Rimes, dressed in an alluring sheer black dress, kicked off her set with the sassy and upbeat “”Love Is Love Is Love,” which was quite appropriate for this event, where the audience was clapping along with her. Her whistle register was utterly fantastic on this opening tune, and it was met with a raucous response. “New York. How are you?” she asked. “Happy Pride everybody!” Rimes said.
It was followed by a powerhouse electro-pop rendition of “I Need You,” where her crystalline vocals were spot-on. “Let me hear you guys,” she said, midway through the song. “Thank you, thank you,” she reiterated, and she expressed her gratitude for people showing up for Pride. “I’m so happy to celebrate with you guys today,” she said, graciously.
She continued with a new song “Long Live Love.” from her new album, the critically-acclaimed Remnants, which had a liberating vibe to it.
After a sip of water, she thanked the clouds for holding up and for not raining. Rimes invited a few fans up on stage with her to dance with her, as she serenaded the New York audience to “Can’t Fight the Moonlight.” It closed with an electronic version of “How Do I Live,” which had a neat arrangement to it. Everybody in the crowd was reciting the lyrics verbatim. “New York. Thanks for having me out,” she said. “I love you with all my heart. Happy Pride!”
The Verdict
Overall, LeAnn Rimes was the epitome of grace and beauty at this year’s PrideFest in New York City. Her performance simply stole the show. Her honey-rich voice was impeccable, as always, and her songs were filled with positivity, energy and joy. Rimes’ live set garnered an A rating.