When two-time Grammy Award winner Charlton Singleton walked out onto the stage at Charleston Music Hall, the crowd immediately jumped to their feet with a roar of applause. The love in the room for Charlton was palpable, and his loyal Lowcountry fans knew they were in for an exceptional night. From the very first note, the energy inside the venue was electric.

Joined on stage by vocal powerhouse Quiana Parler and the talented Tommy Brown Jr., Singleton assembled a top-tier lineup backed by the dynamic vocal trio The Wives. A few notes into Bobby Brown's classic "Roni," and fans were back on their feet dancing in the aisles.

While the guest vocalists delivered phenomenal moments throughout the night, every single musician in the backing band shined brilliantly, laying down a locked-in, infectious groove that kept the room moving from start to finish.

Hilarious Stage Banter & Grammy-Winning Royalty

When Charlton introduced fellow Ranky Tanky member and two-time Grammy winner Quiana Parler, the audience erupted for the local music royalty. Between songs, Parler shared warm, candid moments with the crowd, chatting about local performances and joking about her brief college stints at the College of Charleston and SC State. Pondering whether leaving school early still makes her an alum, Tommy Brown Jr. chimed in with the verdict: "If you paid any money to a school, you're an alumni!"

Parler also reflected on her experience during Season 2 of American Idol, where she was among the final group cut before the live finals. She recalled judge Paula Abdul telling her at the time that getting cut early was actually a blessing in disguise—a sentiment Parler said turned out to be completely true. Free from the restrictive, long-term contracts imposed on top finalists, she was able to chart her own career path, ultimately leading to her two Grammy wins with Ranky Tanky alongside Singleton.

Paying homage to Abdul, whom she has always looked up to, Parler launched into a showstopping rendition of "Straight Up" that had the entire room singing along at full volume.

A High-Energy Finale That Had the Whole House on Its Feet

The crowd participation didn't slow down for a second—clapping, singing, waving arms, and dancing continued through both sets. The concert also gave the spotlight to Singleton’s stellar backing vocalists, The Wives, letting each singer shine individually during standout covers of SWV and En Vogue hits.

Before starting the final song, Charlton brought out every band member and featured guest to the front of the stage and encouraged the entire room to stand. The crowd obliged instantly, breaking into loud cheers as the band launched into Montell Jordan's classic hit, "This Is How We Do It."

Midway through the track, the band pulled off a seamless transition into the theme song from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, triggering a massive, full-house singalong. It was a high-energy, feel-good, crowd-participation ending to a fabulous evening of music.

Singleton gave a quick nod to his upcoming Charlton Singleton's Holiday Spectacular, reminding fans that tickets are on sale now and we feel certain that will be a must-see show. You can find show information and tickets to Charlton's show along with other Christmas shows in the area here - Christmas Shows in Charleston.

Setlists: Charlton Singleton's New Jack Swing

Set 1

1. Groove Me – Charlton Singleton
2. Don’t Be Cruel – Charlton Singleton
3. I Like – Tommy Brown Jr.
4. Roni – Charlton Singleton
5. The Way You Love Me – Quiana Parler
6. Straight Up – Quiana Parler
7. I’m Your Baby Tonight – Quiana Parler
8. My Prerogative – Charlton Singleton
9. Remember the Time – Charlton Singleton
10. Sensitivity – Charlton Singleton
11. Nite and Day – LaVonta (Bass)

Set 2

1. Superwoman – Quiana Parler
2. Ready or Not – Quiana Parler
3. Real Love – Quiana Parler
4. You Remind Me – Quiana Parler
5. Been Around the World – Quiana Parler
6. Don’t Walk Away – The Wives
7. Right Here – The Wives
8. I’m So Into You – The Wives
9. If I Had No Loot – Tommy Brown Jr.
10. Let’s Chill – Tommy Brown Jr.
11. This Is How We Do It / Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Theme – Stephen & Charlton Singleton (Full Cast)

Artist & Performer Links

• Charlton Singleton: charltonsingleton.com
• Quiana Parler: quianaparler.com
• Tommy Brown Jr.: Facebook Profile
• The Wives: Facebook Page

Show review by Sandy Meier and Samantha Meier. Photos by Samantha Meier.