Brandy & Monica may not have brought out any special guests at the Houston stop of their co-headlining tour, The Boy Is Mine, but their back-to-back hits were more than enough to keep the sold-out crowd ruckusly roaring with 90’s nostalgia.
The popular tour rolled into Houston’s Toyota Center on Dec. 7, and the H-town fans made sure to let the two legends know they were appreciated. Tickets were practically sold out leading into the start of the show, and by the time Keyshia Cole—who was recently added to the tour in place of Muni Long—took the stage, the fans’ anticipation had hit a fever pitch.
Keyshia’s set was the perfect kickoff to a night of beloved, classic songs as she brought the house down with hits like “Love” and “I Shoulda Cheated.” One thing’s for sure, no matter what, the girlies are always going to go up for Keyshia. As they should.
The night was a homecoming for Kelly Rowland, and Houston showed their hometown hero the love she deserved. Kelly—who swapped out her black costuming for a red design during the tour’s Atlanta show—bounded onto the stage with endless energy from the very start of her set.
H-town was on their feet before she sang even one note and stayed that way as she made her way to the set’s finale with “Dilemma.” Though some fans admonished Kelly’s decision to sing Destiny’s Child songs throughout the tour, she seamlessly blended them alongside her own solo hits to make for a well-rounded opening act. Plus, if there’s one thing our girl is going to do, it’s look GOOD! And that she did.
Despite seeing the visuals shared online, nothing can quite prepare you to see two of every Black girl’s childhood idols walk out on stage together. Before launching into a friendly battle of the “oh, this used to my jam,” the pair stood inside their golden elevator atop a rising platform and let the audience give them the flowers they’ve always deserved.
For many women present, it was a chance to be transported back to a time full of beautiful memories, and throughout the night,
it was clear that it was the same for Brandy and Monica. To say they were merely musical peers would be an understatement, for millennials, the two were the voices of young love, young friendship, and young womanhood. They were the voices narrating our most vulnerable moments and assuring us that we weren’t alone.
During one of the few breaks the pair took from being onstage, a visual reminding the audience of how young they both were when they began their journeys played on the LED screens. It served as a living testament to their survival, not just as artists but as women. And even more so, as women who were pitted against one another when they were still only girls. Both Brandy and Monica walked the straight and narrow of Black young womanhood in the public eye so that the R&B girlies of the present day wouldn’t have to.
Through their battle of lead singles, soaring ballads, no.1 hits and classic b-side records, we were also reminded that nearly every singer who has come into fame since them is walking in their musical footprints as well.
From how they sing to the structure of their songs, stacking of their vocals, and even their runs, there is no modern R&B artist untouched by the influence of Monica and Brandy. And if you’d forgotten that fact, The Boy Is Mine Tour made it clear. As is the way of legends, the two made sure to pay tribute to those who inspired them with Brandy showing love to the late, great Aaliyah during her set and them both taking a moment to honor thee voice, Whitney Houston.
Even with all of the nostalgia, The Boy Is Mine Tour didn’t feel like a time capsule. There was no sense from Brandy or Monica that this was an attempt to capture what they once were. No. This was a reclamation of their crowns, their undeniable influence on music, and their legacy—both together and apart. And on that Toyota Center stage in the heart of Houston, they opened their mouths and stole our hearts like it was 1994/5 again.
