Passengers at London’s St Pancras International were unexpectedly serenaded by none other than Alicia Keys, the celebrated singer-songwriter and producer with nine Grammy Awards to her name. She delighted those present, busking on the streets of London with some of her most beloved tracks, including “Empire State of Mind,” and “If I Ain’t Got You.”
Those passing through the station captured the moment on their phones, as the superstar from New York gave an unforgettable performance on the piano. In a delightful twist, Keys also debuted “Lifeline,” a new track featured in the forthcoming film adaptation of “The Color Purple,” marking the occasion with the unveiling of “The Diary of Alicia Keys 20.”
This anniversary edition pays homage to her second album, a blockbuster success that was originally released in 2003. Videos from the event on Monday, December 11, flooded social media, showing throngs of people gathered around as Keys played on Sir Elton John’s famed piano at the station.
A lucky witness to the spectacle shared their excitement on X, formerly known as Twitter, exclaiming: “So Alicia Keys just rocked up at St Pancras train station and played some of her biggest hits. Mad.”
Keys’ surprise performance came on the heels of her appearance at Capital FM’s “Jingle Bell Ball” at the London O2 Arena, attended by over 20,000 fans who had no inkling she would later grace the local train station with her presence. Additionally, Keys is branching out into musical theater with “Hell’s Kitchen,” set to debut on Broadway this spring, further showcasing the breadth of her artistic touch.