‘The Way It Is’ Reignited: Keyshia Cole’s 20th Anniversary Tour Lights Up Dickies Arena

As a musician and original reality TV star who has sustained success and remained culturally relevant for decades, Keyshia Cole is celebrating her 20th anniversary as an entertainer with her The Way It Is 20th Anniversary Tour, named after her 2005 debut album, to honor the songs that catapulted her music career.

The R&B singer announced in April that she was hitting the road to headline the 20-city tour, which kicked off on July 1 in Baltimore, Maryland. The lineup includes special guests Amerie, Tink, Elijah Blake, Fridayy, Jeremih, Wale, Keri Hilson and Lil Kim at select dates. The outpouring of love she received from her fans at her show at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth proved the impact she's made as an artist.

Before Cole hit the stage, vocalists and songwriters Elijah Blake, Keri Hilson and Tink served as the perfect opening acts for this stop, setting the perfect tone for the night's star. As people slowly trickled into the fairly empty arena, which would soon become an energetic and vibrant space, the concert began at approximately 7 p.m.

Starting the night was Blake, who has written for artists such as the Oakland native herself, Rihanna, Justin Bieber, and Usher, among others. He wore an all-white pantsuit and silk top, showcasing an extensive range that included singing original songs, R&B favorites, and popular singles he had penned. His set had a surprise in store for those on time. American Idol's sixth-season winner, Jordin Sparks, made an unexpected appearance when she joined Black onstage to sing. Following the duet, she sang her hit record, "No Air," flawlessly, as fans sang, clapped and cheered her on towards the end of the song.

Next up was Keri Hilson, who burst onto the stage to her classic tune "Turnin Me On" and immediately had the arena buzzing. She was decked out in a vibrant ensemble: a long, multicolored jacket with matching shorts and a top, finished with shiny boots. Launching into "Get Your Money Up," she built the energy even higher before dropping into "Knock You Down," at which point the crowd erupted, singing along. The Atlanta native transitioned to her "Slow Dance," sensually dancing with her microphone stand before turning cheeky during "One Night Stand," where she invited a male from the audience near the stage and serenaded him. She smooth­ly shifted gears to perform her new song, "Bae," from her third album, We Need to Talk: Love, then delved into deeper cuts for her longtime fans. When the first notes of her final song, "Pretty Girl Rock," rang out, the entire arena rose as one, singing every word.

Following the Grammy-nominated songstress was Chicago's own Tink, who took the stage and delivered a dream set for both new and longtime fans. She ignited the evening by emerging in a black and red leather ensemble, immediately sending the crowd to their feet. She rode that momentum with her song "Million." From start to finish, she showcased tight choreography as she delivered early mixtape classics and new drops, including "Bottom Bitch," "Don't Tell Nobody," "Fake Love," "Show It" "CAP," Count on You" and more. Mid-set, she paused the mic to let her dancers take over for a dance break, before returning to lead the audience through some more jams. During the final song, "Treat Me Like Somebody," everyone was on their feet, voices ringing out in unison across the arena.

Finally, the moment everyone in the arena had been waiting for, Cole graced the stage. Flashing lights and wailing sirens opened the show, spotlighting a solitary telephone booth by a chain-link fence as a pre-recorded monologue about chasing dreams set the stage. Suddenly, she appeared atop a giant, red velvet-draped heart, wearing a fitted denim top, sparkling silver-studded shorts, knee-high boots and layers of diamond jewelry. Holding a bedazzled red microphone, backed by a live band featuring drums, guitar, piano and powerhouse backing vocalists, she sang "Guess What?" from The Way It Is to initiate the set.

Three bass drummers lined up as a drumline thundered in to launch "I Changed My Mind." Despite a very brief mic glitch during "Thought You Had My Back," Cole rallied the crowd with a cheeky wink: "I'm singing every song off The Way It Is. I hope you don’t mind." The crowd sang their hearts out to “I Should’ve Cheated” as bright red beams bathed the arena. She welcomed Dallas native and rising hip-hop star BigXThaPlug midset, who performed “2AM” and “The Largest.”

After the "All The Way" rapper's surprise appearance, a black-and-white video montage of her California drive before reappearing in an all-red bodysuit with feathery chaps for “Last Night” and “Enough of No Love.” Reflecting on two decades of hits, she thanked fans for their support throughout her music career.

"20 years in this motherfucker, I really appreciate you!" Cole told the audience.

At the end of performing "Heaven Sent," which she mentioned was one of her "favorites to perform," she delivered a gospel-tinged version to thank God. She sang some collaborative records like "Trust" and "Let It Go," even throwing Lil Kim’s signature dance moves into the mix. When the notes of "Love" rang out, house lights rose, and the entire place belted the song word-for-word. White and red confetti rained down, concluding a heartfelt celebration of her legacy thus far.

"I love you!" she shouted before leaving the stage.

See more photos from Saturday's show: