Music, News, Review

Ne-Yo @ AO Arena gallery – 2000s R&B evening with Ne-Yo and Mario

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Featured image and gallery: Gracie Hall


Photographer Gracie Hall captures Grammy-nominated artist Mario as he takes to the AO Arena’s stage to open for R&B legend Ne-Yo on his ‘Champagne and Roses’ Tour. 

R&B singer Mario opens up the evening, dripping in diamond-studded chains and an Alexander McQueen bomber.

He treated the crowd to hit singles ‘Let Me Love You’ and ‘How Do I Breathe’, as well as his latest single ‘Main One’, featuring Lil Wayne and Tyga.

Mario is set to release his sixth studio album, accompanied by a headline tour, this year.

Ne-Yo opens in a red suit and matching hat, accompanied by a full band and contingent of backing dancers. He smoothly serenades with slick choreography and velvety vocals.

His latest Champagne & Roses tour celebrates his veteran status as an R&B superstar, spanning over two decades. Back in November, Ne-Yo added extra shows to his tour owing to the unprecedented demand seeing the original dates sell out. 

The “new classics” portion of his set includes chart-toppers ‘Sexy Love’, ‘Closer’, and ‘So Sick’. The show also included hits off his most recent record, 2022’s Self Explanatory, including ‘You Got the Body’, ‘U 2 Luv’ and ‘Don’t Love Me’. 

Ne-Yo has been keeping busy – this latest tour comes off the back of him competing on the US Masked Singer, winning as season as ‘Cow’. He also released an EP in December, a festive album titled Another Kind of Christmas Reimagined. 

No Ne-Yo show is complete without collaborative mega-hits with Calvin Harris (‘Let’s Go) and David Guetta (‘Time of our Lives’). The show closes with global smash ‘Give me Everything’.

About the author / 

Gracie Hall

2 Comments

  1. Fin 25th March 2024 at 10:07 pm -  Reply

    Sooo good!!

  2. Fin 25th March 2024 at 10:07 pm -  Reply

    Sooo good!!

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