Good morning! Ok, where do I start? If you saw my post from two days ago I was being a negative Nancy about this show. I was so excited until information about night one started trickling in and people were saying it was the Billionaires set list with “At Last” thrown in. I’m like, I am NOT driving in from Vegas, calling off work, getting a swanky ass hotel room, for basically what I already saw at the Virgin Hotel opening last month. Boohoo.
Girls. Let me tell you. First of all the Hollywood Bowl is a magnificent outdoor venue. I had never been before but it is beautiful. I sat next to a woman who was with her kid (who wouldn’t stop talking in the beginning, but also made me chuckle because when Xtina came out she said “Wow, she needs a haircut). There was a group of girls my age next to them, and a few older black women behind me. Also this dick who kept yelling “DUDAMEL” during every song break. Like bitch you saw who was on the marquee right? Anyway…
Show started and she began with “At Last” and I cried. She looked like a million dollar sparkling old Hollywood diamond up there singing one of her favorite classics and the emotions took over. With every run/melisma the women behind me kept saying “Mhmmmm girl” “Ok now” “Ok Child”
The girls next to me had these stank faces on while bobbing their heads haha. It was such a moment to see our girl be recognized like that. We know how special she is but when the GP gets stunned by her, it just makes my heart happy. Her voice! Idk if she’s been taking lessons and working with a coach but I’ll tell you what, she has LEARNED what her voice can do nowadays and what it can’t. As a long time Stan there were little moments I pointed out where she thought about doing something she would have done in past performances but either knew it didn’t fit the song at the moment or she just knew it wasn’t gonna come out right and better to not. Her phrasing was immaculate, her tongue was relaxed, she didn’t have that heavy throaty froggy sound that we’ve grown accustomed to hearing. She took her time with the songs and with the Lyrics. You could tell she felt so much emotion during “Maria” and “Twice.” The low notes were there, her ANOM belt was fuller than it has been in years. CELD was such a moment and everyone around me was shocked she could sing in Spanish lol. Even the “DUDAMEL” yelling guy stated clapping when she was done and his girlfriend said “Well damn.”
Yes was it the billionaires set list, sure, but something about the venue, the crowd recognizing the songs and jumping to their feet, just made it not so ordinary.
When “beautiful” was the encore I heard the lady sitting behind the group of girls say “Oh this song, what’s it called?” The one girl in front turns around and says “This song is called Beautiful and you should know this.” I was like “Oop!”
I don’t know what else to say, it was magnificent and amazing and every other word you can think of. I know as an X fan we are given a taste of something and think “This is the start of something new!!” So I don’t wanna get my hopes up but Christina looks and sounds genuinely happy. Like, she was glowing last night, idk if she got some good D the night before but she is the epitome of happiness right now and I hope that carries over to some great things!
Anyway, thanks for coming to my TED talk
