Janet Jackson and Blake Shelton Celebrated the Spirit of North Texas at the Cotton Bowl

United Way of Metropolitan Dallas has dedicated 2025 to showcase their longevity, marking a milestone of 100 years of partnership, progress and impact in North Texas.

On Saturday, Nov. 15, it served as a day to celebrate with our neighbors and party with a purpose at the Cotton Bowl in Fair Park. The once-in-a-century celebration had a blue carpet with arrivals by United Way champions Dirk Nowitzki, Tyasha Harris, Lexi Missimo, Marty Turco, Darren Woodson and more, a food and wine festival, an exclusive patron dinner and then culminated with a concert. More than 30,000 people were expected to fill the Cotton Bowl to see country singer Blake Shelton and international icon Janet Jackson.

The energy in the Cotton Bowl was just as electric as the sporting events it usually hosts upon entry. The event was a full production before the musical acts took the stage, from a video address by former President George W. Bush and the playing of the Star-Spangled Banner, to fireworks, and even included the mascots of our professional sporting teams popping in for photo ops with the audience. Festivities also included the iconic Dallas media mavens, such as Kellie Rasberry, Big AL Mack and DeDe McGuire, who moderated moments on stage and kept the crowd engaged.

Blake Shelton’s set started with a mix of classic country tunes playing on a video of an analog car radio that helped shape the genre, including “Sweet Home Alabama” and many others. Shelton came on stage as he did 10 years ago at the 90-anniversary celebration, where his co-headliner was Usher.

“I thought that was an odd pair,” he confessed. He acknowledged that although he and Jackson aren’t on the same side of the music spectrum, he’s a fan, or a “nasty boy,” which elicited a chuckle from the crowd. Shelton’s spirit was full of joy as he ran through his hits like “Pour Me a Drink,” “Hillbilly Bone,” “Austin” and many more. Shelton was so elated as he congratulated and showed gratitude to United Way Dallas for the opportunity to perform at another milestone celebration.

Janet Jackson came out and set the stage on a high note, hearing the sounds of a heartbeat and red lights, letting us know the pulse of the night would be up, starting off with “BurnItUp!” and into “Throb.” The fit was fire, and showing off her physique, the denim jumpsuit with sheer sides and blue rhinestones perfectly matched the all-denim ensembles of her all-male dancers. While singing “All Nite (Don’t Stop),” she asked the crowd, “Do ya’ll want to go all night?” She was letting the crowd know we were in for a hell of a show. The first section kept us on our feet as Ms. Jackson worked every inch of that stage, singing in her perfectly soft but mighty singing voice.

Seeing a member of the Jackson Dynasty, it goes without saying that there will be plenty of dancing and crowd interaction, even at 59 years old, Jackson’s catalogue is aeonian and her stage presence is imprinted in her DNA. Performing is second nature to this child star, and it’s clear that the stage is her home. The songs stand the test of time, and the crowd reaction to every beat drop took every ear in the audience to a place of joy, love, and of course, lust.

She didn’t stick to any particular decade when transitioning from song to song. Jackson knows her fans and knows what feels good to them. As we sang and danced along to songs like “All for You” and “I Miss You Much,” she reassured us, “I know you all know this.”

Taking the stage with a stool, signifying we were going from dance songs to the ballads, Jackson thanked the United Way.

“Tonight is not just another event, we are celebrating 100 years, a full century that United Way has served this community with love, compassion and unwavering commitment,” Jackson says. “Thank you, United Way.”

Jackson asked, “Can I slow it down just a little bit, guys?” And the crowd roared. Slow it down, she did with “Come Back To Me,” “Let’s Wait Awhile,” and a perfectly harmonized “I Get So Lonely” while her shirtless dancers seductively danced alongside her until she left the stool and hit the original choreography with them. Last of the ballads was “Any Time, Any Place,” which was next, and unfortunately, we didn’t get the infamous lap dance with an audience member from her past performances that Ms. Jackson is known for.

The last part of her set was nothing but the chart-topping classics that shaped a generation. “Nasty” and “Pleasure Principle” provided a certain energy that can’t be replicated by anyone outside of the Jacksons or described without gushing like a teenager. Ending with “Rhythm Nation,” the stage popped and sparkled, providing some extra heat on Jackson’s vocal commands for a fiery guitar solo. As the lights went down, the crowd screamed “Janet, Janet” asking for an encore.

The encore was queued up with the now-viral hit “Someone to Call My Lover,” displaying visuals from the TikToks and the original video. The final song, “Together Again,” was a sentimental moment, as images of herself and her late brothers, Tito and Michael, and father Joe Jackson were displayed on the screen. The grand finale featured a colorful fireworks show that illuminated the skies as she exited the stage.

Like her song, “Funny How Time Flies (When You’re Having Fun),” time did go by so fast after the fun we had. Whether it was a country legend like Blake Shelton, a 50-year music career like Janet Jackson’s or United Way’s 100 years of service, the night was the epitome of greatness.