Obama Presidential Centre opening will be featuring Tems, John Legend and others.
Nigerian Afrobeats star Tems is set to perform alongside music legends Stevie Wonder and John Legend at the official opening of the Barack Obama Presidential Centre in Chicago on June 18.
The Barack Obama Presidential Centre is designed to serve as a museum, library, educational hub, community space, conference facility, and the headquarters of the Obama Foundation.
Former United States President Barack Obama unveiled the lineup in an Instagram reel presented as a light-hearted chat, revealing a star-studded roster of performers for the landmark event.
Other artists scheduled to perform include Bono & The Edge, Bruce Springsteen, Christina Aguilera, Common, Eddie Vedder, Jennifer Hudson, and Latin music star Marc Anthony. Producer Marsai Martin and hip-hop group The Roots are also expected to participate.
Former First Lady Michelle Obama described the opening as a deeply personal milestone for her family and the South Side Chicago community.
In an Instagram post, she reflected on her childhood memories of the area, recalling that the site was once home to a highway and an underutilised park.
“The opening of the Presidential Centre right here on the South Side of Chicago is truly a full-circle moment,” she said.
The event is expected to celebrate the legacy of the Obama administration while highlighting the centre’s role as a hub for leadership development, civic engagement, and community empowerment.
“So much of my existence as a child into high school was driving past this very location where really nothing was. It was a highway. It was a dangerous place. It was an unutilised park space.
“And I always wondered what was going on there. But to now be a part of this amazing centre. This is beyond a gift.
“I have said it before that the notion that kids like me will have a magnificent space full of history, and hope, and art, and leadership activity right in their backyard. There is nothing more full circle like that”, she said.
She added, “It means so much to Barack and me to open up the Obama Presidential Centre on the South Side of Chicago. This is where I grew up, where Barack got his start, and where we raised our girls. So having a place where kids from our community can see themselves, connect with each other, and channel their hope—there’s nothing more powerful than that.”
