Pride Festival f. LeAnn Rimes
Uptown Charlotte
Aug. 17, 2014

When LeAnn Rimes was first announced as the headliner for the 2014 Charlotte Pride Festival, I was a little confused. Her name conjured up the whining tone of her country music song "Blue" — a stark contrast to last year's dynamic duo of pop singer Mya, who danced the night away, and Big Freedia who held a twerking contest.

But after yesterday's performance, I'm convinced Rimes was the right choice to headline the 2014 event, which included a parade for the second year. Her set provided the perfect mix of upbeat and emotional music. One moment, she was dancing with attendees she invited on stage; the next, she was wiping away tears from the crowd's response to her music.

Thousands were dancing when she sang "Can't Fight the Moonlight," just as many of them cried along with Rimes when she sang a cover of Adele's, "Someone Like You." After her 45-minute set, she returned for an encore. And just when you thought she was done — a member of her entourage mouthed from behind her that she didn't need to — she proceeded to play one more song. She had clearly soaked in all of the excitement and joy that defines Charlotte's Pride Festival.