*(Brooklyn, NY) – On Saturday, April 4, The Billie Holiday Theatre, one of the nation’s preeminent arts and culture organizations, will present the season finale of BILLIE & BEYOND – the institution’s acclaimed music series inspired by the artistry and legacy of its iconic namesake, jazz legend Billie Holiday.
The series – launched in Fall 2024 – is co-curated with veteran journalist, TV/film writer, and producer Bonsu Thompson and celebrates the next generation of women artists shaping the future of Black music, creative expression, and cultural exchange. Commemorating the 111th anniversary of Billie Holiday’s birth on April 7, this special edition of BILLIE & BEYOND will be headlined by South African singer yolizama. Hosted by spoken word artist Shanelle Gabriel, the evening will also include a two-part performance by poet Mahogany L. Browne and music by DJ Tadi.
A compelling vocalist with a sound rooted in jazz, soul, and global musical traditions, yolizama brings a powerful blend of storytelling and musical expression to the stage. Born in South Africa and based in Brooklyn, she is a singer-songwriter, storyteller, and cultural curator whose music reflects a deeply personal and global sensibility. Singing in both isiXhosa and English, she fuses the lush, organic textures of Southern African music with the rich and dynamic melodies of folk and soul. Known for her expressive voice and magnetic stage presence, yolizama delivers an intimate yet electrifying performance style that resonates deeply with audiences. Her artistic influences include Miriam Makeba, Busi Mhlongo, Joni Mitchell, and Tracy Chapman, artists whose work also bridges cultural traditions and musical storytelling.
The show will kick off with an electrifying performance by writer, playwright, organizer, and educator Mahogany L. Browne. One of the most celebrated voices in contemporary poetry, Browne is an Emmy and NAACP Image Award nominee, an Audie Award finalist, a 2022 Kennedy Center Next 50 Fellow, and the inaugural Poet-in-Residence at Lincoln Center. Her poetry collection Chrome Valley won the 2024 Paterson Poetry Prize, and her young adult novel Chlorine Sky was longlisted for the National Book Award. Known for work that moves seamlessly between performance, literature, and cultural activism, Browne brings a powerful poetic voice that will set the tone for the evening of bold artistic expression.
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Guiding the night’s festivities is host Shanelle Gabriel, a celebrated poet, singer, and performer known for her powerful stage presence and ability to weave together music and spoken word. The evening will also feature a lively set by DJ Tadi, creating a dynamic sonic backdrop throughout the event.
“BILLIE & BEYOND was created to honor the enduring legacy of Billie Holiday by uplifting the next generation of artists whose work reflects the same depth, courage, and creative spirit that defined her career,” said Shadawn Smith, Executive Director of The Billie Holiday Theatre. “Closing this season with yolizama alongside the extraordinary Mahogany L. Browne, feels especially meaningful as we celebrate Lady Day’s birthday and continue The Billie’s commitment to presenting bold, visionary voices.”
BILLIE & BEYOND continues the institution’s 2025-2026 season featuring an exciting and expansive lineup celebrating the best in Black artistry. Centering around the theme of “Power,” this season will explore the meaning, manifestations, and complexities of power across the Black experience – including individual, collective, familial structures and institutional systems. This year’s programming features an exciting and expanded lineup to also include community focused events, music, dance presentations, special editions of core programs and, of course, theatrical productions uniquely curated to The Billie’s standard of excellence.
TICKETS: Early bird tickets – $25 (available through Sunday, March 31, 2026; $35 ticket price (beginning Monday, April 1, 2026 – online and at the box office); Group tickets available; Groups of 10 or more, may contact Ms. Edna Fulton – [email protected]
To purchase tickets for events under BILLIE & BEYOND series, please click HERE
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BILLIE & BEYOND Featuring Yoli Zama
Date: Saturday, April 4, 2026
Lobby Doors Open: 7PM
Performance: 8PM
Address: The Billie Holiday Theatre – (1368 Fulton Street – Brooklyn, NY 11216)
PARTNERS
Lead support for the 2025-2026 season is provided by the Altman Foundation, Ford Foundation, Howard Gilman Foundation, The Pierre and Tana Matisse Foundation and the Pinkerton Foundation.
Our ability to tell stories that matter in the epicenter of the largest community of people of African descent in the nation is made possible with support from our partners: Booth Ferris Foundation, Rose M. Badgeley Residuary Charitable Trust, Mertz Gilmore Foundation, Harkness Foundation for Dance, Lucille Lortel Foundation, Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, The Shubert Foundation.
The Billie Holiday Theatre, Inc. is a proud member of the Coalition of Theatres of Color (CTC). Public funds are provided from the Office of the Mayor of the City of New York with the support of Mayor Zohran Mamdani and New York City Department of Cultural Affairs with the support of Commissioner Laurie Cumbo in partnership with City Council Speaker Julie Menin and Council Member Chi Ossé. The New York State Council on the Arts also provides generous public funding.
About The Billie Holiday Theatre
The AUDELCO, Obie, and National Medal for the Arts award-winning Billie Holiday Theatre is an artistic anchor to the largest African American community in the nation: Central Brooklyn and one of the last remaining theaters forged in the aesthetic and sociocultural kiln of America’s Civil Rights/Black Arts Movements. Founded in May 1972, The Billie Holiday Theatre is a beacon for world class art rooted in racial justice in the heart of Bed-Stuy: producing, presenting, and commissioning new and classic works and festivals in theater, dance, music, visual arts, and film; providing artistic and institutional residencies; and serving ages 3 to 103 with dynamic and accessible educational programming.
For bold and daring artists and audiences from around the corner and around the world who look to The Billie as a rigorous artistic space that tackles racial injustices, presents new and unapologetic voices, and imagines a world where all people can flourish…welcome home.
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