Deborah Cox to Headline the Annual New York Pops Underground Cabaret at 54 Below

Grammy and Tony-nominated singer and actress Deborah Cox (Broadway’s Titanique, The Wiz, Aida) will headline the annual New York Pops Underground cabaret performance on Monday, October 5, 2026 at 54 Below. 

The evening begins with a reception at 6:00pm followed by the event program and performance at 6:30pm, accompanied by a dinner with wine pairings. 

The PopsEd Alumni Ensemble, which features young musicians who have previously participated in the orchestra’s Kids on Stage program, will also perform as part of the evening. Kids on Stage is a youth mentorship program that provides students from all five boroughs access to the professional performance process including a comprehensive rehearsal period, and performance with the orchestra on the Carnegie Hall stage.

Proceeds from The New York Pops Underground cabaret fundraiser support the orchestra’s PopsEd programs, which provide music education, arts access, and performance opportunities for New Yorkers of all ages and backgrounds. Since 1991, PopsEd has impacted over 100,000 New York City students. 

The New York Pops’ 2026-27 season of performances in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall includes 007: James Bond Forever with Lena Hall on October 23, 2026; One Night Only: An Evening with Denée Benton and Jordan Donica on November 20, 2026; Sleigh Bells Ring with Derek Klena and Lindsay Mendez on December 18 and 19, 2026; Introducing…Jimmie Harrod and Marisha Wallace on February 5, 2027; and John Williams and Steven Spielberg: Movie Magic on March 5, 2027 in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall.

About the Artists

Deborah Cox is a Grammy and Tony-nominated recording artist, Broadway performer, and Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductee whose career spans music, theater, television, and film. She is currently starring in Titanique on Broadway as “Unsinkable” Molly Brown and also serves as a co-producer for the production.

An internationally celebrated vocalist, Cox has achieved six Top 20 Billboard R&B singles and an extraordinary 13 #1 hits on Billboard’s Hot Dance Club Play Chart, earning her a place at No. 23 on Billboard’s “Greatest of All Time Top Dance Club Artists” list. Her sophomore album produced two #1 R&B classics, including the record-breaking “Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here,” which spent 14 weeks at #1 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip Hop Chart—the longest run in the chart’s history at the time.

Deborah received a Grammy nomination in 2025 for The Wiz (Best Musical Theater Album), in which she starred as Glinda and served as co-producer of the theatrical production, underscoring her continued impact on both the stage and in the recording arts.

Additional Broadway credits include starring in the title role of Aida in 2004, followed by major musical productions including Jekyll & Hyde and The Bodyguard. Her work seamlessly bridges contemporary music and musical theater, marking her as one of the rare artists equally at home in both worlds.

On screen, she has received rave reviews for her performances on BET’s First Wives Club and HBO Max’s Emmy-nominated Station Eleven. In 2022, Deborah reached a historic milestone as the first Black woman inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. That same year, she received the Key to her hometown, the City of Toronto, which declared September 23 “Deborah Cox Day” and was honored with a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame.

Beyond performance, she is recognized for her long-standing commitment to social justice and LGBTQ+ community advocacy. Off stage, Deborah is a successful entrepreneur. Alongside her husband, Lascelles Stephens, she created KAZAISU, a line of organic wines. Combining the names of their three children—Kaila, Isaiah and Sumayah—KAZAISU offers clean, pure wine with exquisite taste.