From Dec. 13-18, Vanessa Williams will be spreading cheer at New York's legendary 54 Below. "Tis the season," she told E! News before opening night. "The Diamond Series is just a perfect opportunity to have a nice long run and also bring my show that I've done all over the world to 54 Below."
On opening night of her Diamond Series Dec. 13, Vanessa and her background singer Shelly Thomas Harts received support from the stars of Broadway's POTUS, including Julianne Hough, Lea DeLaria and Rachel Dratch.
Whether it's coming from a friend or stranger, Vanessa enjoys hearing a few heartfelt compliments from fans who see her live. "I love the fact that people say you sound like your record because I say, 'Cuz I'm really singing on my record,'" she joked. "Also, 'You made me cry.' I've got great songs that mean things to people and they get connected to the lyrics and the melody."
Whether you're enjoying date night with your partner or a girls' night out, Vanessa believes you'll have a blast at her show. "You could be alone and sit at the bar and order your food and enjoy a wonderful evening," she added. "But it's not only me and my music, but it's also the room. The room feels intimate and the room feels special."
While Vanessa has plenty of experience performing in front of thousands of people, these shows are much more intimate. "It's almost like back in the day when MTV used to have their acoustic set or their unplugged series where you're literally sitting on a stage or a stool and everyone is around you at your feet," she said. "It's the same kind of feel. It's an experience."
With so much experience under her belt, Vanessa has little to no fears before showtime. "We'll of course do the soundcheck, but I've been on the road since 1997," she said. "The band is the same band that I've had so I can literally throw them anything and they can remember it or get their sheet music and we can go deep in terms of our archives. It's just fun. It's like family up there."