The world-renowned Kennedy Center welcomed Grammy and Tony Award winner Heather Headley on Saturday, September 7th, for an evening of show-stopping hits, where The National Symphony Orchestra backed her under the conduction of Steven Reineke.
Heather Headley is currently on hiatus from her successful Netflix show “Sweet Magnolias” following her recent performance in the Broadway revival of Into the Woods. During her performance, Headley’s set list omitted her R&B material and instead showcased favorites from her illustrious stage career, featuring selections from “Aida,” “The Lion King,” and “The Color Purple.” The audience was treated to a spirited rendition of “One Night Only” from the orchestra from “Dreamgirls” before Headley graced the stage in a stunning gown.
The show kicked off with a lovely one-two punch of “Over the Rainbow” and “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” which set the stage for an emotional rendition of “Still Hurting” from “The Last Five Years.” Following a medley of popular tunes, it was time for an intermission. The show’s second half focused on Gospel with tunes including “River Deep” and “Your Song.” One highlight of the show’s second half was the guest and first winner of “The Voice,” who easily won the crowd with his smooth vocals.
The night closed out with the tune “Make Them Hear You” from “Ragtime” and was followed by an encore of the Whitney Houston classic “I Wanna Dance with Somebody.” While some fans may have been let down not hearing Headley’s classics such as “In My Mind,” “He Is,” and “I Wish I Wasn’t,” it was clear she has a voice that can sing anything with elegance.
Final Grade: A
This past Friday marked the 40th anniversary of “The Voice,” a.k.a. Whiney Houston’s self-titled debut album hitting stores. So, in that regard, it was only right to give Nippy her flowers for this week’s Second Listen Sunday.
For this weekend’s Slow Jam Saturday, I wanted to take a trip to Motor City and show some love to soul singer Dwele. It was 2005, and I was living in the UK as part of my Air Force enlistment. Dwele had just released his second album, “Some Kinda,” enjoying some chart success with the lead single “I Think I Love U,” by Mike City.
The remainder of the album maintains a classic R&B vibe, showcasing the group’s signature sound. One of the standout tracks is “Maybe Tomorrow,” featuring the iconic Phyllis Hyman. It transforms difficult circumstances into positive outcomes—essentially making lemonade from lemons.