Alicia Keys Sets London's O2 Arena On Fire!
REVIEW: Star burns brightly during her first of two shows at the venue...
Alicia Keys took to the stage at London's O2 Arena on Thursday (May 30) for the first of her two night stint as part of her Swizz Beatzalso got a shout out, with Alicia calling him "the love of her life." After belting out her recent hit single Girl On Fire, Keys saved the best until last, closing her show with an enchanting broken down version of Empire State Of Mind (Part II) - giving the perfect end to a great evening of entertainment.
Special Guests: Despite Keys not having any surprise performers, Miguel is worthy of noting, especially as many fans got to meet the star face-to-face as he ventured into the crowd during his warm-up set. Keys' backing vocalists also performed a great version of I'll Be There For You / You're All I Need To Get By while the singer took a well-earned break from the stage.
Banter: Keys was rather mellow on stage, however, she did provide some banter in the form of a role play with her dancer during You Don't Know My Name, where she staged a fake phonecall and played a waitress. The star also constantly addressed the 'strong' women in the audience.
Sweat Factor: Thanks to the cool conditions at the O2 Arena, it didn't get too sticky but Alicia did manage to turn up the heat during a raunchy routine with a male dancer during track, Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready), with her moves leaving some members of the crowd a little hot under the collar.
Summary: Alicia has cemented herself as one of the world's top female performers during her Set The World On Fire tour, and while the show was simple and understated, her vocals were strong and on point, giving it the perfect balance. Keys may be a Girl On Fire now, but we predict her flame will still be shining brightly for years to come.
MTV Rating:
By Joanne Dorken @mtvuknews