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This yearly R&B Xmas Ball featured a roster of performers renowned for their Christmas albums. Instead of focusing on carols, the evening acted as a sentimental excuse for a voyage back to the earnest and emotional style of 1990s R&B.

Starting Performances: Timeless Vibes

Dru Hill presented classic R&B in coordinated outfits, with music videos from the 2000s era displaying on screens behind them. Next, a performance of mostly ballads from Joe prepared the audience for the main artists.

Toni Braxton's Powerful Set

The beginning of Burna Boy’s Last Last skillfully transitioned into He Wasn’t Man Enough, connecting Braxton's artistic heritage. Initially, her show with a live band appeared rooted in the era of her greatest success.

However, deep into her performance, she opened up about her struggle with lupus and being told she might never perform live again. Performing Breathe Again in a single spotlight, she gave a deeply emotional performance. “As long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she declared earnestly.

Power chords then catapulted the crowd into Long As I Live, solidifying her command over the crowd's hearts. She encored with an flawless, though somewhat abridged, rendition of her iconic hit, Un-break My Heart.

The Group Boyz II Men: Harmony Virtuosos

Appearing on stage in dazzlingly matching white suits, Boyz II Men began with Motownphilly. They moved through hits like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, showcasing breathtaking three-way vocals that were both precise and reactive to their accompaniment.

Their performance included covers of inspirations, such as a standout guitar piece on Purple Rain, and songs influenced by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven.

A Touch of Holiday Spirit

Finally, the concert turned to the Christmas mood with renditions of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The performance concluded with a powerful closing run of anthems including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road.

Overall Thoughts

Although the evening's technical execution had some glitches, and the feeling at times was of stars performing a tribute to their past selves, the overall effect was transformative. The crowd was temporarily taken back to the peak era of R&B, going home sprinkled with sparkle rather than frost.