Raise your glasses and get ready to groove. On Sept. 20, Raheem DeVaughn will take the stage at this year’s Flavored Food & Wine Festival in New York City, where live melodies meet fine wine and flavorful bites for an unforgettable experience. Fresh off his summer tour, the Grammy award winning singer-songwriter—aka The Love King—sat down with MadameNoire as he counts down to the highly anticipated event.

The festivities, hosted by the Pearls & Ivy Foundation of Queens, are expected to draw over 1,500 foodies coming together to savor a feast for the senses. Following a successful inaugural event last year, this year’s festival is poised to be even more spectacular, with proceeds benefiting the Alpha Kappa Alpha-led foundation’s college scholarship fund and youth programming.

Guests can look forward to celebrity chef demos, curated conversations, and a vibrant array of tastings—from fine wines and spirits to dishes from some of New York City’s most celebrated chefs and restaurants. Immersed in a flavorful showcase of food, music, and community, with DeVaughn’s soulful catalog lighting up the festival stage, this event promises to be one to remember.

This year, the artist celebrated a major milestone—the 20th anniversary of his debut album, The Love Experience. With a rich discography and loyal following spanning two decades, the DMV native remains a powerhouse on stage and in the studio—continuing to create, perform, and uplift fellow artists through Raheem DeVaughn Presents, a platform that has spotlighted singer-songwriter Grenique, multi-hyphenate rapper Phil Adé, saxophonist Vandell Andrew, and more.

Calling from Atlanta while on The Quiet Storm Summer Series 2025 Tour, DeVaughn spoke with MadameNoire about his journey, reflecting on 20 years in music, and what he’s looking forward to at this year’s Flavored Food & Wine Festival.

You’re currently on the road, wrapping up your summer series. How’s touring been?

It’s cool. I’m a continuously touring artist, so I’m constantly working, touching new fans, and connecting with my flock of supporters that have been supporting for over 20 years. We just celebrated the 20-year anniversary of my first album, The Love Experience, by taking that album, curating it, and turning it into a mixtape. At some point, I’m looking forward to doing The Love Experience tour, tentatively in 2026-2027. There’s a tour announcement coming for this fall and winter as well.

Congrats on the 20th anniversary of The Love Experience! Twenty years in, what’s it like to reflect on your enduring music career since that release?

Oh man, it’s a lot to reflect on, you know. One, just being thankful for life and to be able to say I’m still here doing this in sound mind, body, and spirit. I hope that the fans hear the growth and see the growth—my growth as a vocalist, as a songwriter, my maturity as a performer. And then my development, just in terms of showmanship and work ethic. I’ve always been a hustler, always been a hard worker.

How has your approach to music evolved since you debuted The Love Experience?

Primarily it’s my ears—the way I hear things. Being open in a different way, sonically—listening for every detail, every nuance. I think I’ve become more of a perfectionist over the 20-year span. At the end of the day, I just pray for more time and to stay as healthy as possible to be able to continue to convey and write and produce and perform the catalog, as well as create new memories for people through the music side of it.

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As an artist, what inspires you to keep creating new work, new experiences?

I love connecting with new fans, the music lovers. I pride myself in making music that has a message. I feel like the gift is powerful in what we do—it’s alchemy. So I’m very conscientious and put a lot of thought into what I do and how I want it to be received. Chasing perfection is something that I actually enjoy doing. It’s probably the most insane thing you can do, is stepping out on faith to pursue a dream or to see a goal all the way through. Insane but brave, at the same time.

The post ‘I Will Be Indulging’—Raheem DeVaughn Set To Take The Stage At The 2025 Flavored Food & Wine Festival [Exclusive] appeared first on MadameNoire.