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This second annual R&B Xmas Ball featured a roster of artists renowned for their holiday records. Rather than centering on seasonal songs, the night served as a sentimental excuse for a trip back to the sincere and heart-rending sound of 90s R&B.

Opening Performances: Classic Feelings

The group Dru Hill delivered iconic R&B in coordinated outfits, with music videos from the 2000s playing on screens behind them. Following this, a set of primarily slow jams from the artist Joe prepared the audience for the main artists.

The Powerful Set

The opening of the song Last Last cleverly transitioned into He Wasn’t Man Enough, tying in Braxton's musical heritage. At first, her show with a live band seemed anchored in the era of her greatest fame.

However, deep into her set, she opened up about her struggle with lupus and being told she might not sing on stage again. Singing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she delivered a profoundly heartfelt moment. “For as long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she stated earnestly.

Power chords then launched the crowd into Long As I Live, cementing her grip over the audience's hearts. She encored with an impeccable, though somewhat abridged, rendition of her iconic hit, Un-break My Heart.

The Group Boyz II Men: Harmony Virtuosos

Appearing on stage in strikingly matching white outfits, Boyz II Men began with Motownphilly. They performed classics like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, showcasing awe-inspiring three-part harmonies that were both precise and reactive to their accompaniment.

Their performance featured covers of inspirations, including a standout solo on Purple Rain, and tracks inspired by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven.

A Touch of Holiday Cheer

Finally, the evening embraced the holiday theme with renditions of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The performance ended with a powerful closing run of hits including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road.

Overall 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 overall result was transformative. The audience was temporarily transported to the peak era of R&B, leaving dusted with sparkle rather than snow.