Few people have the warmness and kind of spiritual aura that Alicia Keys seems to have. That’s why she was the perfect choice to host the Grammy Awards last Sunday, especially given the circumstances with the untimely passing of Kobe Bryant and the whole shamble that is The Recording Academy.
Today, in what could not be a happier and positive few minutes, Keys appeared on The Ellen Show. Apart from talking about her upcoming album and performing the same song she did at the awards on Sunday, Alicia spoke about the mental environment as she approached this ceremony following the horrific helicopter crash that lead to Bryant’s passing.
‘We were all freaking out because obviously heading the news about Kobe and his daughter was so tragic,’ Keys told Ellen. ‘It was definitely a crazy feeling because literally minutes before [the show] we were going to do something else. We had to really figure out how ‘can we properly honor him in his house on this night?’ and anybody who adores him and loves him and feels inspired by him.’
Similar to the show that followed Whitney’s passing in 2012, some of it have to be re-written. Boyz II Men were already scheduled to perform with Tyler, The Creator, so they borrowed them for a short but sweet tribute to the legendary Lakers player.
Quickly moving past the sadness, Keys told Ellen how she partied like there was no tomorrow on Sunday night. In a weird coincidence, Alicia Keys had her birthday on Saturday and Ellen on Sunday. But because of the show. Alicia went to sleep early on Saturday and decided not to celebrate it. Yet at one of the many Grammy after-parties, she enjoyed herself until about 4:30 in the morning. Yikes!
The singer also spoke about her upcoming album which is self-titled. Ellen hilariously asked her ‘so how did you come up with that name?’ Ha!
Truly, I’ve realized that I’ve never been fully myself, And I’ve never been more fully Alicia than I am in this moment,’ she said about her album ALICIA. ‘And I’m really enjoying getting to know myself in a way that I haven’t maybe been brave enough to before, or haven’t just really understood the nuances that makes us who we really are. And so this music really reflects all of me.’
Watch Alicia perform her latest single ‘Underdog’ on Ellen as well as her interview below!
