Toni Braxton Melted Hearts at R&B Xmas Ball as Boyz II Men Blowed Minds
The second annual R&B Xmas Ball was a nostalgic trip back to the golden age of 90s R&B, featuring Dru Hill, Joe, Toni Braxton and Boyz II Men. Instead of reinventing Christmas classics or crooner standards, the evening relied on heartfelt renditions that warmed the audience's hearts.
Dru Hill kicked off the night with their classic sound, matching outfits a nod to their iconic 2000s music videos. A live set from Joe followed, setting the stage for Braxton, whose connection to her heritage was cleverly woven into the performance of Burna Boy's "Last Last", which samples her hit single "He Wasn't Man Enough".
Braxton delivered a poignant performance, discussing her struggles with lupus and being told she'd never perform live again. Tears streamed down her face as she sang "Breathe Again" in a solo spotlight, the power of her voice catapulting into "Long As I Live". Her emotional delivery left the audience captivated.
Boyz II Men opened in dazzling all-white outfits, bringing Motownphilly to life with tight three-part harmonies. Their live band was well-suited to their arrangements, and they showcased impressive vocal prowess throughout the set, including a touching rendition of Bruno Mars's "Locked Out of Heaven".
The performance also highlighted each artist's musical heritage, with Shawn Stockman delivering a standout solo on Prince's "Purple Rain". The Christmas spirit finally kicked in, as the group covered Silent Night and Let It Snow, though some might argue the holiday vibes could have been more pronounced.
Despite technical glitches during early sets, the evening ultimately felt like a heartfelt tribute to R&B's golden era. Boyz II Men brought awe-inspiring harmonies and impressive vocal control, while Toni Braxton delivered an emotional performance that captured hearts. As the stars took their final bow, the audience left feeling dusted with glitter rather than snow – a fitting conclusion to a night of nostalgic R&B perfection.
The second annual R&B Xmas Ball was a nostalgic trip back to the golden age of 90s R&B, featuring Dru Hill, Joe, Toni Braxton and Boyz II Men. Instead of reinventing Christmas classics or crooner standards, the evening relied on heartfelt renditions that warmed the audience's hearts.
Dru Hill kicked off the night with their classic sound, matching outfits a nod to their iconic 2000s music videos. A live set from Joe followed, setting the stage for Braxton, whose connection to her heritage was cleverly woven into the performance of Burna Boy's "Last Last", which samples her hit single "He Wasn't Man Enough".
Braxton delivered a poignant performance, discussing her struggles with lupus and being told she'd never perform live again. Tears streamed down her face as she sang "Breathe Again" in a solo spotlight, the power of her voice catapulting into "Long As I Live". Her emotional delivery left the audience captivated.
Boyz II Men opened in dazzling all-white outfits, bringing Motownphilly to life with tight three-part harmonies. Their live band was well-suited to their arrangements, and they showcased impressive vocal prowess throughout the set, including a touching rendition of Bruno Mars's "Locked Out of Heaven".
The performance also highlighted each artist's musical heritage, with Shawn Stockman delivering a standout solo on Prince's "Purple Rain". The Christmas spirit finally kicked in, as the group covered Silent Night and Let It Snow, though some might argue the holiday vibes could have been more pronounced.
Despite technical glitches during early sets, the evening ultimately felt like a heartfelt tribute to R&B's golden era. Boyz II Men brought awe-inspiring harmonies and impressive vocal control, while Toni Braxton delivered an emotional performance that captured hearts. As the stars took their final bow, the audience left feeling dusted with glitter rather than snow – a fitting conclusion to a night of nostalgic R&B perfection.
. can we talk about how some of these artists need to work on those transitions between songs tho? like bruno mars in prince's song... what's up with that 
! I loved how they brought back those 90s vibes and made us feel all the feels 
. Toni Braxton's performance with Burna Boy was SO emotional 
, it literally gave me chills. And can we talk about Boyz II Men? Those harmonies were insane 
! They totally killed it with their set, especially when they covered Silent Night 
. I think what made this concert so special was that it wasn't just a nostalgia trip, but also a celebration of the artists' heritage and musicality. It felt like we were all in on this secret R&B club together 
, sharing in the joy and magic of live music.
. Can't they just put on a live stream or something instead of forcing everyone to attend? And don't even get me started on the technical glitches 
. It's like they're still using dial-up internet from the 90s. The performances were great and all, but did it really need to be at a private event that only people who already know each other can attend? 
It just feels so exclusive and elitist. And what's with the awkward moments when they tried to get into the holiday spirit? A simple "Merry Christmas" would have sufficed 
. But overall, it sounds like a really nice night out for R&B fans... I guess 
. I know they're trying to bring back some Motown vibes, but it felt like a bit too much.
.
what really got me though was toni braxton's performance, she's like the queen of emotional ballads 
and can we talk about how beautiful burna boy's "last last" is with that Toni Braxton beat?! 
she brought so much emotion and vulnerability to her singing it was like we were all right there with her 
But honestly, it didn't matter because the performances were all so strong. Boyz II Men's harmonies are still giving me chills 
yikes another Christmas ball and it seems like no one's gonna be singing about the impending doom of climate change 
toni braxton's heartwarming performance was nice but what about addressing the systemic issues that are melting our planet? 
at least boyz ii men brought some Motown vibes, but let's not forget we're living on a ticking time bomb here... 
toni braxton's performance was straight fire 
the fact that she spoke about her struggles with lupus and being told she'd never perform live again made me really emotional 
and boyz ii men did an incredible job too 
but yeah, some of those technical glitches were a bit annoying 
I mean, can you imagine if Boyz II Men's harmonies were a disease? They'd be curing all our emotional problems by Christmas Eve 
! Toni Braxton's performance was so powerful, I'm pretty sure she melted the snowflakes outside 
. And Dru Hill's outfits looked like they came straight from a 2000s music video – who needs fashion influencers when you have these guys? 
toni braxton's performance gave me all the feels 
. And don't even get me started on the Boyz II Men being all "Oh look, we're so fancy with our all-white outfits" 
. The Christmas spirit might not have been as strong but it definitely felt like a heartfelt tribute to the golden era of R&B 
so the R&B Xmas ball was literally a trip down memory lane for me 
the only thing that would've made it better is if they played some of their hits like "Come Clean" or "In My Bed" 
but they didn't ruin the vibe at all. Stats-wise, 71% of attendees on Twitter said that was their favorite performance this year 
. Here's a quick breakdown of the event's attendance numbers: 
, but Toni's solo performance was something special. It's amazing to see these legends still killing it after all these years 
. And can we talk about Shawn Stockman's Prince cover?