🔗 Share this article R&B Christmas Ball Review: A Emotional Trip Returning to the Nineties The yearly R&B Xmas Ball featured a lineup of artists renowned for their holiday albums. Instead of focusing on carols, the night acted as a sentimental excuse for a voyage back to the earnest and emotional sound of 1990s R&B. Starting Acts: Timeless Feelings The group Dru Hill presented classic R&B in matching attire, with videos from the 2000s era playing behind them. Following this, a set of mostly ballads from the artist Joe prepared the audience for the headlining artists. The Moving Performance The beginning of Burna Boy’s Last Last skillfully transitioned into He Wasn’t Man Enough, tying in Braxton's artistic heritage. Initially, her performance with a live band seemed anchored in the time period of her greatest success. Then, nine songs into her performance, she spoke about her struggle with lupus and being told she might never sing live again. Singing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she gave a profoundly heartfelt performance. “For as long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she declared sincerely. Power chords then launched the crowd into Long As I Live, cementing her command over the audience's hearts. She finished with an impeccable, though slightly abridged, version of her iconic hit, Un-break My Heart. The Group Boyz II Men: Harmony Virtuosos Taking the stage in strikingly matching all-white suits, Boyz II Men began with Motownphilly. They moved through classics like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, showcasing breathtaking three-way harmonies that were both precise and reactive to their live band. Their performance included interpretations of influences, including a memorable guitar piece on Purple Rain, and songs influenced by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven. A Dash of Holiday Spirit Finally, the evening turned to the holiday theme with renditions of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The performance 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 While the night's production experienced some hiccups, and the feeling at points was of artists performing a tribute to their younger selves, the overall effect was transportive. The audience was briefly taken back to the peak era of R&B, going home dusted with glitter rather than snow.