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The yearly R&B Xmas Ball featured a lineup of artists known for their holiday albums. Instead of centering on carols, the evening acted as a nostalgic excuse for a voyage back to the sincere and emotional style of 90s R&B.

Starting Acts: Timeless Vibes

Dru Hill presented classic R&B in coordinated attire, with videos from the 2000s playing on screens behind them. Following this, a set of mostly ballads from the artist Joe set the stage for the main artists.

Toni Braxton's Powerful Performance

The beginning of Burna Boy’s Last Last skillfully segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, tying in Braxton's musical legacy. Initially, her performance with a backing band seemed anchored in the era of her peak fame.

However, nine songs into her set, she spoke about her struggle with lupus and being told she might never perform live again. Performing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she gave a profoundly heartfelt moment. “As long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she declared sincerely.

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

The Group Boyz II Men: Vocal Virtuosos

Appearing on stage in strikingly coordinated all-white suits, Boyz II Men opened with Motownphilly. They performed hits like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, demonstrating awe-inspiring three-part vocals that were both precise and responsive to their accompaniment.

Their performance included covers of influences, such as a memorable 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 evening turned to the holiday mood with renditions of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The show ended with a powerful closing run of anthems including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road.

Final Impressions

Although the evening's technical execution had some glitches, and the sense at points was of artists paying homage to their younger selves, the net result was transformative. The audience was temporarily taken back to the peak era of R&B, going home sprinkled with glitter rather than frost.