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Tony, EMMY, and GRAMMY Award–nominated performer N’Kenge has shared the music video for her new single, “S’Wonderful,” the second track from her 2025 album, CENTERSTAGE – Live from the Ella Fitzgerald Festival. Check out the video for the reimagining of the Gershwin brothers’ 1927 standard.
CENTERSTAGE – Live from the Ella Fitzgerald Festival came to life earlier this year, when N’Kenge was selected with the honor of headlining the Ella Fitzgerald Festival. To N’Kenge, this opportunity “felt like a beautiful homage to the legacy of one of my greatest inspirations.”
N’Kenge heralded the release of CENTERSTAGE – Live from the Ella Fitzgerald Festival, with the lead single “Bewitched – Live.” The track peaked at #22 on the Smooth Jazz Radio Airplay Chart, and it recently became the No. 2 most-added song in the format with six new station adds. The single also recently broke into the Smooth Jazz Global Top 50 Listener Countdown, reaching #34 on the Smooth Jazz Global Radar Chart.
Alongside CENTERSTAGE, N’Kenge will be premiering That’s Love! The Dorothy Dandridge Musical – previews begin February 19, 2026, followed by opening night on February 21, 2026 at Axelrod Performing Arts Center in Deal Park, NJ. The production runs through March 8, 2026. To purchase tickets, visit here.
N’Kenge is directing the world premiere alongside Broadway veteran Christina Sajous (A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical). Blending Broadway, jazz, blues, and cinematic storytelling, the musical follows Dandridge’s rise from humble beginnings to becoming the first Black woman nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress.
The creative team brings together award-winning talent across disciplines. Two-time EMMY Award-winner Trey Ellis provides the book and original lyrics, while Tony Award-winner Shelton L. Becton contributes the original music and original lyrics. Choreography is crafted by Ray Mercer (Disney’s The Lion King), and the musical arrangements are shaped by GRAMMY Award–nominated artist Everett Bradley. T
The N’Kenge Foundation supports programs that expand artistic access and education — including Beyond the Spotlight, which helps students look past the glamour and understand an artist’s full journey. Using Dorothy Dandridge’s life as a case study, the program explores the pressures, racism, financial struggles, and emotional costs she faced. Students gain tools in mindfulness, mental wellness, and basic financial literacy, learning how resilience is built, how creativity supports well-being, and why caring for both mind and money is essential for a sustainable artistic life.
That’s Love! The Dorothy Dandridge Musical began with two sold-out nights at Carnegie Hall during its concert debut and later held three sold-out performances at the New York Theatre Festival. Most recently, the creative team presented an exclusive, invite-only staged reading for industry professionals at the newly renovated Laurie Beechman Theater.
N’Kenge Live Dates
12/5 New York, NY @ Urban Stages
12/8 New York, NY @ Madame George
12/23 St. Johns, Antigua
12/24 Philipsburg, St. Maarten
12/25 San Juan, Puerto Rico
12/26 Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
ABOUT N’KENGE
A Tony, Emmy, and Grammy-nominated performer, N’Kenge has headlined with major orchestras including the Cleveland Orchestra, Houston Symphony, Edmonton Symphony, and Jacksonville Symphony, and performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and Madison Square Garden.
She has appeared on Broadway in Sondheim on Sondheim, Motown: The Musical, and Caroline, or Change, originated the role of The Moon, and performed at the Commander-in-Chief Inaugural Ball for President Obama, televised internationally. In 2026, she premieres a new Motown and Rock ’n’ Roll symphonic concert with the Jacksonville Symphony, and leads the world premiere of That’s Love! The Dorothy Dandridge Musical at the Axelrod Performing Arts Center.
Photo Credit: Matei Mahai
