Exclusive Review: Brandy & Monica Deliver An Unforgettable Night of Hits with Electrifying ‘The Boy Is Mine Tour’

Four iconic acts, three hours, and one stage coalesced for a night of unforgettable classics and electrifying energy that R&B lovers will undoubtedly be talking about for years to come.

‘The Boy Is Mine Tour,’ monikered after the history-making, 1998 duet of its headliners Brandy and Monica, has been setting social media ablaze since its colossal kickoff in October.

Seemingly upping the ante with each stop along its North American trek, That Grape Juice had the pleasure of seeing what the hype was all about when the GRAMMY winners rolled into Atlanta’s State Farm Arena on December 4.

Setting a fiery tone for the evening, ‘American Idol‘ season 23 winner Jamal Roberts oozed a confidence befitting of an R&B veteran in the making when he took to the stage to sing his latest single, ‘Nothing Compares,’ as well as a stunning take on late R&B icon D’Angelo‘s classic ‘How Does It Feel (Untitled).’

The match he struck with audiences was certainly turned into a blaze once 4x GRAMMY nominee Keyshia Cole followed, turning up the heat with smash singles ‘Let It Go,’ ‘Heaven Sent,’ ‘I Should’ve Cheated,’ and – of course – her signature ‘Love.’

Concertgoers could barely catch their breaths before Destiny’s Child alum Kelly Rowland emerged, showcasing a physique that clearly had been chiseled by Zeus and co.

Coming out swinging with her biggest hit, ‘Motivation,’ Kelly captivated the audience with a slew of her solo favorites (e.g. ‘Coffee,’ ‘Kisses Down Low,’ ‘Ice‘) before sending the audience into a frenzy with her take on DC3 classics like ‘So Good,’ ‘Soldier,’ ‘Say My Name,’ ‘Independent Women,’ and more.

Rowland, Cole, and Roberts by themselves would’ve been enough to leave the audience well-fed, but to say Brandy and Monica followed with a full course meal of hits would be an understatement.

27 years in the making (and well worth the wait), the R&B divas seemingly styled their respective sets after their record-shattering ‘VERZUZ‘ battle from 2020 – taking turns ping-ponging classics like ‘What About Us’ and ‘Knock Knock’ with their other smashes like ‘Have You Ever’ and ‘For You I Will.’

Leaving few stones unturned between them, Brandy fans were treated to live renditions from her legendary catalog including the likes of ‘Brokenhearted,’ ‘Baby,’ ‘I Wanna Be Down,’ and ‘Sittin Up in My Room’ while Monica fans were mesmerized by their hometown hero’s updated takes on tunes like ‘So Gone,’ ‘Before You Walk Out My Life,’ ‘Don’t Take It Personal,’ and more.

An easy standout came courtesy of the divas paying tribute to their idol and mentor Whitney Houston, a touching moment that included a heartwarming montage and the headliners rocking the crowd with Houston’s ‘I Wanna Dance with Somebody.’

By the close of the show, B-Rocka and Mo’s ‘The Boy Is Mine’ performance served as not only the highlight and climax but a full-circle moment.

An all-night lovefest, the exchange of hits exuded R&B excellence – showcasing a royal pair whose contributions to the genre were not only culture-shifting but also cemented their places in its history books.

We couldn’t be more grateful to Brandy and Monica for giving us (millennials particularly) this moment in time to celebrate their individual and joint contributions to the culture as well as serve poignant reminders why they have remained standards in their genre for over 30 years.

Visit Ticketmaster for your chance to catch ‘The Boy Is Mine Tour’ before it wraps on December 14.