With the release of his 2000 debut Aijuswanaseing, vocalist and sunglasses aficionado Musiq Soulchild entered the music world at the peak of the neo-soul subgenre’s popularity. Powered by the friend-zone anthem “Just Friends (Sunny)” and the soaring ballad “Love,” the album landed him his first Grammy nomination. This paved the way for follow-up Juslisen to premiere at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 en route to going platinum. Ten Grammy nods and five studio albums later, the Philly native still retains that Midas touch, which he’ll bring to the Howard Theatre to close the book on 2013. On a night that’s supposed to be all about romance, love may not materialize, but Musiq’s sultry lyrics are the next best thing. Musiq Soulchild performs at 10 p.m. at Howard Theatre, 620 T St. NW. $55–$175. (202) 803-2899. thehowardtheatre.com.