July 28, 2023 • 12 mins
SALT LAKE CITY - Alicia Keys, the multi-award winning force of artistic nature, is on her Keys to the Summer tour, which stops in SLC tonight. West Valley City, to be precise, where she's playing the Maverik Center at an 8:30p show tonight. We caught up to talk about life, our kids, things which matter, music, the world... and how her kids are already concerned about the climate and our future.
Tickets to tonight's show are still available here.
Tickets to tonight's show are still available here.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Hey, you've got Alicia on theline. All righty, here we go.
Alicia, Hello, how are youtoday? I'm good. Are you
feeling I'm feeling blessed. I'm feelingheavily favored. I am just thankful to
you know what I mean. Youget up in the morning, you look
up and you're like, how canyou deny that there is a higher power
at work on all of this?You know, I love it. And
(00:25):
so, to paraphrase a certain songfrom back in the day, just waking
up in the morning got to thankGod. I don't know, but today
I don't know. No bark fromthe dog, no smile on the phone
with Alicia Keys. That's odd.Alicia, for being you, Thank you
(00:45):
for leading. Thank you for thegood you've given back to the world through
your your foundational efforts and giving hopeto children. You are, truly,
I mean, a saint. You'relike an angel. It is a privilege
to talk to somebody so incredibly talentedtoday. I appreciate that love, I
appreciate all of it. Great totalk to you too, No, it's
(01:07):
it's it's It is an honor totalk to an artist who's been given so
many incredible gifts and an artist,an actor, somebody who's about to have
a Broadway musical based on her lifeand what I mean. But here's the
thing that is most incredible. Alot of people who have achieved everything you've
achieved, you know, they taketheir money and run. You took your
(01:29):
money and said, how can Imake this world a better place? And
whether it's singing songs with Bono todo certain things? What if you have
never run from making humanity better?Where did you get it from your mama?
Um? You know, I definitelythink that my mother. You know,
my mother raised me single one there, so I definitely am familiar with
(01:52):
struggle and just what it means toto just you know, we we can't
make it alone. And I knowthat, I mean, and so um,
and so I do feel like shegave me that that empathetic spirit.
Show is Show Is made sure thatI was thinking about how other people would
feel. And I appreciated her forthat, Like, you know, how
(02:13):
would that feel that that was you? And put yourself in somebody else's shoes?
And I think that's how I leave, how I walk, I walk
like that, and and so um, I appreciate her for that. I
do think she gave me that energya lot? Do you think your mom
realized the role model to other youngwoman like my daughter who's nineteen going to
Emerson College from Boston, God gifts. I can't believe it. I made
(02:34):
a baby. But but then she'snineteen now and left high school early prodigy.
But did you think, Wow,do you think your mom realized the
role model you would become? MI don't. I don't. I don't
think so. I mean, Idon't know. That's a really good question.
I've asked her a lot of thingsin my life that I never really
(02:57):
answered that. Um, I don'tknow. Maybe she. I feel like
I always had a certain spirit tome that, you know, was one
that would reach out to people.And I do think you can see that
in your kids kind of you cansee their character, you know what I
mean, You can see their theirspirit and their character. So I don't
know. Maybe she did, butI don't think so, because I didn't
(03:20):
even know that it would be likethat, or that I would have this
type of connection with people. AndI really love it. I really love
that part of the the svicess ofbeing an artist, particularly my favorite part
about it is the way that I'mable to connect with people and that it's
pure, that is genuine, andit's I never take it for granted.
So I think that's the most importantthing in life, like connecting with people,
(03:42):
right, And you learn it fromsomewhere. Now you're teaching it to
your kids, and they're going toconnect with people. Do you look at
them and think to themselves, youknow what I am. I am so
hopeful for the future for you thatit moves you to a new place when
it comes to spirituality, you know, I really do find that. Of
course, we're in the world thatdoes feel very dark, you know,
(04:03):
and it feels like a lot alot of negative is around. But when
I do look at them, Ido feel the positive. I do feel
like there's so much growth, youknow, Like even my youngest is always
talking about how he wants to protectthe planet and how you know, he
thinks about that now, and he'seight, and so I think about that,
(04:25):
and I'm like, I'm so gladhe's I'm so glad he's thinking about
that. And I think there's somany kids that are just caring about you
know, equality and and and theand the planet and just the world in
a different way that I think wethought about it, or definitely our parents
thought about it. So I dofeel very loeful about that. And you'll
(04:46):
be there to perform at your youngestinauguration when they win the White House and
they go for it. A thing, could you man, what's crazy?
As I could, because it's thething I believe. I believe that this
world, as long as they're aredreamers who have dreams, were not so
(05:09):
divided. And if we can getback to this place where we the people,
we the people aren't afraid to dreamdreams that actually take both sides coming
together to do great things. Ifwe ever stop dreaming that then will stop
being who we are. But Istill believe, I still believe that we
have these dreams within us, andI believe that my daughter's generation, your
(05:30):
children's generation might be the ones tohave to carry that ball to the end
zone. But you know, wecan help block and tackle for them.
And I hope that's what we haveto do, you know what I mean,
because our world needs it, ourchildren need it, we need it,
this planet needs it. And youknow, one of the great things
that you give to the world isthe gift of music and performing live and
(05:50):
so you help us to heal whenit comes to this tumultuousness when it comes
to the world. And I waslooking at your stage setup and I found
it very interesting because I I lovethe people at rock Lettuce and Claire and
Tate who put this stuff together.This is very behind the scenes stuff.
But Alicia Keys, if you goto her show tonight, and by the
way, there are still great ticketsleft, and thank you for keeping them
(06:11):
affordable, because that is a ticketprice as a steel for somebody the repertoire
that you have. And it's goingto be a night of hit after hit
after hit, but it's going tobe an intimate night. You designed that
stage and that's set up to bein the round. That's a three sixty
stage. I see right, that'sexactly right, and I'm loving it because
it's my first time doing it andit's so fun to do things for the
(06:33):
first time. And I realized thatthis really is the best way to do
a show because every seat gets tobecome a front row seat, and I'm
able to spend the stages in themiddle of the floor, in the middle
of the arenas, I'm able toconnect with every single side of the building
in every single seat, and it'sjust in a way that I've never been
(06:54):
able to do it before. Soit does feel very intimate at the same
such a beautiful show. The visualsare incredible as sonic. The sound that
you're going to hear it's come andfeel so good. The songs. I
mean, I'm bringing those those favoritesand just songs and maybe you even didn't
realize how much you love them,right, and it really feels it's just
(07:15):
a special name. I think thething that is most amazing, as somebody
who's seen you performed several times throughthe course of your career, because your
career is kind of paralleled paralleled mycareer is you. When you sit to
that piano and you start to play, Like when I hear you minus jay
Z minus background tracks and I hearyou playing you know, Empire state of
(07:36):
Mind, it's almost it's almost likeyou're composing a love song. It's it's
it's like so intimate, it's it'sintimately beautiful in a way that makes you
feel like, man, Swiss beats. Please don't get mad at me because
I'm watching you. Damn you're theluckiest man. But you know what I
mean that it creates that kind ofemotional moment. Yeah. Love that that's
(08:00):
my favorite part about music, anddefinitely about being able to stribute back to
just piano and just like Graw honesty, you can't. You just you do
feel it in a different way.And I just love that. I'm so
grateful that I can play and thatI, you know, I compose in
that way that it can just belike so me and you. You know,
(08:20):
no matter it is me and you. Wherever you're sitting in the venue
tonight and the Maverick Center, youwill have this experience. I promise you
as somebody who's seen this woman performlive. And tickets are still available eight
thirty tonight. By the way,you have no excuse. You can start
planning now. If you weren't planningon it, you need to go snap
up these tickets to Ticketmaster. Whatelse can we expect tonight? Will you
(08:43):
please talk some sense into the worldfrom the stage tonight, so hopefully somebody
will. It's definitely, I mean, I feel like this show really is
uplifting. I love how it feelswhen I always talk about how we're breaking
ceilings down, you know, we'reletting go of what as it is like
on our back or heavy on ourburdens, you know, and that's what
(09:03):
music is meant to do. Ilove that part of it, Like we
can just take a night and justrelease all of the energies, all of
the fear, all of the youknow, pressure, all of those things
that are just on your back.When you come to this show tonight,
you get to feel like free.You just get to be you and have
fun and feel good and let itall go. And it feels like that.
(09:26):
It's a real liberation and a realcelebration of life. I mean,
it's key to the summer. Isthe summer we need to have some great
memories that feel good, Yes,especially since a lot of our memories have
been robbed by the things we seeon the news Ukraine. All this other
stuff go tonight and let go andlet Alicia take you to a new place.
Now, before I let you go, Alicia, I have one last
(09:48):
question, and I was joking aboutit earlier with your youngest counting for president.
Do you think you could one dayrun for political office and talk some
sense into the world. Please?Mean, I've heard you speak passionately about
causes, beliefs and things. Iremember what happened in Washington, DC as
a certain protests that happened on acertain day if you know which day I'm
(10:11):
talking about, because we were notvery happy people. And yeah, I
mean, and and you came downhere and said, I've got some things
to say about this, and youknow, how can can you can you
just do something to speak some senseto the world. I mean, it's
very it's interesting. I do.People have asked me that before. And
(10:31):
I'm obviously definitely a very passionate personand I and I do believe that there
is so much change, and Ido believe that we're to change. Like
you said, we are our kids, you know, these next generations,
like we do have the path thatwe feel a lot of times we don't
have, you know. Um.And I am a passionate person and I
do love. I do love tosupport and speak clearly so people understand what's
(10:56):
that state? Um, But Ido. I think doing it as an
artist is very impactful and very avery beautiful, powerful way to do it,
to move people. And and soI feel like that's the purpose and
that's you know, that's my purpose. Well, if you play, I'll
write the song. We bumped ourhead's globally somewhere along the way. You
(11:18):
mean, I will write that.I will write it for you, our
perform it with auto tune because I'llneed it especially, Go and keep up
with songs in a minor. Youknow what I'm talking about. Let's go.
Look, I think you're amazing.I love your whole energy. You
are, but it is easy tohave good energy when you've talked when you're
talking with someone who has changed hearts, minds, and culture forever for the
(11:43):
better because of her art. Andyou are blessing. They broke the mold
when they made you. There willnever be another like you, and I'm
grateful that we have you in ourlives to give our lives meaning and to
make sense of this craziness with anincredible soundtrack. So, Alicia Man,
thank you, thank you so much. I'm so excited for tonight. I
am so great for to talk toyou. I can't wait to see y'all.
(12:05):
We're gonna have the best night ever. Let's go, Let's go the
great Alicia Keys, thank you forthe time today, thank you to your
team for setting it up, andthank you for being you. I'm at
that man, you have You've beengiven many gifts and you're using them well.
I believe God would say, andit's saying, well done, thank
you. And I will be acoming tonight. And your spirit needs to
(12:26):
be in space, and wish yourdaughter is coming to Yes, the spirit
will be in said space. Thatis for let's go the truth, all
right, I'm talking about Okay,I love it. I love It's great
talking to you. Be saved youtonight
Hey, you've got Alicia on theline. All righty, here we go.
Alicia, Hello, how are youtoday? I'm good. Are you
feeling I'm feeling blessed. I'm feelingheavily favored. I am just thankful to
you know what I mean. Youget up in the morning, you look
up and you're like, how canyou deny that there is a higher power
at work on all of this?You know, I love it. And
(00:25):
so, to paraphrase a certain songfrom back in the day, just waking
up in the morning got to thankGod. I don't know, but today
I don't know. No bark fromthe dog, no smile on the phone
with Alicia Keys. That's odd.Alicia, for being you, Thank you
(00:45):
for leading. Thank you for thegood you've given back to the world through
your your foundational efforts and giving hopeto children. You are, truly,
I mean, a saint. You'relike an angel. It is a privilege
to talk to somebody so incredibly talentedtoday. I appreciate that love, I
appreciate all of it. Great totalk to you too, No, it's
(01:07):
it's it's It is an honor totalk to an artist who's been given so
many incredible gifts and an artist,an actor, somebody who's about to have
a Broadway musical based on her lifeand what I mean. But here's the
thing that is most incredible. Alot of people who have achieved everything you've
achieved, you know, they taketheir money and run. You took your
(01:29):
money and said, how can Imake this world a better place? And
whether it's singing songs with Bono todo certain things? What if you have
never run from making humanity better?Where did you get it from your mama?
Um? You know, I definitelythink that my mother. You know,
my mother raised me single one there, so I definitely am familiar with
(01:52):
struggle and just what it means toto just you know, we we can't
make it alone. And I knowthat, I mean, and so um,
and so I do feel like shegave me that that empathetic spirit.
Show is Show Is made sure thatI was thinking about how other people would
feel. And I appreciated her forthat, Like, you know, how
(02:13):
would that feel that that was you? And put yourself in somebody else's shoes?
And I think that's how I leave, how I walk, I walk
like that, and and so um, I appreciate her for that. I
do think she gave me that energya lot? Do you think your mom
realized the role model to other youngwoman like my daughter who's nineteen going to
Emerson College from Boston, God gifts. I can't believe it. I made
(02:34):
a baby. But but then she'snineteen now and left high school early prodigy.
But did you think, Wow,do you think your mom realized the
role model you would become? MI don't. I don't. I don't
think so. I mean, Idon't know. That's a really good question.
I've asked her a lot of thingsin my life that I never really
(02:57):
answered that. Um, I don'tknow. Maybe she. I feel like
I always had a certain spirit tome that, you know, was one
that would reach out to people.And I do think you can see that
in your kids kind of you cansee their character, you know what I
mean, You can see their theirspirit and their character. So I don't
know. Maybe she did, butI don't think so, because I didn't
(03:20):
even know that it would be likethat, or that I would have this
type of connection with people. AndI really love it. I really love
that part of the the svicess ofbeing an artist, particularly my favorite part
about it is the way that I'mable to connect with people and that it's
pure, that is genuine, andit's I never take it for granted.
So I think that's the most importantthing in life, like connecting with people,
(03:42):
right, And you learn it fromsomewhere. Now you're teaching it to
your kids, and they're going toconnect with people. Do you look at
them and think to themselves, youknow what I am. I am so
hopeful for the future for you thatit moves you to a new place when
it comes to spirituality, you know, I really do find that. Of
course, we're in the world thatdoes feel very dark, you know,
(04:03):
and it feels like a lot alot of negative is around. But when
I do look at them, Ido feel the positive. I do feel
like there's so much growth, youknow, Like even my youngest is always
talking about how he wants to protectthe planet and how you know, he
thinks about that now, and he'seight, and so I think about that,
(04:25):
and I'm like, I'm so gladhe's I'm so glad he's thinking about
that. And I think there's somany kids that are just caring about you
know, equality and and and theand the planet and just the world in
a different way that I think wethought about it, or definitely our parents
thought about it. So I dofeel very loeful about that. And you'll
(04:46):
be there to perform at your youngestinauguration when they win the White House and
they go for it. A thing, could you man, what's crazy?
As I could, because it's thething I believe. I believe that this
world, as long as they're aredreamers who have dreams, were not so
(05:09):
divided. And if we can getback to this place where we the people,
we the people aren't afraid to dreamdreams that actually take both sides coming
together to do great things. Ifwe ever stop dreaming that then will stop
being who we are. But Istill believe, I still believe that we
have these dreams within us, andI believe that my daughter's generation, your
(05:30):
children's generation might be the ones tohave to carry that ball to the end
zone. But you know, wecan help block and tackle for them.
And I hope that's what we haveto do, you know what I mean,
because our world needs it, ourchildren need it, we need it,
this planet needs it. And youknow, one of the great things
that you give to the world isthe gift of music and performing live and
(05:50):
so you help us to heal whenit comes to this tumultuousness when it comes
to the world. And I waslooking at your stage setup and I found
it very interesting because I I lovethe people at rock Lettuce and Claire and
Tate who put this stuff together.This is very behind the scenes stuff.
But Alicia Keys, if you goto her show tonight, and by the
way, there are still great ticketsleft, and thank you for keeping them
(06:11):
affordable, because that is a ticketprice as a steel for somebody the repertoire
that you have. And it's goingto be a night of hit after hit
after hit, but it's going tobe an intimate night. You designed that
stage and that's set up to bein the round. That's a three sixty
stage. I see right, that'sexactly right, and I'm loving it because
it's my first time doing it andit's so fun to do things for the
(06:33):
first time. And I realized thatthis really is the best way to do
a show because every seat gets tobecome a front row seat, and I'm
able to spend the stages in themiddle of the floor, in the middle
of the arenas, I'm able toconnect with every single side of the building
in every single seat, and it'sjust in a way that I've never been
(06:54):
able to do it before. Soit does feel very intimate at the same
such a beautiful show. The visualsare incredible as sonic. The sound that
you're going to hear it's come andfeel so good. The songs. I
mean, I'm bringing those those favoritesand just songs and maybe you even didn't
realize how much you love them,right, and it really feels it's just
(07:15):
a special name. I think thething that is most amazing, as somebody
who's seen you performed several times throughthe course of your career, because your
career is kind of paralleled paralleled mycareer is you. When you sit to
that piano and you start to play, Like when I hear you minus jay
Z minus background tracks and I hearyou playing you know, Empire state of
(07:36):
Mind, it's almost it's almost likeyou're composing a love song. It's it's
it's like so intimate, it's it'sintimately beautiful in a way that makes you
feel like, man, Swiss beats. Please don't get mad at me because
I'm watching you. Damn you're theluckiest man. But you know what I
mean that it creates that kind ofemotional moment. Yeah. Love that that's
(08:00):
my favorite part about music, anddefinitely about being able to stribute back to
just piano and just like Graw honesty, you can't. You just you do
feel it in a different way.And I just love that. I'm so
grateful that I can play and thatI, you know, I compose in
that way that it can just belike so me and you. You know,
(08:20):
no matter it is me and you. Wherever you're sitting in the venue
tonight and the Maverick Center, youwill have this experience. I promise you
as somebody who's seen this woman performlive. And tickets are still available eight
thirty tonight. By the way,you have no excuse. You can start
planning now. If you weren't planningon it, you need to go snap
up these tickets to Ticketmaster. Whatelse can we expect tonight? Will you
(08:43):
please talk some sense into the worldfrom the stage tonight, so hopefully somebody
will. It's definitely, I mean, I feel like this show really is
uplifting. I love how it feelswhen I always talk about how we're breaking
ceilings down, you know, we'reletting go of what as it is like
on our back or heavy on ourburdens, you know, and that's what
(09:03):
music is meant to do. Ilove that part of it, Like we
can just take a night and justrelease all of the energies, all of
the fear, all of the youknow, pressure, all of those things
that are just on your back.When you come to this show tonight,
you get to feel like free.You just get to be you and have
fun and feel good and let itall go. And it feels like that.
(09:26):
It's a real liberation and a realcelebration of life. I mean,
it's key to the summer. Isthe summer we need to have some great
memories that feel good, Yes,especially since a lot of our memories have
been robbed by the things we seeon the news Ukraine. All this other
stuff go tonight and let go andlet Alicia take you to a new place.
Now, before I let you go, Alicia, I have one last
(09:48):
question, and I was joking aboutit earlier with your youngest counting for president.
Do you think you could one dayrun for political office and talk some
sense into the world. Please?Mean, I've heard you speak passionately about
causes, beliefs and things. Iremember what happened in Washington, DC as
a certain protests that happened on acertain day if you know which day I'm
(10:11):
talking about, because we were notvery happy people. And yeah, I
mean, and and you came downhere and said, I've got some things
to say about this, and youknow, how can can you can you
just do something to speak some senseto the world. I mean, it's
very it's interesting. I do.People have asked me that before. And
(10:31):
I'm obviously definitely a very passionate personand I and I do believe that there
is so much change, and Ido believe that we're to change. Like
you said, we are our kids, you know, these next generations,
like we do have the path thatwe feel a lot of times we don't
have, you know. Um.And I am a passionate person and I
do love. I do love tosupport and speak clearly so people understand what's
(10:56):
that state? Um, But Ido. I think doing it as an
artist is very impactful and very avery beautiful, powerful way to do it,
to move people. And and soI feel like that's the purpose and
that's you know, that's my purpose. Well, if you play, I'll
write the song. We bumped ourhead's globally somewhere along the way. You
(11:18):
mean, I will write that.I will write it for you, our
perform it with auto tune because I'llneed it especially, Go and keep up
with songs in a minor. Youknow what I'm talking about. Let's go.
Look, I think you're amazing.I love your whole energy. You
are, but it is easy tohave good energy when you've talked when you're
talking with someone who has changed hearts, minds, and culture forever for the
(11:43):
better because of her art. Andyou are blessing. They broke the mold
when they made you. There willnever be another like you, and I'm
grateful that we have you in ourlives to give our lives meaning and to
make sense of this craziness with anincredible soundtrack. So, Alicia Man,
thank you, thank you so much. I'm so excited for tonight. I
am so great for to talk toyou. I can't wait to see y'all.
(12:05):
We're gonna have the best night ever. Let's go, Let's go the
great Alicia Keys, thank you forthe time today, thank you to your
team for setting it up, andthank you for being you. I'm at
that man, you have You've beengiven many gifts and you're using them well.
I believe God would say, andit's saying, well done, thank
you. And I will be acoming tonight. And your spirit needs to
(12:26):
be in space, and wish yourdaughter is coming to Yes, the spirit
will be in said space. Thatis for let's go the truth, all
right, I'm talking about Okay,I love it. I love It's great
talking to you. Be saved youtonight
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