After two delays, Ashanti and Keyshia Cole finally held their highly-anticipated Verzuz battle on Thursday night. The R&B veterans took fans on a journey through memory lane, as they revisited some of their finest hits during the first Verzuz battle of 2021.
With the battle kicking off nearly an hour after its set time, Keyshia Cole got things started with “I Changed My Mind” from her debut album The Way It Is. Ashanti followed up with her joyous track “Happy” from her self-titled debut album.
Over the course of the night, both Keyshia and Ashanti played some of their biggest hits, as well as some of their fan-favorite gems.
Ashanti and Keyshia’s in-person Verzuz battle was originally scheduled for December 12, 2020, but was postponed due to Ashanti contracting COVID-19. It was then scheduled for January 9, 2021. However, due to the rising COVID cases nationwide, Verzuz organizers decided that it was best to reschedule the battle and host it in its original split-screen format.
“This has been an emotional week. In addition, as COV1D-19 numbers continue to increase, safety is a top priority for us. As much as we enjoy having everyone together in the same room, to protect the artists and everyone who works with us in putting the shows together, we’ll be going back to separate locations for a bit. We’re excited for the next few events, and look forward to getting back to the show in the coming weeks,” Verzuz shared in a statement.
Stream Ashanti and Keyshia Cole’s Verzuz playlist below.
