“Toni Braxton on Valentine’s Day? That’s a paradox itself”— My significant other said to me laughing after I told him I bought us tickets to Toni Braxton’s “As Long As I Live” tour. Toni is the “Un-break My Heart” sensation and known for having the most emotionally heartbreaking songs in the music industry, but this didn’t bother me because despite what she sings about, I just wanted to listen to this diva sing!

The venue was held at Detroit Fox Theater, an extremely elegant theater with a crazy amount of detail carved into every inch of the place, which turned out to be the perfect location for the R&B QUEEN to make her appearance. As a sucker for R&B, I was super excited to see SWV perform as the opening act for Toni. Surprisingly though, when SWV appeared on stage the audience’s energy was horrible! I thought to myself that maybe it was because of their age. I felt so bad as SWV tried so hard to get everyone out of their seats and dance. It was even more sad when they made a comment on the audience’s low energy level. However, when SWV sang their last song, “Weak”, their number one 90’s hit, I was in shock when everyone young, old, man, and woman, stood up and started dancing and belting out their sensational hit. It seriously felt like an old school jam session with your neighbor. It was the perfect remedy to get the crowd hyped up for the Queen’s appearance.

When Toni came out on stage she was wearing a sparkling and revealing gown to show off her amazing legs. I still don’t know how she can maintain her perfect appearance! I swear she looks even younger than most 30-year-old women. Stunting around in her slim fit dress and showing off her powerful vocals, Toni sang her way through her old school hits from the early 90’s to her recently released album Sex and Cigarettes. When Toni performed “Un-break My Heart” it was so emotional because Toni herself started to cry. Instead of the audience being locked into a room of awkwardness, the audience felt for her and cheered her on. Toni is seriously great for creating an intimate connection with her audience, therefore, at that moment she even had me crying with her. I never felt such a strong connection to the stranger next to me and the performer herself.  

 Everyone that knows Toni, knows that she has been divorced, separated multiple times, and recently had her engagement called off. Toni, the strong woman that she is, really showed off her strength when she performed “Sex and Cigarettes” and sang “I’m a mother fucking star”, while flicking her hair back and forth and shooting not one but two middle fingers in the air and completely feeling herself— “Like yes girl you are badass! And we love you for it!”    

Toni’s band was also an amazing attribute to her performance. I honestly forgot how lively R&B used to be. Toni had a bass guitarist, her music producer on a grand piano, backup singers, and a drummer to give her music life!  R&B today is so different then back then because the beats today incorporate keyboards, synths and other foreign instruments then those from the 90’s. Her music, stage set up, and appearance, made for an elegant and classy setting, kind of like going to a fancy dinner, but instead you bet your ass is dancing your way through those old school rhythm and beats.

Toni ended the night with her new hit song “As Long as I Live”, which fit perfectly into the overall theme of her heartbreaking performance. Leaving on a good note, this song made a statement: “for as long as Toni Braxton lives, she will always find a way to celebrate being in love as a way to learn and grow as person and an amazing performer.”

-Maria