Decades after his debut, Chris Brown continues to remind the world what superstar talent encompasses. He’s not only a singer and dancer; CB’s voice can take you to church and to the top of the pop charts. Nor does the medium or genre matter where he’s concerned — from music to graffiti, R&B to rap, Breezy is the kind of rare artist whose proverbial paintbrush knows no bounds.
As evidenced by “The 11:11 Tour,” there are levels to this s**t, and the tried-and-true icon still makes crowds go crazy like it’s ‘05.
After our rundown of CB’s songwriting on his peers’ chart-topping records, we have to give the multihyphenate star his flowers for tearing down stages across the world for decades.
Check out 9 ways Chris Brown dominates when it’s time to show out for his fans live. And, in many instances, without even trying because he’s just that good.
1. Bust a move... and make it Olympian
“The 11:11 Tour” reminded the world that Chris Brown has the moves. He revived the fan-favorite routine for “Take You Down,” which gets the crowd wild with lust every time. He and his dancers are a masterclass in movement. No matter the show, if you’ve seen him live, you know there’s nothing he can’t do. Flips? Check. Somersaults? Check. Woo Walk? He got you. Left Right Challenge? Left, do it... Right, do it!
2. Connecting with fans
Breezy’s meet and greets are like no other, which is why they always go viral. Whatever poses fans want are the poses they get. In many of the pictures, you’d think CB was their man, which the ladies love of course. One guy was even spotted doing a “Dragon Ball Z”-inspired pose with the enthused star. This level of commitment to his diehard fans has cultivated an energy in his crowds that is unlike any other, and CB feeds off it for the best show possible.
3. Energy and showmanship
Like Beyoncé and Michael Jackson, Chris has mastered all the important elements of live performance, never sacrificing one component for another. He delivers it all — vocals, choreography, showmanship, nostalgia, stunts, staging, fashion, the list goes on — and with the energy to match. As we mentioned, CB is one of them ones who comes alive when he hears the crowd’s roar of love. Anyone fortunate enough to witness his show can see that — like the aforementioned legends — his talent is God-given.
4. Incorporating his life story
As he got older, Chris embraced his story, trials and tribulations. “Our pain makes us into perfect beings of the elements,” a voice-over told the crowd during the opening of one of his shows. His photos were spread across the stage, depicting CB as the elements of nature while reminding the audience of his journey.
5. He keeps going no matter what
Everyone knows the famous saying: “The show must go on.” No matter the technical hiccup, Breezy lives by those words. At “The 11:11 Tour,” he got stuck mid-air, for example, and was upside down while he sang dangling from cables. But the living legend was in the middle of his fan-favorite song “Under The Influence,” so he kept performing while beckoning the stage crew to help get him down. His vocals never wavered, and of course the clips went viral.
6. Vocals, vocals, vocals
Since his early teens, CB has been showing folks how it’s done vocally. His unique range and tone are of the soulful variety, and he delivers the same quality live while dancing. Music lovers know this is no easy feat, but when he hits that stage, the resolute vocalist sounds just like he does in your headphones.
7. The setlist
Breezy keeps it fresh and interactive. At “The 11:11 Tour,” he tried something new with his setlist. The R&B/pop icon broke the show down into four acts with a brief intermission. Each section followed the aforementioned elements of nature: Fire, water, air, and earth. He also had an AI-generated randomizer that let fans choose his next song, which was a highlight throughout all the dates.
8. Genuinely loving and appreciating what he does
It goes without saying that there are no guarantees in life, an understanding we’re sure Chris can relate to. There was a time when things looked very bleak for him, but these days, he seems to be healing and genuinely enjoying his God-given gifts. Just look at the pride he exhibits when the audience sings his song in the clip above.
9. Acknowledging his biggest fans on stage
Not only does CB have meet and greets backstage, he acknowledges his biggest fans in the middle of performing by reading their signs and telling them how much they mean to him. It’s no wonder why folks still come out in droves for the living legend after all these years -- there’s no denying the love is mutual.