Alicia Keys and Jay-Z reunite to perform 'Empire State of Mind'
It's been years since Alicia Keys and Jay-Z performed their 2009 hit, 'Empire State of Mind'...
Jay-Z joined Alicia Keys on stage at the 2024 Tony Awards for a surprise performance of 'Empire State of Mind'.
Alicia attended the awards ceremony as a producer of the jukebox musical Hell's Kitchen, which features lyrics and music by the singer.
The semi-autobiographical musical debuted on Broadway in April. It tells the story of a teen piano prodigy from New York named Ali who is "full of fire – searching for freedom, passion and her place in the world".
"Rebellious and stifled by an overprotective single mother, Ali is lost until she meets her mentor: a neighbor who opens her heart and mind to the power of the piano. Set to the rhythm of the 90s, HELL'S KITCHEN is a love story between a mother and daughter. It's about finding yourself, your purpose, and the community that lifts you," the musical's synopsis reads.
Alicia and Jay-Z's 2009 track, 'Empire State of Mind,' closes the musical. She first hinted that they were reuniting in an Instagram post.
"1 Dream. 1 Song. 1 Billion streams. Thank you! We love you. What’s next…." she wrote shortly before the Tonys.
She also shared a picture of two mics with the letters "J" and "AK".
ALSO READ: 'The Color Purple' - Alicia Keys releases 'Lifeline' music video
MORE FROM EAST COAST RADIO:
The last time Alicia and Jay-Z performed 'Empire State of Mind' together was in 2016.
"I love that this has become another New York City anthem/theme song. Every generation and every demographic of New Yorker should have one," one Instagram user said about the performance.
Another added: "All I can think about is her mom. How proud she must be. And the struggle they Alicia and her mom have lived."
ALSO READ: Woman's World! Katy Perry has a new song on the way
'Hell's Kitchen' was nominated for 13 Tony awards.
Two cast members received awards on the night. Maleah Joi Moon won 'Best Actress in a Musical' while Kecia Lewis received 'Best Features Actress in a Musical'.
Alicia celebrated the cast's Tony Awards success on Instagram.
"Remember where dreams begin. Celebrating this moment with all of you means everything to me!!!! Give me time to put it into words. For now… I’m so proud of us, Tony award-winning @hellskitchenbway," she wrote.
HOW TO LISTEN TO EAST COAST RADIO
1. Listen to East Coast Radio on the FM (frequency modulation) spectrum between 94 and 95 FM on your radio.
2. Listen live to ECR by clicking here or download the ECR App (iOS/Android).
3. Listen to East Coast Radio on the DStv audio bouquet, channel 836.
4. Switch to the audio bouquet on your Openview decoder and browse to channel 606
5. Listen to us on Amazon Alexa.
Follow us on social media:
· TikTok
Main image credit:X (Twitter)/Hell's Kitchen