The night of June 25^th, an all too lucky audience was graced with the vocal expertise and beauty of Mrs. Alicia Keys. Carried out at the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles, the performance by the R & B talent was coupled with, not only Alicia’s soothingly soaring singing voice, but her gift of piano playing.

She brought her skill to her own rendition of the Beatle’s song “Black Bird”, lyrics which express waiting patiently for those long-sought after moments in one’s lifetime.

The evening’s performance was named “Piano & I: A One- Night Only Event With Alicia Keys,” marked by the simplicity and power of the artist’s raw gifts. The night celebrated what the coming weeks would hold for Keys when the release of the expanded 10^th anniversary edition of 2001’s album Songs in A Minor, as well as a performance at Beacon Theatre in New York.

Keys poured out her songs for the Art Deco Pantages audience with her usual essence of authenticity coupled with her silky vocal ability. While the performance was focused in on her 2001 album, Keys didn’t neglect to include some of her more recent hits- among those “Unthinkable (I’m Ready)” which she co-wrote along with other artists including Drake.

The songstress filled the two hour show with a presentation of songs packed with a wide-ranging field of emotion. Keys opened the show with an assortment of songs originally from artists who motivated her music interest. Mary J, Blige, Brian McKnight and even rapper Biggie Smalls all had a place in Keys’ opening along with numerous others.

The artist emitted her passionate energy by sharing with the audience “I love this. It’s stripped back and super-raw”. Mrs. Alicia Keys has 4 albums under her belt, occasional acting roles and now a role as mother. Her past music experience has propelled her to present refined performances which was surely witnessed in her A Minor show.

She has a striking ability to exude a unique power in her songs like when she sang the moving “Goodbye”- her body language was a marriage of what is raw and what is real.

The songstress started out her career quite young at the age of 20 and since then her mark within the fast-paced industry has been undeniable.

Her sound dives into music territory of hip-hop and R and B with a passion that one can trace back to the sixties seventies.  Keys made a stunning achievement when she brought home five Grammys for her Songs in A Minor album in 2002.

The singer has worked to establish a name for herself all around the world but her core is clearly back in her hometown of Manhattan, New York.   During her performance she shared with her audience stories of her childhood and her songwriting days on trains.

Then, after performing a meaningful version of Billy Joel’s “New York State of Mind”, she transitioned into “Empire State of Mind” an inspirational piece she collaborated on with Jay-Z.

When Keys glided through to her performance’s end, she closed with a energizing arrangement of her song “Superwoman”.  It was a fitting ending to a brilliantly empowering performance by the songstress with a command over the piano and a striking voice to match.

Tom Begasse / Shutterstock.com

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About the author

Kendra Hale
Born and raised in the eclectic Seattle area, I've possessed an appetite for writing ever since I can remember. This passion has trickled over into my college academic journey as I have taken the leap of declaring myself as a journalism major. Along with writing I love to sing, laugh, dance, workout, simply live and learn as much as humanly possible!