Bilal to Return to Carpenter Center With Yaya Bey Opening

Carpenter Performing Arts Center on the campus of California State University, Long Beach kicks off their 2026-2027 Season of music with the return of Grammy Award-winning vocalist, songwriter, and producer Bilal on Thursday, September 24 at 8 p.m. Audiences can expect a raw and electrifying set that showcases Bilal's extraordinary vocal range and his genre-defying blend of progressive soul, jazz, experimental R&B, and electronic music. Queens-born R&B Artist Yaya Bey, whose last album received a glowing 8.6 from Pitchfork, opens the evening on the Carpenter Center's main stage. 

About Bilal

A classically trained vocalist with roots in opera and jazz, Bilal trained at New York's New School with early opera experience shaping his formidable vocal technique and enviable range. Bilal emerged from Philadelphia's music scene as the youngest member of the influential Soulquarians, a collective of artists that included D'Angelo, Questlove, Common, Mos Def, and others. His collaborators since have included  Kendrick Lamar (notably on To Pimp a Butterfly), Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Robert Glasper, and Flying Lotus. At the 2026 Grammys, Bilal brought down the house with his tribute to D'Angelo, performing “Untitled (How Does It Feel)” and sharing the stage with Lauryn Hill, Jon Batiste, and others.

Bilal's appearance at the Carpenter Center follows his recent 2024 releases, including the retrospective Bilal: Live at Glasshaus, featuring Questlove and Common, and Adjust Brightness, his first new studio album in over a decade, fusing soul, funk, and jazz with avant-garde electronic influences.