Kelly Clarkson to Join Brandi Carlile's Girls Just Wanna Weekend Festival: They Just Want the Weekend

The festival announced Tuesday that this may not be the biggest headline Kelly Clarkson makes this week, but the most famous celebrity has other news at the moment, as she is joining the eighth annual Just Wanna Weekend girl-powered gathering hosted by Brandi Carlile in January. Clarkson will attend Girls Just Wanna Weekend in Mexico as a […]

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It may not be the biggest headlines Kelly Clarkson will make this week, but the most famous celebrity has other news, as she's joining Brandi Carlile's eighth annual Girls Only Want Weekend in January, the festival announced Tuesday.

Clarkson will join Girls Just Wanna Weekend in Mexico as a collaborator with Carlile, atop a bill that also includes Americana Light Sierra Ferrell, the Beaches, CMAT, Allison Russell, Brandy Clark and Lucius. It will take place on January 14-18, 2027 at Barcelo Maya Resort, Mexico. Related Stories WWE Enters Microdrama Space With 'Shadow Agent' Drew McIntyre Takes Center Stage Raindance To Launch UK's First Major Vertical Market & Festival (Exclusive)

The festival doesn't usually book artists on the main stage two years in a row, but made an exception for CMAT, which proved to be a surprise for many who attended GJWW last January. Popular in Variety

The bill is rounded out by Titans of Americana (usually a group of popular singer-songwriters, with lineup TBA), Arroba Nat, Tish Melton, SistaStrings, Autumn Nicholas, The Carlile Family Band, Marshgrass Mamas and comedian Christian Kay.

In addition to her headlining set, karaoke queen Clarkson is sure to be asked to perform at the festival's traditional closing ceremony of all 1990s covers. (That's not against the possibility that the festival could update it to an all-2000s night to allow other participating artists to perform Clarkson covers.)

Last January, GJWW featured The Chicks and Sam Smith, the festival's first non-binary headliners as collaborators. Past stars of this festival include Shania Twain, Mona, Sarah McLachlan, Janelle Monae and Sarah Baril. (Read Variety's on-site coverage of last year's festival and a joint interview with Carlile and Smith here.)

Clarkson has spent most of her post-TV series this year staying at Caesars Palace.

Carlyle recently wrapped up the US leg of his "Human" arena tour, which continues in the UK early next year, with an all-on-demand short tour of smaller venues set for November. On Monday night, she performed at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles and was interviewed onstage by Cameron Crowe to celebrate the one-year anniversary of Back to Myself, an album in the running for a 2027 Grammy.

Ticketing for entertainment/festival permits and other information can be found at

There is no word on whether Art of Play will be invited as a festival vendor.