Patti LaBelle Deserved the NEXT Generation: Why Were the Younger Singers Missing From Her Tribute? 👀🎤

Baby, I have a question.

And I need somebody to answer it without sending me a press release, a publicist-approved statement, or a paragraph full of words that somehow says absolutely NOTHING.

Where were the younger singers for Patti LaBelle's tribute?

Because when you're honoring a woman whose career has stretched across generations, I expect the tribute itself to stretch across generations too.

Now before everybody starts throwing tomatoes at me, let me make something very clear: Chanté Moore can SING. Le'Andria Johnson can SING.

That's not the issue.

Both women have voices. Both women have been doing this for years. And when you give either one of them a microphone, they're not standing there wondering which end they're supposed to sing into.

But when I watched the tribute, I kept thinking:

Where is the NEW generation?

Where are the singers in their 20s and 30s who were inspired by Patti LaBelle?

Where are the current artists who could introduce Patti's music to audiences who weren't even alive when "Lady Marmalade" first became a hit?

Where is the passing-of-the-torch moment?

Because this was an opportunity.

And I feel like somebody left that opportunity sitting backstage next to a cold plate of chicken and a bottle of water.

DON'T GET MAD AT ME — GET MAD AT THE CASTING

I already know somebody is going to read the headline and say:

"Why are you coming for Chanté Moore and Le'Andria Johnson?"

I'm not.

This isn't about whether these women can sing.

They can.

My issue is that when you're putting together a tribute for an icon like Patti LaBelle, you should be thinking bigger than simply finding two people who can handle the notes.

A tribute should tell a story.

Patti's story isn't just about yesterday.

Her influence is still alive TODAY.

That's what I wanted to see represented on that stage.

Give me one legendary singer.

Give me one established powerhouse.

Then give me one younger artist who grew up studying Patti LaBelle videos on YouTube.

Now we've got something.

Now we're connecting generations.

Instead, I was sitting there thinking:

Did the invitation accidentally get sent to the wrong group chat?

Because somebody younger should have been in that building.

AND YES, I STARTED WONDERING ABOUT THE BUDGET 👀

Now let me be careful because I don't know these people's finances.

I wasn't at the planning meetings.

Nobody slid the budget underneath my door.

I don't know what anybody was paid or who was invited and couldn't attend.

But watching it made me WONDER.

Was it the budget?

Were younger, currently hot singers too expensive?

Did somebody's manager say:

"Okay, what's the appearance fee?"

And the organizers suddenly start coughing?

Because that's how my messy imagination works.

Maybe the budget said:

Patti LaBelle tribute: $25.

I'm joking!

Don't sue me.

But seriously, whenever an awards show or gala puts together a tribute, there are probably a million moving parts behind the scenes.

Schedules.

Management.

Record labels.

Travel.

Rehearsals.

Money.

Availability.

Song clearances.

Who wants to participate.

Who doesn't.

Who says yes and then suddenly can't make it.

So there may be a perfectly reasonable explanation.

But as a VIEWER, I can only judge what ended up onstage.

And what ended up onstage made me ask why a younger voice wasn't part of the celebration.

PATTI LABELLE IS BIGGER THAN ONE GENERATION

This is PATTI LABELLE we're talking about.

We're not talking about somebody who had two songs in 1998 and disappeared.

Patti has been performing professionally since the early 1960s.

Think about that.

SIX DECADES.

She went from Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles to Labelle to a massive solo career.

She gave us "Lady Marmalade."

"If Only You Knew."

"New Attitude."

"On My Own."

"If You Asked Me To."

"You Are My Friend."

"Somebody Loves You Baby."

And that's just scratching the surface.

Then there's the personality.

The wigs.

The gowns.

The shoes flying across the stage.

The facial expressions.

The vocals.

The personality.

Patti doesn't simply walk onto a stage.

Patti ARRIVES.

You know Patti LaBelle has entered the building before somebody even says her name.

That's why her tribute should demonstrate how far her influence travels.

WHERE ARE THE YOUNGER POWERHOUSE SINGERS?

This is where I think the producers could have had some fun.

Imagine a young R&B singer coming out and singing "If Only You Knew."

Then an established vocalist performs "You Are My Friend."

Then another generation tackles "New Attitude."

Now we're taking the audience through Patti's career while showing how her music continues to influence singers TODAY.

And I'm not saying they needed the five biggest pop stars in America.

That's unrealistic.

Everybody has schedules.

Everybody has contracts.

Everybody isn't available.

But you're telling me there wasn't ONE younger powerhouse singer somewhere who would've loved to honor Patti LaBelle?

Come on now.

America has singers.

TikTok has singers.

YouTube has singers.

Broadway has singers.

Church has singers.

There are people standing in their kitchens right now hitting notes that would knock a pot of greens off the stove.

FIND SOMEBODY.

CHANTÉ MOORE STILL DID WHAT CHANTÉ MOORE DOES

Now let's give credit where it's due.

Chanté Moore performing "Love, Need and Want You" makes sense vocally.

Chanté has always been known for her range and technique.

She knows how to approach a song without sounding like she's wrestling it in the parking lot.

And Patti's songs are NOT karaoke songs.

You don't just stroll into the building after two rehearsals and say:

"I think I'll sing Patti LaBelle tonight."

Good luck.

Those songs require breath control, range, emotion and enough confidence to stand there knowing Patti LaBelle herself is watching you.

Because imagine Patti looking at you while you're singing HER SONG.

I'd forget every lyric.

I'd be up there:

"If only you knew… um… the rest of the words…"

Security would escort me directly offstage.

So yes, Chanté was a sensible choice.

But again, I wanted somebody beside her representing the next chapter.

LE'ANDRIA JOHNSON BROUGHT CHURCH INTO THE BUILDING

Then you have Le'Andria Johnson singing "You Are My Friend."

Now THAT song will turn an awards ceremony into Sunday service in about 45 seconds.

"You Are My Friend" already carries that gospel feeling.

Put Le'Andria on it and somebody is about to start waving a hand.

Then when Patti becomes part of the moment?

That's beautiful.

That's the type of spontaneous emotional moment a tribute needs.

But even after enjoying it, I still had the same thought:

Where are the younger artists?

Because celebrating Patti's past is wonderful.

Showing Patti's FUTURE influence would have made it even stronger.

THIS WAS A PASSING-THE-TORCH OPPORTUNITY

Tributes are important because they introduce legends to new audiences.

There are young people who know Patti LaBelle from viral clips.

Some know her from television.

Some know her from food products.

Some know the name but don't understand the MUSIC.

That's why these tributes matter.

A 22-year-old watching one of their favorite singers perform a Patti LaBelle song might suddenly say:

"Wait… Patti originally sang this?"

Then they go searching.

Now they're listening to Labelle.

Now they're watching old performances.

Now they're discovering "If Only You Knew."

That's how legacy continues.

A younger artist doesn't diminish the legend.

They help carry the legend forward.

MAYBE THE YOUNGER GENERATION NEEDS TO SHOW UP TOO

But here's another side of this conversation.

Maybe we shouldn't put everything on the organizers.

Where are the younger artists when these legends are being honored?

I see everybody posting about legends AFTER something happens.

Suddenly Instagram is full of:

"She inspired me so much."

"My biggest influence."

"Queen."

"Legend."

Okay.

Then show up while they're HERE.

Sing the tribute.

Attend the ceremony.

Post the performance.

Interview them.

Learn from them.

Give these legends their flowers while they can actually smell them.

Patti LaBelle is here.

She's performing.

She's talking.

She's laughing.

She's still giving audiences PATTI.

Celebrate that NOW.

STOP WAITING UNTIL LEGENDS ARE GONE

This is something the music industry does far too often.

People suddenly become the biggest fans in history when somebody passes away.

Now everybody has a story.

Everybody has a picture.

Everybody was "inspired."

Everybody has a tribute performance ready.

Where was all that energy before?

That's why I appreciate Patti getting honored while she can sit there and WATCH it.

She can hear people applaud.

She can see singers perform her songs.

She can receive her flowers.

That's beautiful.

I just wanted those flowers coming from several different generations.

THE TRIBUTE WASN'T BAD — I JUST WANTED MORE

And that's ultimately my issue.

I'm not saying the tribute was terrible.

I'm not saying Chanté Moore couldn't sing.

I'm not saying Le'Andria Johnson couldn't sing.

I'm saying the concept could have been BIGGER.

More generations.

More variety.

More connection between Patti's past and R&B's future.

Because when you're honoring somebody with Patti LaBelle's career, you've got decades of music to work with.

USE IT.

Give us glamour.

Give us history.

Give us gospel.

Give us R&B.

Give us young singers.

Give us veteran singers.

Give us somebody scared to death because Patti is sitting ten feet away judging that high note.

Give us a MOMENT.

PATTI DESERVES THE WHOLE PRODUCTION

If I'm producing a Patti LaBelle tribute, we're spending some money.

I'm calling everybody.

And if they don't answer?

I'm calling again.

"Hello, this is about Patti."

Click.

Call back.

"You accidentally hung up. Like I said, PATTI LABELLE."

Because some artists deserve the extra effort.

Patti is one of them.

Her career survived changing musical trends, changing technology, changing record labels, changing audiences and generations of new performers.

That longevity deserves a tribute showing exactly how enormous her influence has been.

NOW I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU 👀

Maybe I'm asking for too much.

Maybe you watched it and thought it was perfect.

Maybe Chanté Moore and Le'Andria Johnson were exactly who you wanted to see.

Or maybe you were sitting there just like me thinking:

Where are the younger singers?!

So let's get messy in the comments.

Who would YOU have booked to sing for Patti LaBelle?

Would you have kept Chanté Moore?

Would you have kept Le'Andria Johnson?

Which younger singer would you have added?

And most importantly:

What Patti LaBelle song should they have performed?

Don't just give me a singer.

Give me the SONG too.

Because we're producing our own imaginary Patti LaBelle tribute now, and apparently somebody has to handle casting!

😂🎤

Share this post with another Patti fan and ask them who they would have booked.

And if you're going to honor a legend…

Make it legendary.