Swoon-Worthy Stunners Who Slayed At Essence Fest 2025

Source: Josh Brasted/Getty Images for ESSENCE

The baddies were on the ground at this year’s energy-elevating Essence Fest where culture collided with community at the star-powered spectacular in the heart of the Big Easy.

Surrounded by stunners, attendees were treated to every of flavor of eye candy from Coco Jones to Keke Palmer who brought her hit podcast Baby, This is Keke Palmer to the Essence main stage for a special live-taping.

Joined by golden-penned Grammy-winner/reality star Kandi Burruss, Keke delivered her signature brand of hilarity while vibing with her hitmaking guest in front of an overflowing crowd in the convention center.

Source: Paras Griffin/Getty Images for ESSENCE

Source: Paras Griffin/Getty Images for ESSENCE

Source: Paras Griffin/Getty Images for ESSENCE

The multi-jobbed maven also dropped an exclusive clip of her upcoming comedy-heist film The Pickup starring Eddie Murphy and Pete Davidson coming to Prime Video on August 6.

In The Pickup, mismatched armored truck drivers, Russell (Eddie Murphy) and Travis (Pete Davidson), find themselves caught up in Keke’s $60 million casino robbery plot with plans that go way beyond the cash cargo.

Source: Amazon MGM Studios

As chaos unfolds around them, the unlikely duo must navigate high-octane danger, clashing personalities and one very bad day that keeps getting worse.

Check out the trailer below:

Directed by Tim Story (The Blackening, Ride Along, and Barbershop), the surefire streaming hit also stars Eva Longoria, Marshawn Lynch, Joe “Roman Reigns” Anoa’i, Andrew Dice Clay, and Ismael Cruz Córdova.

“He’s an icon,” said Story about working with Murphy during an appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show.

“We hear a lot about comedians talking about how much he’s made an impact on them, [but] sometimes you don’t hear how he’s impacted filmmaking…he’s a big reason why I make the movies I make.”

Will you be seated for The Pickup? Tell us down below and enjoy our gallery of fly girls, queen muvas and viral stunners who slayed Essence Fest 2025 on the flip.