Two of the most powerful voices in contemporary R&B and Afrobeats are joining forces for a historic night in London this summer. Tems and Jorja Smith have been announced as co-headliners for All Points East 2026, taking over Victoria Park on Friday, August 21.
The announcement, made March 9, confirms the final headliner slot for this year’s festival series. Tems will perform the penultimate set of the evening before Smith closes out the night, a passing of the torch between two artists who’ve spent the past half-decade redefining what British and African popular music can achieve on global stages.
The night brings together five artists who’ve each appeared on the NME 100 list of essential emerging talent. Tems made the cut in 2022, just as her feature on Wizkid’s “Essence” was transforming her from rising star into international phenomenon.
Joining the co-headliners is a murderer’s row of next-generation talent. Ayra Starr, the Mavin Records sensation whose “Rush” became a global anthem, brings her explosive stage presence. Odeal, the British-Nigerian singer and producer, delivers the silkier moments. And KWN, the London R&B breakout, represents the city’s thriving underground scene.
Organizers have promised “many more” names will join the bill in coming weeks.
Tems arrives at Victoria Park riding the success of her 2024 debut album Born In The Wild. The record earned two Grammy nominations and cemented her transition from featured artist, she’s also known for her work with Drake and Future, into a headliner capable of carrying a show alone.
She followed the album with a surprise EP, Love Is A Kingdom, released November 2025, showing no interest in slowing down.
Jorja Smith uses this show to celebrate something bigger. 2026 marks the 10th anniversary of “Blue Lights,” the debut single that announced her arrival. She’s marked the occasion with new music, February brought “Don’t Leave,” a song actually recorded in 2015 but held for the right moment.
Last week, she shared the Havoc remix of “Blue Lights,” reimagining the track that started everything. Her last album Falling Or Flying arrived in 2023, but the anniversary celebrations suggest new music may be coming.
The Tems and Jorja Smith show completes an All Points East 2026 lineup that spans generations and genres:
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August 21: Tems / Jorja Smith (co-headline)
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August 22: Lorde
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August 23: Deftones (Outbreak Fest)
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August 28: Tyler, The Creator (Day 1)
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August 29: Tyler, The Creator (Day 2)
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August 30: Twenty One Pilots
Tyler’s two-day takeover was announced in October 2025 and features Rex Orange County, Turnstile, Clipse, Baby Keem, and Danny Brown across the weekend.
General sale opens Friday, March 13 at 10 AM GMT. Fans can purchase through the official All Points East website.
A presale is available for those who register early, offering first access before tickets hit the general market.
Victoria Park in East London has hosted All Points East since 2018, transforming the sprawling green space into a multi-stage festival site each summer. The 2026 edition runs across five show days from August 21 through August 30.
Tems and Jorja Smith represent different streams of the same river. Smith, from Walsall, built her sound on UK R&B and soul. Tems, from Lagos, brought alté’s experimental edge to Afrobeats. Both found international audiences by refusing to stay in any single lane.
Smith’s 2025 included opening for Harry Styles in Mexico City, playing Glastonbury, and watching her label FAMM, which she co-founded, curate this very night. Tems collected her Grammys, released her debut album five years after her first EP, and proved that patience pays.
August 21 puts them on the same stage. Two artists. Two journeys. One night in Victoria Park.
