Seventeen-time Grammy winner Alicia Keys experienced a particularly eventful Friday, November 21, marked by multiple significant releases and a special Broadway appearance. Her busy day included the launch of a new holiday song, a guest feature on a single by an Italian vocal legend, and a memorable visit to the Shubert Theatre to join the cast of her semi-autobiographical Broadway musical, 'Hell’s Kitchen'.

At the Shubert Theatre, Keys participated in an “encore sessions” performance, delivering a mini-set that also served as a tribute to Grammy-winning gospel singer Yolanda Adams, who recently made her Broadway debut as Miss Liza Jane. Following a spirited rendition of the 'Empire State of Mind' finale with the full cast, Keys and Adams shared the stage. Adams expressed her gratitude, noting, “All that dancing made me feel younger, but my feet say no. I have to thank Alicia for saying, ‘Hey, what do you think about…?’ And I’d already thought about it, and I tried it, and I love it.” After Adams exited, Keys captivated the audience from an upright piano, performing her cover of Prince’s “How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore?”, a beautiful duet of Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me” with cast member Durrell “Tank” Babbs, and her own hit “Underdog,” sending an ecstatic audience into the Manhattan streets.

Just hours before her dazzling Broadway presence, Keys discussed her new holiday track, “Hell’s Kitchen’s a Merry Little Christmas,” which debuted on digital streaming platforms that same Friday. The concept for a holiday song related to her musical, 'Hell’s Kitchen', had been discussed a year prior but didn't materialize until this year. Keys shared with Billboard, “This year we knew we wanted to do it, so we put it together now.” The recording ingeniously combines the classic “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” with “The Gospel,” the opening number from the musical. It features Yolanda Adams alongside principal performers Amanda Reid, Phillip Johnson Richardson, and Jessica Vosk. Keys expressed her delight, stating, “I love it so much. It’s such a beautiful version. Of course, the holidays are such a beautiful time to celebrate that warm, festive feeling. We wanted to bring some Hell’s Kitchen energy.” The production was overseen by Adam Blackstone, Keys’ long-time collaborator and the musical’s music supervisor and co-orchestrator, further highlighting the deep creative bond behind the project.

Reflecting on the musical itself, Keys remarked on the serendipitous timing of Adams joining the cast: “We had no idea that someone as phenomenal as Yolanda Adams would be joining the cast. The life of Hell’s Kitchen has just been such an incredible experience.” 'Hell’s Kitchen', with a book by Kristoffer Diaz, originally premiered at the Public Theater in late 2023 before transferring to the Shubert Theatre in March 2024. Its critical acclaim led to 13 Tony Award nominations, with Kecia Lewis, who originated the role of Miss Liza Jane, winning for Best Featured Actress in a Musical, and Maleah Joi Moon, portraying Ali, securing Best Actress in a Musical at the 2024 Tony Awards. The original Broadway cast recording, released in 2024 and featuring three brand-new songs penned by Keys for the show, achieved remarkable success by reaching No. 1 on Billboard‘s Cast Albums chart. Furthermore, the musical launched its first North American tour in October, commencing in Cleveland, with an ambitious schedule of 30 cities for its inaugural year. Keys expressed her excitement for the tour, emphasizing its role in making the show accessible nationwide: “That’s such a huge accomplishment. And I’m so excited the country will get to experience it — even if you can’t come to New York — in a city near you. And this cast is unreal. I just can’t believe how good they are.”

Beyond her Broadway and holiday music endeavors, Keys also released new music on Friday through her feature on “L’aurora,” a new single by Italian vocalist Eros Ramazzotti. This collaboration marked a new linguistic challenge for Keys, as she noted, “It’s my first time singing in Italian. It’s such a beautiful process to continue to learn and try things that are new and different, so I’m really excited about that.” Looking ahead, Keys is actively working on new material for her next studio album, following her 2021 album 'Keys' and 2022's holiday effort 'Santa Baby'. She shared her creative process, stating, “I’m writing right now, creating new music. It is very, very special. I just feel like I’m getting better and better, so that’s all happening. There’s a lot of phenomenal things bubbling, but I just take my time — just like Hell’s Kitchen, just take my time putting it all together. It’s just a beautiful time of no limits. That’s how I look at everything.”