Normani Covers Rihanna, Aaliyah at 'Sweetener World Tour'
Normani shined bright like a diamond during opening night of the “Sweetener World Tour.”
Before Ariana Grande took the stage at Albany’s Times Union Center on Monday night (Mar. 18), the former Fifth Harmony songstress dazzled fans with a stunning set of her own.
In addition to performing her singles “Waves” and “Love Lies” and Fifth Harmony classics like “Work From Home” and “Worth It,” Normani paid homage to her idols including Rihanna. Donning a sparkly black catsuit, she started the stripped-down medley with “Diamonds” before continuing with “Where Have You Been,” “We Found Love,” and “Run This Town.”
“We’re gonna take this moment to do a medley of one of my favorite artists who goes by the name of Rihanna,” Normani told the crowd. “I just think that she’s responsible for so many of my greatest memories.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wmecy4Qpdac
@Normani covering @Rihanna at #SweetenerWorldTour opener pic.twitter.com/5bPkd814DN
— Rap-Up (@RapUp) March 19, 2019
The performance was celebrated on social media, but not everyone was impressed. When one Twitter commenter asked why she was covering Rihanna, Normani shot back, “cause I can.”
— Fenty Stats (@FentyStats) March 19, 2019
During Monday’s show, Normani also honored the late Aaliyah with a cover of “One in a Million.” Watch her pay tribute to Babygirl below.
Your love is a one in a million I know Aaliyah proud of Normani ☺️..@Normani #Normani #NormaniOnSweetner #SweetenerWorldTour #ThankYouNextTour #ArianaGrande #Aaliyah #SweetenerTour pic.twitter.com/DAC1ytjgeL
— Keren (@iamkerenn) March 19, 2019