Curaçao North Sea Jazz Festival 2026 line-up now complete

The programme for Curaçao North Sea Jazz Festival 2026 is now complete. Jeon, Sean Paul and The Jacksons have been added to the line-up for Friday, September 4. Afro 23 completes Saturday’s programme. Afro 23 will also open the festival with a free concert at Kura Hulanda on Tuesday, September 1. The other three festival days will take place, as always, at the World Trade Center at Piscadera Bay.

Yulier Ernesto Bonet Perez, better known as AFRO 23, is a Cuban singer, pianist and producer. He developed a passion for music at a young age, studying percussion and piano, which remains his main instrument today. In Cuba, he worked with orchestras including Caisimu Orchestra, Salsa Candela Orchestra and Sonido Caliente Orchestra, as well as artists such as Elio Revé y su Charangón and Manolito Simonet y su Trabuco. After absorbing a wide range of musical influences, he settled in Miami, where he signed his first record deal in 2022. Since then, he has released singles including Soy Afro 23, Lo Que Se Comenta and Ella Baila Bonito. AFRO 23 is known for blending traditional Cuban sounds with modern influences, alongside his energetic stage presence.

Rapper Jeon, born and raised on Aruba, has become one of the island’s biggest musical exports. He also made an impact on Curaçao, where his Papiamento-language hit Bluewave became the anthem for the island’s historic qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Jeon gained international recognition with Machika, his collaboration with J Balvin and Anitta, and co-wrote and co-produced X (Equis) by Nicky Jam and J Balvin. Blending Caribbean sounds with latin, pop and global rhythms, he continues to build on his distinctive sound.

Sean Paul, born in Kingston, Jamaica, became one of the biggest dancehall artists of his generation. After breaking through with Get Busy, he followed up with global hits including Temperature and We Be Burnin’. He also collaborated with artists such as Beyoncé, Enrique Iglesias and Sia on tracks like Baby Boy, Bailando and Cheap Thrills. In 2023, he received a nomination for Crossover Artist of the Year at the Billboard Latin Music Awards. His latest studio album, Scorcha (2022), earned another Grammy nomination.

The Jacksons are by far the most famous musical family in pop history. Originally formed as The Jackson 5 in 1964, the group broke through with hits like I Want You Back, ABC and I’ll Be There, becoming one of Motown’s defining acts. Loved by both Black and white audiences, the Jackson brothers helped break racial barriers in pop music. Original members Jackie and Marlon Jackson still lead the group today, bringing a greatest hits show packed with soul, funk, R&B and disco classics.