According To Alicia Keys, This Was Her Most Amazing Performance Ever

Since the pandemic hit, the music industry has completely changed. Virtual performances continue to be on the rise and artists are thinking more outside the box than ever before.

Leading the way is none other than Alicia Keys. The Grammy award-winning artist teamed up with American Express for the brand’s virtual version of the UNSTAGED music series last month to bring fans an intimate high production affair in the comfort of their homes. It was her way of safely celebrating the release of her new self-titled album ALICIA. Her album officially became available on September 18, 2020 and it’s the singer’s impressive seventh studio drop.

Unlike most digital live streams, Keys went all out for Amex card members. She pulled out all the stops and virtually gifted viewers with elevated renditions of throwback tracks including “If I Ain’t Got You,” “No One,” and more along with the first-ever performances of songs off her newest album. It was a lineup unlike any other and the best part is that you could have belted out all the lyrics from your couch.

Overall, it was an intimate, one-of-a-kind experience, especially given how much Keys opened up in her album. Afterwards, the powerhouse singer let fans in even further with an exclusive Q&A for Amex card holders. For more of an inside scoop, Keys chatted with Forbes in a joint interview alongside Amex’s Vice President or Global Entertainment Partnerships and Experiences, Brandy Sanders. Ahead, you’ll learn more about Keys’ process behind ALICIA, future entertainment opportunities for card members, and so much more.

Isis Briones: Alicia, what would you say is the most important message you want listeners to take away from your new album?

Alicia Keys: “The most important message I would want people to take away from the ALICIA album is really just the ability and confidence to be completely yourself — accepting all the sides that you have, all the pieces of you that make up the whole. Accepting the parts that are vulnerable, scared, full of anxiety, crazy, and all the parts that everyone tells us to pack away. I would love for the message to be that you can 100% be who you are, feel how you feel, live how you want to live, and express all the sides of you.”

IB: Brandy, how did this partnership come about?

Brandy Sanders: “We kicked off our partnership with Alicia Keys in 2007. Since then, we’ve continued to work with Alicia from commercials to performances and have recognized her for her work both on and off the piano, recently honoring her with the American Express Impact Award at Billboard’s 2019 Women in Music event.

Alicia also helped us pioneer livestreaming concerts back when we launched American Express UNSTAGED ten years ago, and now she has helped us do it again, at a time when it’s more important than ever to stay connected. We were thrilled to be able to provide our card members and the public with a one-time-only virtual performance the day of her new album release. Alicia Keys also partnered with Amex through The Ambition Project.”

IB: Does Amex have plans of continuing to work with her or other artists on similar initiatives?

BS: “Yes, we partnered with Alicia earlier this year to announce The Ambition Project, a programming focused on empowering women to own their ambition. While we don’t have any information to share about future plans, we’re always looking for unique ways to back our customers and colleagues, and their communities.”

IB: Speaking of other musicians, you featured many artists on ALICIA. How did you choose your collaborators?

AK: “Collaborations happen quite naturally. I never exactly know who I’m going to collaborate with. I have people and artists that I admire and love like Khalid. I knew that if we got together, it would be something so unique and powerful, emotional and soulful. We both have very unique perspectives. I just knew that was going to work and was so excited about working with him.

For someone like Miguel, we’ve been friends for a long time, we’ve even written songs before, but we’ve never done anything together. When I thought about “Show Me Love,” it just felt like it would be so cool to have this male perspective as well and this kind of connected energy.

So with collaborators, it really just happens naturally. Sometimes I know them and sometimes I don’t. With Snoh Aalegra, I hadn’t met her before, but my husband actually said ‘Alicia I think you and Snoh would really connect well’ and I said man, I would love to meet her. She came by and it was an instant connection. That’s how it goes. It really just happens organically.”

IB: How did crafting an album during a pandemic differ from past albums?

AK: “Honestly, a majority of the album was already done before we all got the news that the world was totally shifting and changing, so that was good for me in a lot of ways. I didn’t feel the pressure to create under such uncertain circumstances. I already knew that I had this music.

It actually allowed me to listen to the music and listen to what we were experiencing culturally and help connect in the moment or share the feeling of the moment. I think if anything changed, it would be how you promote a record or get the word out there. But I’ve been enjoying the evolution of that because I’ve felt more connected to people even in the digital space, even in the social space. It’s definitely different, but if anything, I think the connection has deepened.”

IB: Your song “Gramercy Park” is an homage to the ever-changing human soul. Is this also an ode to the NYC residential area?

AK: “I like when you say that ‘Gramercy Park’ is an ode to the ever-changing human soul. I love that because it’s exactly right, I mean we do always shift and we do always grow. I think in love, specifically, you often find yourself wanting to please the other person or to just make them happy so much that sometimes you put their happiness before your own. Or you try so hard to adjust yourself or to show up for them that you realize that in the end, you’ve changed who you are and you aren’t familiar with yourself or they aren’t familiar with who you actually are because of this place of love.

Because the human soul does always evolve and change. So yes, it’s in honor of NYC residents, but it’s also in honor of everybody. That’s what I love about that song so much. It’s like this reminder of yourself. This reminder to not forget you.”

IB: What has been your favorite part about working with Amex so far?

AK: “They’re totally fearless. I love that they’re wanting to create unique experiences and things that really are special and beautiful and unforgettable. As an artist, that’s what you want. You want to be able to create these experiences you can’t get anywhere else.

I love to have a partner like that with Amex. It really helps bring so many visions to life. Our recent virtual UNSTAGED performance was one of the most amazing shows I have ever done. Ever! I have never performed in that way. I’ve never been able to create this virtual world before that could complement the music and the message and for it to look so stunning and interesting and exciting. We were able to create all this during a time when we don’t have a lot of places we’re able to go. These moments are so important and powerful and they sustain us. I’m loving it and loving our connection.”

IB: Finally, Brandy, can card members add more UNSTAGED performances to their calendars?

BS: “We have continued to evolve our offerings based on our card members’ needs, and now with the current demand for virtual experiences, we’ve launched the next iteration of American Express UNSTAGED. We feel these types of experiences are here to stay and are excited to see what the future holds for UNSTAGED in this new virtual climate.”