Event Recap: Alicia Keys Performs Concert in Times Square To Celebrate New Album #HERE @aliciakeys @QtipTheAbstract @Nas @JohnMayer @questlove

Set outdoors under the bright lights of the iconic Times Square, this historic concert experience was free for fans and a never been done before evening in honor of her forthcoming album.

Performing to a packed crowd of thousands, the 15-time Grammy Award-winner brought the city to its feet with such songs as “If I Ain’t Got You'”, “No One,” “Fallin’,” “You Don’t Know My Name,” “In Common,” and new songs from her upcoming album including “Holy War,” “She Don’t Really Care,” and her new single “Blended Family” (What You Do For Love)” featuring A$AP Rocky.

Alicia brought out special guests throughout the night including John Mayer for a mash up of “If I Ain’t Got You” and his song “Gravity” with Questlove playing drums. Nas took the stage for a duet of “One Love” and “She Don’t Really Care” and Q-Tip duetted with Alicia on “You Don’t Know My Name.” For one of the last songs of the night, Jay-Z surprised the crowd when he joined Alicia for an epic performance of “Empire State of Mind.”

 

For the encore, Alicia celebrated the music and activism of John Lennon in honor of his birthday.

 Times Square was illuminated with social justice messages in the style of Lennon’s iconic “War Is Over!” visual across the giant digital billboards. She then finished the night with a performance of John Lennon’s “Imagine” and the screens all read “War Is Over! If You Want It.”

This performance will air as a concert special on BET on November 3, the eve of her album release.