HOLLYWOOD- By the time the doors opened at 8 p.m. at Starland Ballroom, in New Jersey, the anticipation inside the Sayreville venue was already palpable. This wasn’t just another concert night — it was a gathering of generations bound by bass lines, heartbreak anthems, and memories that refuse to fade. Vic Latino, former DJ at WKTU, 103.5, New York was the Master of Ceremony.
Freestyle, a genre born in the clubs and streets of the Northeast, has always been about emotion as much as rhythm. And on this night, it was clear the music hadn’t aged — it had matured alongside its audience. DJ Solo set the foundation early, spinning classics that instantly transformed the venue into a living, breathing dance floor. Conversations dissolved into movement. Smiles spread. The crowd didn’t need warming up — they needed permission to let go.
That permission arrived when Lucas Prata took the stage. Smooth, confident, and vocally sharp, Prata delivered a set that bridged past and present, reminding the audience why his sound continues to resonate. His performance felt less like nostalgia and more like continuity. He flew in from Miami, before the Blizzard of 2026 hit the northeast.
It was a fun night on February 21, 2026, before we all had to hunker down.The emotional core of the night deepened with Reina, whose heartfelt delivery brought the room to a collective pause — not silence, but focus. Freestyle has always excelled at turning vulnerability into power, and her performance captured that spirit perfectly. Couples leaned into one another. Lyrics were mouthed with intention.
As the night progressed, the energy shifted from introspective to celebratory. The harmonies of The Cover Girls filled the ballroom, crisp and confident, instantly igniting the dance floor. Their chemistry was undeniable, and their performance felt like a reminder of freestyle’s golden era — when vocals mattered and presence ruled.
Then came France Joli, effortlessly timeless. Her set blurred the line between disco and freestyle, proving once again that great music doesn’t belong to a decade — it belongs to the people who keep dancing to it. The crowd responded instantly, turning the floor into a glittering wave of motion.
She brought down the house, with her song, “Come To Me,” the audience brought her to rears. She was so emotionally moved by all the love the audience showed her. As midnight approached, the atmosphere grew electric. George Lamond delivered one of the night’s most powerful performances, his unmistakable voice cutting through the room with authority and emotion. It was the kind of set that doesn’t ask for attention — it commands it. The audience didn’t just sing along; they felt every note.
Then came the moment many had been waiting for.Judy Torres took the stage with the confidence of an artist who knows exactly who she is — and who her audience is. Her vocals were strong, controlled, and emotionally charged, proving that true artistry doesn’t fade with time. Her set felt like a masterclass in legacy — honoring the past while standing firmly in the present.
Just after midnight, the night reached its crescendo with TKA.
The bass hit harder. The crowd surged forward. Any remaining sense of time dissolved. This was not a closing act — it was a celebration, a reminder of why freestyle once dominated airwaves and dance floors across the Northeast.
And when DJ Solo returned to close out the night, it felt less like an ending and more like an afterparty — one last chance to dance with a piece of history.
What made this night special wasn’t just the lineup.
It was the unity inside the room.
Different ages. Different stories. One shared soundtrack. At a time when the music industry constantly chases the next trend, Starland Ballroom proved that longevity matters — that songs rooted in emotion, melody, and truth don’t disappear. They wait.
And when they return, as they did on this unforgettable night in Sayreville, they remind us why we fell in love with them in the first place. Freestyle didn’t visit Starland Ballroom. It reclaimed it.
Rose’s Scoop: The Northeast was hit by over 2 feet of snow, and I was thrilled that Lucas Prata, was able to make his flight back to Miami.
