Gabrielle to Headline Sidmouth International Jazz and Blues Festival 2025

Sidmouth International Jazz and Blues Festival organisers are delighted to reveal that the amazing Gabrielle will headline this year’s festival on the main outdoor stage in Blackmore Gardens on Saturday 24 May.

With her rich soulful voice and heartfelt words, Gabrielle has remained a popular force in British music since the start of the ’90s. Her biggest hit “Dreams” shot straight to number one in 1993, and she has gone on to give us a series of classics ever since, including “Rise,” “Out of Reach,” “Give Me a Little More Time” and so on.

One-off performance, featuring a selection of her biggest hits combined with songs from her latest album, A Place in Your Heart — an album that reduces her core sound to its richest essence: rich, soulful, and emotionally deep.

Festival Director Ian Bowden shared his excitement:
“Securing Gabrielle to perform at the 2025 festival is a major coup. We are always striving to raise the bar with each year, and Gabrielle’s performance will undoubtedly complete a fantastic, high-quality programme of headline acts.”

The festival kicks off on Friday 23 May with legendary British collective Soul II Soul, known for anthems like “Keep On Movin’” and “Back To Life.” Gabrielle will headline on Saturday, followed by jazz vocalist and saxophonist Curtis Stigers on Sunday, and the brilliant American bluesman Eric Bibb closing the show on Monday 26 May.

Daytime performances on the main stage will run from Saturday through to Monday, featuring an eclectic mix of jazz, swing, blues, funk, soul, Latin and Cuban rhythms. Acts already confirmed include the genre-blending Nubiyan Twist, funky favourites James Taylor Quartet (JTQ), award-winning guitarist Zayn Mohammed, and blues powerhouse Laurence Jones — with even more artists to be announced soon.

And it’s not just about the main stage. The festival will bring Sidmouth to life with free live music at fringe venues and out on the streets, creating a buzzing, New Orleans-inspired vibe all weekend long.

There are also plans for a series of educational workshops and masterclasses, designed to inspire and engage the next generation of musicians — subject to funding support and private patronage.

Early bird tickets are now on sale and flying out, and the offer shuts on 30 November. Don’t miss your chance to be there for what is going to be an unmissable bank holiday weekend of fantastic music by the sea.