Fans expecting Alicia Keys to deliver a low-key concert from the piano bench were in for a surprise at Scotiabank Place on Friday. The Grammy-winning Princess of Soul made a Britney-like entrance in a cage that was strung with chains and surrounded by a lighting rig that looked like the walls of a prison, the barbed wire outlined in white lights.

Her hair long and wild, Keys gyrated in sparkly silver pants and when she broke free from the cage, there was no mistaking the message of empowerment. The splashy intro settled into Love Is Blind, and clearly reflected the theme of her fourth and latest album, The Element of Freedom.

Letting loose was the name of Keys’ game during the first show of a major North American tour. She’s been rehearsing in Ottawa this week, and it looks like the hard work was worth it.

Keys not only sang, played and directed a terrific band, the sound laden with percussion and backing vocals, but also kept up with the energetic choreography set by her back-up dancers. The stage setup was particularly impressive, centred around a grand staircase and magnificent lighting design.

Keys didn’t play the dancing diva role all night. Just as fans might have wondered where she was going with the over-the-top performance, she said something sweet and inspirational, and then sat down at the grand piano, where she shone, as always.

“Are you feeling unstoppable?” she asked the crowd of 6,000. “That’s what this is all about for me. I feel so blessed to shared this music with you. …. There’s so many doubts, fear worries. I think that happens to all of us and we have to be unafraid, willing to know, that everything you need is right there inside of you. That’s what I try to remember every day.”

American neo-soulman Robin Thicke turned on the charm during a generous opening set, his breathy R&B songs given substance with the backing of a top-notch band. The full lineup, which included musicians on horns and backup vocals, helped fill out the standard bass-guitar-and-drums configuration without sounding too busy.

In a snug-fitting suit, the heartthrob showed a playful streak as he flirted with the crowd, dividing his time between crooning from the piano bench and standing up wailing at the microphone. The set included ever-so-romantic songs like 2 Luv Birds and Sweetest Love, sung in Thicke’s slightly sour falsetto, but delivered with enough sass to elicit squeals from the crowd.

“This goes out to all my bad girls in the audience,” Thicke said at one point, moaning with implied longing before he headed into the suggestive Teach You a Lesson.