Two Worlds -
Alicia Keys is more than an artist, she is a master of two worlds. Her music has always entertained me. I recently had a unique experience that actually inspired me to create two paintings.
Lellow
Before COVID hit I had purchased tickets to see Alicia Keys in concert, but we can all guess how that went. Flash forward a few years later, I heard that Curebound (a cancer research charity) had arranged a special evening with Alicia Keys backed by a full symphony orchestra. So of course I had to go. I chance to support charity and see Alicia Keys in a once in a lifetime experience, now that’s a win/win. It’s on again, you never guess when the first concert was rescheduled, the evening after the charity event. Yes, two Alicia Keys concerts in a row.
Night one arrived: An intimate venue with a well dressed crowd. Keys was accompanied by her five-piece band and 31 member Symphony, led by guest conductor Sean O’Loughlin. All I can say is, wow! Alicia captivated the crowd. Standing at the grand piano she played off and on throughout the night, she introduced “Empire” as a “song about hope; we had to sing it tonight.” Her spirited vocals, a thumping beat and the orchestra’s sweeping instruments were a unforgettable combination.
"There are so many of us who have been affected by cancer, my nana passed from cancer, so, it is really, really meaningful for me, this work Curebound is doing. Because we don’t want to have to wear any more ‘Fuck Cancer’ T-shirts ... We know what we have to do.”
- Alicia Keys
The 15-time Grammy Award winner helped raise over $3.1 million that evening for Curebound.
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Night two was here: A stadium event on the last night of her tour. We were lucky enough to be a few rows back and tonight it was Alicia and her band. The crowds energy was electric. This was a different vibe, tonight was about rocking the arena.
Photos by Johnny Blanco
At one point Alicia disappears and reemerges in the back of floor section controlling a DJ setup and a keyboard. Keys hyped up the crowd with comparison versions of songs from her album 'KEYS'. It is a double album. The first part is known as the Originals and the second part is the Unlocked. When she finished the set she made her way through the floor interacting with her fans. One of my favorite moments.
It was hits like “Empire State of Mind” that rocked the house but Alicia Keys on the piano is what made the evening. Classics like “Girl on Fire” and “Fallin”.
"These two nights and two versions of “Keys”, Originals and Unlocked were the inspiration for the two paintings that I created. One with a black background and the other with a more modern white drip background. Two versions of the same melody on canvas".
- Johnny Blanco
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