Alicia Keys brought her hits, crowd-pleasing covers to Starlight Theatre
Alicia Keys. // Photo by Chris Ortiz
Alicia Keys
Starlight Theatre
Wednesday, August 24
The former Voice coach took the stage at Starlight Theatre to relive a Y2K moment and bring all listeners on a trip to the past.
The show served as Kansas City’s installment of the Alicia + Keys World Tour.
Opener D Smoke enveloped onlookers in a lyrical journey, which was ultimately very food focused in its verse construction. The Inglewood, California native aids Keys in her tour across the U.S. and international venues. D Smoke also jumpstarted his rap career after an appearance on the Netflix original, Rhythm + Flow in 2019.
But it wasn’t long before the girl on fire finally made her way up to the mic. Suited in a black bodysuit with crystalline embellishments, Keys offered up early career hits, with melodies from her newest album, KEYS II, interspersed in the setlist.
The widely all-ages audience was reminded of Keys’ effortless vocal runs, and the sheer powerhouse of talent she displays as a multi-hyphenate musician.
Echos of hits like “No One,” “Girl on Fire,” and “My Boo” shot into the night sky while a theatrical digital set cast a glow across every seat in the theatre.
While the Billboard charting singles were expected to flow through speakers and amps before the show started, Keys took her time to share some personal gifts with the audience. Following a quick outfit change, the vocalist stepped back onto the stage donning a rhinestoned durag, and took the helm of a wheeled cart carrying a trio of keyboards.
The portable ivories danced under her fingers as she played out her accompaniment to new songs “Skydive” and “Is It Insane.”
The multi-genre dosage of bops was well-received by listeners, and the American vocal sweetheart voiced her admiration for the energy of her performance–and its reception–as she retired the mic for the evening.
The Alicia + Keys World Tour continues through Sept. 24, more tickets and show locations can be found here.
Alicia Keys Setlist
Nat King Cole
You Don’t Know My Name (with Will You Ever Know It – Reggae Mix)
Wasted Energy
Time Machine
Karma
New Day
Un-Thinkable (I’m Ready)
So Done
Show Me Love
Off the Wall (Michael Jackson cover)
The Beginning (Interlude)
Ghetto Story (Cham cover)
Plentiful
Nobody (DJ Khaled cover)
Skydive
Is It Insane
Stay
Unbreakable
My Boo (Usher cover)
City of Gods (Part II)
Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down
Empire State of Mind (JAY-Z cover)
Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart
Girl on Fire
Superwoman
Fallin’
In Common
Gypsy Woman (Crystal Waters cover)
Underdog
No One
Our photographer Chris Ortiz (Insta: @fastboyent) was there to document it all.
Alicia Keys and opener D Smoke
