Ravyn Lenae to Headline Harvard Yardfest 2026

R&B and pop singer-songwriter Ravyn Lenae will headline Yardfest 2026, Harvard’s annual outdoor spring concert, the College Events Board announced Thursday.

Student performers The TGs, Weld 16, and Yael Danon will also perform as opening acts after winning the CEB’s annual Battle for Yardfest competition on Thursday.

Lenae is best known for her hit single “Love Me Not,” which has been streamed more than a billion times on Spotify and reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. She has appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and the TODAY Show, and has collaborated with Grammy award-winners Steve Lacy and Childish Gambino.

Lenae “has evolved from humble beginnings on the Southside of Chicago to the forefront of R&B and pop,” the CEB wrote in an Instagram statement.

“Over the last decade, she has carefully crafted an incomparable sound by incorporating elements from house, synth-funk, and more,” the CEB wrote.

The CEB named Lenae as the headliner almost two months before the concert — more than a month earlier than recent Yardfest headliner announcements. Since Yardfest resumed after the Covid-19 pandemic, students have typically waited until late March or early April to learn the identity of the headliner.

Last year, students expressed satisfaction with Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Natasha Bedingfield’s performance. Other recent Yardfest headliners have included Tinashe, Jeremih, and Swae Lee.

Yardfest will be held on Sunday, April 19 in Tercentenary Theatre.

—Staff writer Wyeth Renwick can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on X @wzrenwick.