R&B Christmas Ball Recap: A Emotional Journey Back to the 90s
The yearly R&B Xmas Ball featured a lineup of performers known for their holiday albums. Instead of focusing on carols, the evening served as a nostalgic reason for a voyage back to the earnest and heart-rending style of 1990s R&B.
Opening Performances: Classic Feelings
Dru Hill presented classic R&B in coordinated outfits, with videos from the 2000s displaying on screens behind them. Next, a set of primarily slow jams from Joe set the stage for the main acts.
Toni Braxton's Powerful Performance
The beginning of Burna Boy’s Last Last skillfully transitioned into He Wasn’t Man Enough, connecting Braxton's musical legacy. Initially, her show with a live band appeared rooted in the time period of her peak success.
Then, nine songs into her performance, she spoke about her battles with lupus and being told she might not sing live again. Singing Breathe Again in a single spotlight, she delivered a deeply emotional performance. “As long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she stated earnestly.
Power chords then catapulted the audience into Long As I Live, cementing her grip over the audience's emotions. She finished with an impeccable, though slightly abridged, version of her signature hit, Un-break My Heart.
The Group Boyz II Men: Harmony Masters
Taking the stage in strikingly matching all-white outfits, Boyz II Men opened with Motownphilly. They moved through hits like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, demonstrating awe-inspiring three-way harmonies that were both precise and reactive to their live band.
Their performance featured interpretations of influences, such as a standout guitar piece on Purple Rain, and tracks influenced by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven.
A Touch of Holiday Cheer
Finally, the evening embraced the Christmas theme with renditions of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The performance ended with a strong closing run of anthems including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road.
Overall Impressions
Although the night's technical execution experienced some hiccups, and the feeling at points was of artists paying homage to their younger selves, the overall result was transformative. The crowd was briefly taken back to the peak era of R&B, going home dusted with glitter rather than snow.
