With Jay Z rapping on the big screen behind her, the crowd rose and danced before Keys signed off for the night.Įarlier in the evening, John Legend kicked things off with an hour-long set featuring Made to Love, Tonight (Best You Ever Had), Used to Love You, Let's Get Lifted and Who Do We Think We Are.
There was only one switch into a sparkly purple full-length gown for the encore, in which Keys returned for Empire State of Mind. With such strong vocals, backed by a great live band, there was no need for bells and whistles or costume changes. It speaks volumes about an artist who can stand on stage, in this day and age, and command the attention of thousands using nothing but the power of her own voice or, similarly, bring an arena to a low hush with her fancy finger work on the piano. Though the power of showmanship should never be underestimated, Keys gave a refreshing, no frills performance, which focused on the music. Keys took to the drums during New Day and the beat lead into her finale performance of Girl on Fire. "I gotta tell you, I am crazy excited to be here with you tonight," Keys said, flashing a megawatt smile.Ī moving rendition of If I Ain't Got You, from her second studio album The Diary of Alicia Keys, was followed by one of the evening's highlights as the crowd lit up the Arena with their mobile phones and sang along with Keys for No One. The passionate musician was at home on stage, clearly happy to be immersed in her lyrics and snippets of songs such as Unbreakable and Brand New Me showcased a raw, softer side of Keys' vocal abilities. The reggae vibe of a mash-up of her song Limitedless, from her Girl on Fire album, and Chaka Demus and Pliers' hit Murder She Wrote, had Keys up and moving as she was flanked by her dancers. The Arena's big screens allowed the audience a close-up on the intricate work of her fingers, which glided across the piano keys, and her signature loud, bluesy notes of her breakout hit 2001 Fallin'.
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