🔗 Share this article

This yearly R&B Xmas Ball featured a roster of performers renowned for their holiday albums. Instead of focusing on seasonal songs, the evening served as a nostalgic reason for a voyage back to the sincere and emotional sound of 90s R&B.

Starting Performances: Classic Feelings

Dru Hill delivered classic R&B in matching attire, with videos from the 2000s displaying on screens behind them. Following this, a set of mostly ballads from the artist Joe prepared the audience for the headlining acts.

The Moving Set

The opening of the song Last Last cleverly segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, connecting Braxton's musical legacy. At first, her show with a live band seemed anchored in the era of her greatest success.

Then, nine songs into her set, she spoke about her struggle with lupus and being told she might never perform live again. Singing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she delivered a deeply heartfelt moment. “As long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she stated earnestly.

Power chords then catapulted the crowd into Long As I Live, solidifying her grip over the audience's hearts. She finished with an impeccable, though somewhat abridged, version of her iconic hit, Un-break My Heart.

Boyz II Men: Harmony Virtuosos

Appearing on stage in dazzlingly matching all-white suits, Boyz II Men opened with Motownphilly. They moved through classics like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, demonstrating breathtaking three-way harmonies that were both precise and responsive to their accompaniment.

Their performance featured covers of inspirations, including a standout solo on Purple Rain, and tracks influenced by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven.

A Touch of Holiday Cheer

Finally, the evening turned to the Christmas mood with renditions of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The show ended with a strong finale of hits including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road.

Final Impressions

Although the evening's production had some glitches, and the sense at points was of artists paying homage to their past selves, the overall result was transportive. The crowd was briefly transported to the peak era of R&B, leaving dusted with sparkle rather than frost.