New York City had not celebrated an NBA championship in 53 years. On Thursday, it finally did - and Alicia Keys made sure no one would forget it.
Keys took the stage at City Hall in a studded black leather jacket recreating the Knicks logo, closing out the championship ticker tape parade that sent millions of New Yorkers into the streets to celebrate the franchise's first NBA title since 1973.
"This is our time! This is our time! We are champi-ONS!" she yelled to the crowd before sitting at the piano, completing "Empire State of Mind" as Knicks players danced and sang behind her alongside New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
She performed alongside her son Egypt, saying "Me and my son Egypt, we thought that we would do it like this."
Keys had already sung the song at the Tribeca Film Festival the night the Knicks won, where her documentary Alicia Keys: Girl From Hell's Kitchen had its premiere - this was her encore to a city on fire.
Keys said she needed no convincing to show up. "Like, how could I not? This is my city and the city's on fire. There's so much love in the city," she said.
The moment carried weight beyond basketball. Keys has spoken publicly about her belief in God and the power of prayer - and performing the city's adopted anthem in front of a crowd of millions, alongside Knicks guard Josh Hart who gave glory to God moments after winning the title, made Thursday feel like something more than a celebration. It felt like a testimony.
"Congrats, New York City, I love you!" she said as she left the stage.
