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The yearly R&B Xmas Ball featured a lineup of artists renowned for their holiday albums. Instead of focusing on seasonal songs, the night served as a sentimental excuse for a voyage back to the earnest and heart-rending sound of 1990s R&B.

Opening Acts: Classic Feelings

The group Dru Hill delivered iconic R&B in coordinated attire, with music videos from the 2000s displaying on screens behind them. Following this, a performance of primarily slow jams from Joe set the stage for the headlining acts.

Toni Braxton's Powerful Set

The beginning of Burna Boy’s Last Last cleverly segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, tying in Braxton's artistic legacy. At first, her show with a backing band seemed rooted in the era of her peak fame.

Then, nine songs into her performance, she opened up about her battles with lupus and being told she might never perform live again. Singing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she gave a deeply heartfelt performance. “For as long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she stated earnestly.

Driving guitar chords then launched the audience into Long As I Live, cementing her command over the crowd's hearts. She finished with an impeccable, though somewhat shortened, rendition of her iconic hit, Un-break My Heart.

Boyz II Men: Vocal Virtuosos

Taking the stage in strikingly coordinated all-white suits, Boyz II Men began with Motownphilly. They performed hits like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, demonstrating breathtaking three-part vocals that were both precise and reactive to their live band.

Their set featured covers of influences, including 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 turned to the Christmas theme 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 experienced some glitches, and the feeling at points was of artists performing a tribute to their younger selves, the overall effect was transformative. The crowd was briefly transported to the peak era of R&B, going home dusted with sparkle rather than snow.