Cardi B Named Headliner For 5th Annual Beautycon New York

Beautycon has landed a massive headliner for its fifth annual New York gathering — where top beauty influencers and brands will convene on April 6 and 7 at the Javits Center for live tutorials, panel discussions, and networking opportunities.

Rap star du jour Cardi B is set to headline the popular convention, the company announced on Valentine’s Day, right before tickets were set to go on sale. (They are currently available, beginning at $45 for one-day general admission, right here). Cardi B, who doesn’t have any ostensible ties to the beauty industry — yet — pocketed a Grammy Award earlier this month for ‘Best Rap Album’, and just released her latest single, a collaboration with Bruno Mars called “Please Me.”

And Cardi isn’t the only big star Beautycon has lined up. Also slated to attend this year’s convention are: hairstylist to the stars Tokyo Stylez, Rihanna’s makeup artist Priscilla Ono

, and male beauty influencer and Artist Couture founder Angel Merino.

Beautycon — which was founded by the entrepreneur Moj Mahdara and currently brings in revenues of more than $10 million a year, according to Entrepreneur — has welcomed top mainstream stars to past conventions, including Kim Kardashian, Zendaya, Paris Hilton, and Laverne Cox. Last year’s Beautycon New York reportedly welcomed 15,000 guests.

In addition to its New York and Los Angeles festivals, Beautycon most recently launched a new format called Beautycon Pop — an experiential pop-up shop venture that offers immersive experiences, free on-site makeovers, and a curated storefront. The first iteration of Pop was held in Los Angeles in November in partnership with K-beauty brand Laneige.