The vocal firepower was absolutely next level when R&B stars Patti LaBelle, Jennifer Hudson, Yolanda Adams, Fantasia, and Queen Latifah teamed up for this epic collab! The vocal dream team got together for a cover of Karyn White’s “Superwoman,” and it really brought the house down at the finale of TheGrio Awards in 2022. LaBelle held center stage for the performance, and the 78-year-old definitely did not disappoint.
The Godmother of Soul directed the vocal line and encouraged the other ladies at various points to make the performance really pop off. LaBelle also really impressed with her sky-high vocal runs and effortless command of the stage. To see three generations of R&B legends like that together onstage is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and there were way too many vocal show-stoppers from all five ladies for us to list them all.
The epic diva collab proved to be popular on YouTube, where the performance drew 1.6 million views. Fans raved about the powerhouse five-piece below the video, adding comments such as “That just gave me the chills from start to finish, what an incredible lineup of talent. Loved that they sang together with no one trying to outshine the other. Respect!” and “They’re phenomenal and God gave these beautiful women soulful voices.”
Before hitting the stage with the four other stars, LaBelle kicked off the event finale with a solo performance of her 1983 number one R&B chart hit “If Only You Knew.” This solo number was a really great showcase for her vocals, as well as her captivating stage presence. You can tell LaBelle absolutely loves what she does, and it makes her performances a joy to watch.
Karyn White released “Superwoman” as the second single from her self-titled debut album on January 2, 1989. Readers might be wondering why the vocal dream team chose to cover this song in particular, rather than one of their own hits. The answer might lie with the songwriting team, as “Superwoman” was written and produced by L.A. Reid, Babyface, and Daryl Simmons. The connection comes with Indiana songwriter Babyface, who has written songs for many artists, including LaBelle. In addition to performing live with LaBelle, Babyface wrote her songs “My Love, Sweet Love” and “Sometimes Love,” which appeared on the Waiting to Exhale soundtrack and her album Timeless Journey, respectively.
