Cardi B Joins Global Citizen Festival Lineup, Replacing the Weeknd
Cardi B will join the lineup for the Global Citizen Festival in New York this Saturday, the festival has announced, replacing the Weeknd, who will no longer perform at the event due to personal reasons.
“Central Park, I’m coming for you!!!,” Cardi B said in an enthusiastic statement. “I can’t wait to be home in New York, and to bring my new songs and all the DRAMA to the Global Citizen Festival.
“This one’s not like other music festivals — this one is about coming together to help children around the world, and I’m so proud to support such an important cause,” she continued. “New York City — see you Saturday. Let’s get it!!!”
Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye said in a statement, “I regret to share that, due to personal reasons, I am unable to perform at Global Citizen. Thank you to my fans for taking action with them, as I believe in their mission deeply. Thank you for your understanding and support.”
Global Citizen co-founder & CEO Hugh Evans said, “We are incredibly grateful to Cardi B, who has joined the Global Citizen Festival line-up. She’s an outstanding performer, who will light up Central Park in spectacular fashion. We wish the Weeknd support and want to thank him and his fans for all taking action with us to help end extreme poverty.” (Ironically, both Cardi and the Weeknd performed at the festival in 2018, although that event was marred by mistaken reports of a gunshot, which police said was actually caused by “an attendee(s) stepping on and popping a drink bottle(s).”)
Cardi joins a lineup featuring Shakira, Tyla, Ayra Starr, Mariah the Scientist, Camilo and Elyanna. The festival will take place on Central Park’s Great Lawn on September 27, with Global Citizen ambassador Hugh Jackman returning as host.
Tickets to the Global Citizen Festival are available and can be earned by taking action to help end extreme poverty on the Global Citizen app. Ticket holders who wish to seek refunds are advised to check their email, where they will receive instructions from Ticketmaster.
The 2025 Global Citizen Festival will stream live around the world on Saturday, September 27th on YouTube, Apple Music and the Apple TV app, the Amazon Music En Vivo channel on Twitch, the Amazon Live FAST channel on Prime Video and FireTV, Brut, DITU, iHeartRadio, Mediacorp, Veeps, ViX, VIZIO WatchFree+, the Global Citizen website and the Global Citizen app, and broadcast theatrically in India with PVR INOX Cinemas on Sunday, September 28th. This year’s Global Citizen Festival official watch party will live stream starting at 5:00pm at Hudson Yards in the Public Square and Gardens. Visit www.globalcitizen.watch to tune in around the world.
Cardi released her long-awaited second album, “Am I the Drama?,” on Friday, and announced that her “Little Miss Drama” tour will begin in February 2026.
The Weeknd wrapped a three-month North American leg of his long-running “After Hours Til Dawn” tour in Texas early in September. The tour resumes in in April for dates in Mexico and Brazil before continuing in Europe in July.
The 2025 Global Citizen Festival campaign will focus on providing energy access for 1 million people across Africa, ensuring 30,000 children around the world can access a quality education as well as soccer, in partnership with FIFA. The event aims to mobilize $200 million to protect 30 million hectares of the Amazon rainforest, and registering 40,000 New Yorkers to volunteer across the City Tickets to the Global Citizen Festival are free and can be earned by taking action on these issues on the Global Citizen app or at globalcitizenfestival.com.
The Global Citizen Festival is presented by Cisco. Major Partners are Authentic Brands Group, Bridgewater Associates, Delta Air Lines, PayPal and Venmo, and P&G; Production Partner Live Nation; Exclusive U.S. Audio Partner iHeartMedia; and Location Partner New York City Parks. The 2025 Global Citizen Festival is produced by Emmy Award winning production companies Done+Dusted and Diversified Production Services.
To earn free tickets to the 2025 Global Citizen Festival, download the Global Citizen app or visit globalcitizenfestival.com and take action towards three campaigns goals:
Goal 1: Provide Energy Access for 1 Million People Across Africa
Goal 2: Mobilize $200 Million to Protect 30 Million Hectares of the Amazon Rainforest
Goal 3: Provide Access to Education for 30,000 Children Around the World
The 2025 Global Citizen Festival campaign is also calling on governments, philanthropies, and the private sector to fund essential services of healthcare, nutrition, and safe classrooms that make it possible for children to access educational opportunities.
The Global Citizen Festival supports and partners with mission-aligned nonprofit organizations across New York’s five boroughs, including: Bowery Mission, Covenant House, Breaking Ground, Citymeals on Wheels, Henry Street Settlement, Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy, South Asian Youth Action (SAYA), South Bronx Unite and WIN (Women in Need, Inc). Additionally, Global Citizen is partnering with Goodera to drive 40,000 to sign-up for volunteer opportunities to earn points towards festival tickets by providing career development mentorship for young people around the world, such as resume guidance, and interview coaching.
“Central Park, I’m coming for you!!!,” Cardi B said in an enthusiastic statement. “I can’t wait to be home in New York, and to bring my new songs and all the DRAMA to the Global Citizen Festival.
“This one’s not like other music festivals — this one is about coming together to help children around the world, and I’m so proud to support such an important cause,” she continued. “New York City — see you Saturday. Let’s get it!!!”
Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye said in a statement, “I regret to share that, due to personal reasons, I am unable to perform at Global Citizen. Thank you to my fans for taking action with them, as I believe in their mission deeply. Thank you for your understanding and support.”
Global Citizen co-founder & CEO Hugh Evans said, “We are incredibly grateful to Cardi B, who has joined the Global Citizen Festival line-up. She’s an outstanding performer, who will light up Central Park in spectacular fashion. We wish the Weeknd support and want to thank him and his fans for all taking action with us to help end extreme poverty.” (Ironically, both Cardi and the Weeknd performed at the festival in 2018, although that event was marred by mistaken reports of a gunshot, which police said was actually caused by “an attendee(s) stepping on and popping a drink bottle(s).”)
Cardi joins a lineup featuring Shakira, Tyla, Ayra Starr, Mariah the Scientist, Camilo and Elyanna. The festival will take place on Central Park’s Great Lawn on September 27, with Global Citizen ambassador Hugh Jackman returning as host.
Tickets to the Global Citizen Festival are available and can be earned by taking action to help end extreme poverty on the Global Citizen app. Ticket holders who wish to seek refunds are advised to check their email, where they will receive instructions from Ticketmaster.
The 2025 Global Citizen Festival will stream live around the world on Saturday, September 27th on YouTube, Apple Music and the Apple TV app, the Amazon Music En Vivo channel on Twitch, the Amazon Live FAST channel on Prime Video and FireTV, Brut, DITU, iHeartRadio, Mediacorp, Veeps, ViX, VIZIO WatchFree+, the Global Citizen website and the Global Citizen app, and broadcast theatrically in India with PVR INOX Cinemas on Sunday, September 28th. This year’s Global Citizen Festival official watch party will live stream starting at 5:00pm at Hudson Yards in the Public Square and Gardens. Visit www.globalcitizen.watch to tune in around the world.
Cardi released her long-awaited second album, “Am I the Drama?,” on Friday, and announced that her “Little Miss Drama” tour will begin in February 2026.
The Weeknd wrapped a three-month North American leg of his long-running “After Hours Til Dawn” tour in Texas early in September. The tour resumes in in April for dates in Mexico and Brazil before continuing in Europe in July.
The 2025 Global Citizen Festival campaign will focus on providing energy access for 1 million people across Africa, ensuring 30,000 children around the world can access a quality education as well as soccer, in partnership with FIFA. The event aims to mobilize $200 million to protect 30 million hectares of the Amazon rainforest, and registering 40,000 New Yorkers to volunteer across the City Tickets to the Global Citizen Festival are free and can be earned by taking action on these issues on the Global Citizen app or at globalcitizenfestival.com.
The Global Citizen Festival is presented by Cisco. Major Partners are Authentic Brands Group, Bridgewater Associates, Delta Air Lines, PayPal and Venmo, and P&G; Production Partner Live Nation; Exclusive U.S. Audio Partner iHeartMedia; and Location Partner New York City Parks. The 2025 Global Citizen Festival is produced by Emmy Award winning production companies Done+Dusted and Diversified Production Services.
To earn free tickets to the 2025 Global Citizen Festival, download the Global Citizen app or visit globalcitizenfestival.com and take action towards three campaigns goals:
Goal 1: Provide Energy Access for 1 Million People Across Africa
Goal 2: Mobilize $200 Million to Protect 30 Million Hectares of the Amazon Rainforest
Goal 3: Provide Access to Education for 30,000 Children Around the World
The 2025 Global Citizen Festival campaign is also calling on governments, philanthropies, and the private sector to fund essential services of healthcare, nutrition, and safe classrooms that make it possible for children to access educational opportunities.
The Global Citizen Festival supports and partners with mission-aligned nonprofit organizations across New York’s five boroughs, including: Bowery Mission, Covenant House, Breaking Ground, Citymeals on Wheels, Henry Street Settlement, Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy, South Asian Youth Action (SAYA), South Bronx Unite and WIN (Women in Need, Inc). Additionally, Global Citizen is partnering with Goodera to drive 40,000 to sign-up for volunteer opportunities to earn points towards festival tickets by providing career development mentorship for young people around the world, such as resume guidance, and interview coaching.