Tonight I had the opportunity of seeing the amazing Alicia Keys at “Elements of Freedom – The Lecture and Performance Series” at NYU’s Skirball Center for the Performing Arts. It was a question and answer session and 7 song performance all rolled in to one night.

The event started out with Sway Calloway of MTV being announced as host/moderator for the night. He came out on stage and said a few words about Alicia and then a video montage was shown of all she has accomplished in her career. The music video to Alicia’s song “Doesn’t Mean Anything followed and then Sway introduced the women of the night.

Alicia came out to a thunderous applause by the audience and then her and Sway both sat down for the question and answer portion of the night. Alicia told Sway she had a question for him and handed him a card which he read and responded with his answer being “strawberry kool aid.” Neither of them told us what the question was.
Tonight I had the opportunity of seeing the amazing Alicia Keys at “Elements of Freedom – The Lecture and Performance Series” at NYU’s Skirball Center for the Performing Arts. It was a question and answer session and 7 song performance all rolled in to one night.

The event started out with Sway Calloway of MTV being announced as host/moderator for the night. He came out on stage and said a few words about Alicia and then a video montage was shown of all she has accomplished in her career. The music video to Alicia’s song “Doesn’t Mean Anything followed and then Sway introduced the women of the night.

Alicia came out to a thunderous applause by the audience and then her and Sway both sat down for the question and answer portion of the night. Alicia told Sway she had a question for him and handed him a card which he read and responded with his answer being “strawberry kool aid.” Neither of them told us what the question was.
Sway asked Alicia a series of questions about the new album, about her life and a few other things that I cannot remember. One of his questions was if she could have any superpowers what would they be. She said she would love to be able to fly, but without a cape and she would love to be invisible so she could see what goes on/what people are thinking when she’s not in the room.

Another one of Sway’s questions was about the new album and what she meant when says she found freedom making this album. She said that with this album she was able to find a balance between working and having fun. With this album she would work but she would also go hang out friends and family, go to museums, shows & other things and because of this she feels, “…there’s more creativity to be found in balance.” She said that with her other albums she would lock herself in the studio for 8 hours straight, everyday making the album, just going, going, going because that’s how she thought it had to be.

Alicia talked about how one day she went to a museum and saw the most beatiful oil painting she’s ever seen. It was of a women falling backwards into water and there were zebras and airplanes all around her. This painting inspired her to write a song called Zebras and Airplanes which will be on her upcoming album.

One of Sway’s other questions was about whether there was ever a time in her career where she was at her highest career wise but feeling really low in her personal life and how did she get through it. Alicia talked about her last album and how it was the hardest album for her to make. She was overworked, and sad, and confused and her grandmother was very sick and she was watching her grandmother wither away and there were people in her life who didn’t even seem to care about her grandmother. All they cared about was work. She became snappy with people and would get mad easily which was not like herself. How she got through this dark period in her life was by getting rid of the people in her life who turned out not to be the best for her and by taking off the mask she had on her face that was hiding her feelings & emotions from herself and others.

Another one of Sway’s questions was who has been one of her most favorite singers/songwriters that she’s worked with and she said Linda Perry. She talked about all the instruments that Linda plays and about how Linda has no issues with just being herself. She is who she is and that what she brings to the table.

Sway asked other questions but I can’t remember what they are for the life of me. 4 students got to ask questions. One student asked about the production process of making an album, another asked about how Alicia got involved with Keep A Child Alive, another asked about how to go about making a hit song instead of just a good song, and lastly one student asked Alicia what would her life be like if Stevie Wonder had never existed and what impact has Stevie Wonder had on her life.

After the question and answer session we were graced with the presence of Alicia’s background singer Jermaine Paul who performed 3 songs: Airplane, Eyes of Brazil, and 1 more whose name I don’t know.

After Jermaine’s 3 songs he introduced Alicia who performed 7 songs:
Empire State of Mind
You Don’t Know My Name
Fallin
Doesn’t Mean Anything
Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart
If I Ain’t Got You
No One

What else can I say? It was an amazing night. Alicia is such a great speaker and performer. I really wish I had had a tape recorder or longer battery life on my phone so I could have taped the question/answer portion because this women sure knows how to speak. She is so great at motivating you and making you feel special. And she’s also very funny and witty and looks like she is genuinely happy to be with us.

Some side notes I would like to mention: I was sitting directly behind Mr. Jeff Robinson, A.K.A – J-Rob The Luv Doctor (he’s Alicia’s manager). Is he mean like he looks or is he really a big ole teddy bear? Smile Jeff. It doesn’t hurt. It seems that I was sitting in a section with lots of industry people who did not stand up at all so as to not stick out like a sore thumb or block people I did not stand up either even though I wanted to because the rest of the room was. After the show who did I run into outside eating? Mr Aussie lad himself, Steve (he’s Alicia’s bass player. That’s my man. I’ve already met him twice and he remembered me so we had some nice conversation.

Again, it was a great night. Alicia does not disappoint.  I recommend you go out and buy tickets to see her perform when she goes out on tour.