Sydney doesn’t get many festivals like this. Fridayz Live 2025 at Engie Stadium pulled over 40,000 people for a nostalgic celebration of R&B, hip hop, and hip-pop. Organizers Illusive Presents and Frontier Touring deserve serious credit for putting together a lineup that pulled such a massive crowd, mixing eras and styles from 90s and early 2000s icons to southern crunk and crossover acts.

It felt like a festival built for a wide demographic, and it worked. Whether you came for Mariah Carey’s timeless vocals, Eve’s Philly swagger, or Lil Jon’s raw energy, there was something for every generation of R&B and hip hop fans. The production and sound were excellent, clean and bass-heavy without distortion, with tight visuals, transitions, and lighting cues throughout the night.

It was one of the most diverse crowds we’ve seen at a Sydney stadium show, with parents partying with their kids, teens vibing with 40-somethings, and everyone singing along to the same hooks. A lot of people dressed up as Pitbull too, which was pretty funny—definitely amusing to see.

The performances on the day were generally great in their own way. I wasn’t necessarily familiar with a lot of the artists beforehand, but I went with an open mind to enjoy an afternoon festival.

Eve was great; she’s such a dope artist and more my kind of R&B/hip hop sound. When she dropped “Let Me Blow Ya Mind,” the Dr. Dre and Scott Storch production sounded incredible on the stadium PA. The bass hit heavy, and the whole place started bouncing. Her Ruff Ryders tribute to DMX (Rest In Peace) was a highlight. She performed “Slippin’,” “Where My Hood At,” and “Party Up,” and you could feel the energy lift in the stadium. She was probably the musical highlight for me.

Lil Jon was a big surprise. I’ll admit I didn’t know his catalogue too well, but the moment he hit the stage, it clicked. That’s the guy from the Dave Chappelle skit, and I knew more of his music from video games than anything else. His live show was impressive, with massive energy, undeniable stage presence, and charisma. Musically, it was that high-energy, beat-heavy southern hip hop crunk vibe which worked great on such a massive stage and was exactly what the crowd needed. He did a nice tribute with Fatman Scoop (RIP), which was a cool moment between sets.

Mariah Carey closed it out, coming on around 10:00 pm for an hour-long show with full band, backup singers, and dancers. She is a class above everyone on the day. Honestly, I’m not the biggest Mariah Carey fan—most of the music I know of hers is from US club bootlegs or house remixes—but I went with an open mind and enjoyed the performance. Her setlist included: Type Dangerous, Emotions, Touch My Body, Dreamlover, Hero, Fantasy, Honey / Heartbreaker, My All, Always Be My Baby, Obsessed, In Your Feelings, Sugar Sweet, I Know What You Want (Busta Rhymes cover), Say Somethin’, Shake It Off, We Belong Together, and closed with All I Want for Christmas Is You.

Jordin Sparks absolutely wowed with her phenomenal voice. It was a shame she was scheduled so early in the lineup, as I didn’t get there in time to catch her full set. From the snippets I did see, her vocal control, range, and stage presence were incredible, and it’s clear why she’s remained such a standout performer over the years. Hopefully next time she gets a later slot so more of the crowd can experience her full performance. I’d be keen to see her in a standalone show if she ever comes back.

Being back at Olympic Park brought back memories of Big Day Out days. I think the place could work better as a precinct to create more pre- and post-show culture for Sydney music fans. Burna Boy was performing next door, drawing around 20,000 people. It would have been amazing to see those two shows combined, as the crowds and sounds could have crossed over, or for something to happen post-show rather than everyone rushing to a train station.

Overall, Fridayz Live was a solid day of nostalgia, energy, and big moments. It brought together generations of R&B and hip hop fans, with a touch of old-school and new-school sounds, and reminded everyone why these artists remain so important to the culture. Big props to everyone involved, and we are already keen for next year’s installment.