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This yearly R&B Xmas Ball featured a lineup of performers known for their Christmas albums. Instead of focusing on carols, the evening acted as a nostalgic reason for a trip back to the sincere and emotional style of 1990s R&B.

Starting Acts: Classic Feelings

Dru Hill delivered iconic R&B in matching outfits, with videos from the 2000s playing on screens behind them. Following this, a set of mostly ballads from Joe prepared the audience for the main acts.

Toni Braxton's Powerful Performance

The opening of Burna Boy’s Last Last skillfully segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, connecting Braxton's musical heritage. At first, her performance with a backing band seemed rooted in the time period of her greatest fame.

However, nine songs into her performance, she opened up about her battles with lupus and being told she might never perform on stage again. Performing Breathe Again in a single spotlight, she delivered a profoundly emotional moment. “As long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she declared earnestly.

Driving guitar chords then launched the crowd into Long As I Live, solidifying her grip over the audience's emotions. She finished with an flawless, though somewhat abridged, version of her signature hit, Un-break My Heart.

The Group Boyz II Men: Vocal Masters

Appearing on stage in dazzlingly matching all-white outfits, Boyz II Men began with Motownphilly. They performed hits like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, demonstrating breathtaking three-way vocals that were both tight and responsive to their live band.

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

A Dash of Holiday Cheer

Finally, the evening embraced the holiday theme with renditions of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The show ended with a powerful closing run 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 feeling at points was of stars 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 sparkle rather than frost.