Stacey Abrams, Carole King, Demi Lovato Added to SXSW Online Conference

The SXSW Online conference announced Thursday that Stacey Abrams will serve as the keynote, with Demi Lovato, Carole King, Mary J. Blige, and 50 Cent among the newly added featured speakers.

The virtual festival, set for March 16th to 20th, previously announced that Willie Nelson would serve as a keynote, in addition to panelists and speakers including Matthew McConaughey, Samantha Bee, Devo’s Mark Mothersbaugh, director Barry Jenkins, and more.

The new additions also include Steve Aoki, Method Man, James Cameron, Elizabeth Banks, the Russo Brothers, Sony Publishing CEO Jon Platt, Mark Cuban Desus and Mero, Amy Klobuchar, Bill Hader, Noah Hawley, and more.

For her keynote, Abrams will be in a conversation with Hugo Award-winning sci-fi author N.K. Jemisin. “We’re truly excited about the remarkable range of creative talent and innovators that we’ve announced today as part of SXSW Online,” Chief Programming Officer Hugh Forrest said in a statement. “In the 30-plus years of SXSW, we’ve showcased so many incredible voices who have shown tremendous courage and leadership, which is why we’re excited to add Nobel Peace Prize nominee Stacey Abrams as a Keynote for 2021. Moreover, her conversation with science fiction writer N.K. Jemisin taps into the kind of creative energy that only happens at SXSW.”

Carole King and Jon Platt will also sit down for a conversation, as will filmmakers Banks and the Russo Brothers. Lovato, whose Dancing With the Devil docuseries will feature during the SXSW film programming, will also take part in the Beyond the Gender Binary panel focusing on trans rights. Blige, Method Man, and 50 Cent will feature in a Power panel.

Registration for SXSW Online is open now at the South by Southwest site.