By Matt Wake
For the second year in a row, Huntsville, Alabama will welcome a new multi-day music festival with notable headliners.
Following South Star Music Festival’s 2024 debut, the inaugural Camellia Music & Arts Festival is set for April 25 – 27 at Orion Amphitheater.
While the two-day South Star boasted ‘90s-famed pop and rock artists, like Gwen Stefani, TLC and Rage Against The Machine’s Tom Morello, Camellia spotlights R&B and rap.
Camellia headliners include: Kehlani, an R&B singer/songwriter nominated for three Grammys this year; Big Boi, half of legendary Southern rap duo Outkast; Alabama-born MC and trap-music pioneer Gucci Mane; and Grammy-nominated Atlanta rapper JID, whose collabo track with the band Imagine Dragons, “Enemy,” has been streamed more than a billion times on Spotify.
Kehlani’s hits include “Gansta,” “Nights Like This” and “Toxic.” The singer’s also featured on other stars’ tracks, including “Ring” by Cardi B. Big Boi’s fast flow can be heard on Outkast classics like “The Way You Move,” “Rosa Parks” and “So Fresh, So Clean.” Gucci Mane bangers include “Wake Up in the Sky,” “Love Somebody” and “I Get the Bag.”
Big Boi had been slated to perform at South Star’s ‘24 debut. But his Sunday set, along with all other performances that day, was canceled due to muddy conditions at South Star’s John Hunt Park site.
Those artists will feature Saturday and Sunday at Camellia. Other acts set for Saturday and Sunday include: dancehall songstress Amaria, Arkansas-via L.A. singer/songwriter Black Party, New York raised singer Pamè and Huntsville-born Chicago rapper Mick Jenkins.
Camellia’s opening day on Friday is a free event highlighting local music. According to a press release, Friday acts include Pat Jamar, O’Rian, Meme B. Jones and Jazz McKenzie.
Other Huntsville artists set to perform at Camellia include: Chelsea, Who?, Element XI, DJ Carl, DJ Zach Alan, DJ Donye West, Dray the Voice, Rachelle Shire, DJ Soy and DJ Tesha Jay.
In comparison, only one local act, rock and soul talents Billy Allen + The Pollies, was booked to play South Star’s debut.
Food trucks and local vendors are also part of Camellia’s programming.
Saturday and Sunday tickets for Camellia Festival go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday. Prices are $55.00 – $155.00 per day via axs.com. Two-day passes will also be available. As of publishing of this story, neither two-day pass prices nor day-by-day music lineups were available.
A website for the fest has been launched at camelliafestival.com. Camellia is being produced by Allied Presents, a promotion company that brought John Legend to Orion Amphitheater in 2025 and is bringing comedian Kevin Hart to Orion this year.
