A year ago, my partner and I watched a musical called Hell’s Kitchen. It was created by Alicia Keys, with a storyline loosely based on her life and anchored by her songs.

The musical made a really strong impression on me. Even though I was already familiar with her music, the characters, the screenplay, and the performance made something click in my mind. 

I had moved to New York City not too long before, and was just starting to get a feel for the city. It finally made so much sense why she had to be the artist to sing, “Empire State of Mind.” 

While Alicia had worked on this project for over a decade, it’s not hard to imagine that this was in her mind for much longer. Her work made a much stronger impression on me through the stage than through speakers or headphones. It made for a much better context for her work.