Alicia Keys recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of her debut album Songs In A Minor, so when she took to the stage for her special MTV Crashers show in Manchester she certainly had a back catalogue to perform and Entertainmentwise were there to witness the whole thing!
For a singer who is usually used to huge arena size shows, the intimate free show for fans in Manchester was something very special indeed.
Support came from the talented Mercury-nominated Lianna La Havas, who captivated the crowd with tracks from her debut album Is Your Love Big Enough.
The audience may have been filled with a mixture of fellow musicians, Premiership football players, music industry types and competition winners but it was clear from the moment Miss Keys stepped onstage that everyone was on the same page... well for the 90 minutes that followed.
Dressed in a black and white ensemble, Alicia debuted her new sleek short hair as she thanked the crowd for coming, adding that it was 'a real honour' to perform in such an old and beautiful venue.
New tracks from her forthcoming album Girl On Fire kicked off the night but it was when Keys hit the first notes of her iconic track 'Fallin' that it began to be something truly special.
A gospel-vibe filled the cathedral and Keys herself seemed to be singing out from her soul. Of course the musical highlight of the night came in the form of her number one collaboration with Jay-Z, 'Empire State Of Mind', saying at the time that her ‘sound and piano talent had struck a chord with him’ and clearly the rest of the world after.
A reggae remix of 'No One' heated things up, while every couples favourite in the venue 'If I Ain't Got You' rounded-off a memorable night for her fans and even more so for Alicia Keys herself.
Alicia Keys Live In Manchester
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