, James Fortune and Eric Benet among others.
Visit www.GlobalFusionFestival.com for an updated list of performers, vendors and sponsors. For more information on performing or vending opportunities, call 215-636-3322 or email [email protected].
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