The Queens Tour: 4 Legends is off and running on the West Coast, giving eager audiences thee best of R&B Royalty—that is—Gladys Knight, Stephanie Mills, Patti Labelle, and Chaka Khan. To make it plain, the Black Promoters Collective has curated a historical moment in time that, quite frankly, many will never witness again. Four divas gracing a stage in what may very well be the final time they shine collectively. These four icons have shaped the sound of Black music and set the bar way high with their respective talents and consummate professionalism across six decades. On Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 11, at Los Angeles’ Kia Forum Arena, Ms. Gladys, Stephanie, Patti, and Chaka reminded boomers, Gen Xers, millennials, and Gen Zers, who TF they are—without explanation or introduction. The musical instruments embedded in their throats and diaphragms spoke for themself. They are baddies.
Gladys Knight opened the show with “Taste of Bitter Love,” a 1980s hit performed with her soulful background singers, The Pips. Knight, who turns 81 on May 28, wears red well and still commands an audience with her deep, raspy, soulful voice. Knight is literally the contralto that keeps on giving, knocking out her set with much ease, floating through her classics: “Heard It Through The Grapevine,” “Love Overboard,” and “Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)” before handing the stage over to Stephanie Mills.
The theater-trained singer and actress recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of the original Broadway play The Wiz. Mills still performs with the same vigor and enthusiasm as she did when she was a 16-year-old cast as Dorothy in 1975. There’s something about Stephanie and how the Grammy Award-winning songstress makes her fans “Feel Good All Over.” The 68-year-old is a top-tier soprano with a discography to back it up. And Stephanie’s range and showmanship are undefeated. Mills sang Los Angeles concertgoers full circle from the late 1970s with “What Cha Gonna Do With My Lovin’” through the 1980s with “Never Knew Love Like This Before,” and 1990s “I Learned To Respect The Power of Love,” and back. Stephanie is gospel. The “Two Hearts” singer gave disco, rhythm & blues, soul, and body rolls—then closed out her set with a gritty offering of “Home.”
Patti Labelle has not slowed her roll since she sang “Lady Marmalade,” as one-third of Labelle, a group of soul sisters out of Philadelphia and Trenton, New Jersey. Patti embodies icon status and bodied a slew of classic hits in dramatic soprano as only Ms. Labelle can. Audience members sang crowd favorites, “If Only You Knew,” and “Love, Need, And Want You,” and “Somebody Loves You” along with Patti. And just when folks thought her set was done, Labelle re-emerged with a viral moment. Patti, 81, is known for her glam, elaborate hairstyles and fancy fanwork, jumped into the trending “Boots on the Ground” line dance song popularized by South Carolina native 803 Fresh. Patti led the arena in a spectacular call and response, asking, “Where them fans at?”
On the heels of Patti’s stellar performance, Chaka Khan showed up in full Chaka regalia, the Black boho style that has been quite fitting on Chaka for over five decades—and the mezzo-soprano roar to match. It doesn’t hurt that Trina Broussard is one of three fabulous performers holding her down on background vocals as she breezes through notable hits such as “My Funny Valentine,” “Sweet Thing,” and “I’m Every Woman.” Concertgoers lost their sh*t, though, when Chaka revealed that Stevie Wonder was in the crowd and had written, “Tell Me Something Good.” The Queen called Stevie on stage to share their story and longtime friendship and to perform the chart-topper.
One thing’s for certain, and two things for sure: The Queens have aged beautifully and gracefully, but their vocal range and abilities have remained unchanged. The 2025 Queens Tour runs through Oct. 5. Check the Black Promoters website for major cities and tickets.
RELATED CONTENT: It’s Going Down: Icons Chaka Khan and Stephanie Mills To Go Head-To-Head In Upcoming ‘Verzuz’
