30 May Alicia Keys in London | Live Review

Alicia Keys rocked London’s 02 Arena with a career-spanning performance laden with political and self-uplifting messages that at left audiences feeling like they’d drank a cup of ‘feel good juice’. Twenty minutes after the audience had been warmed up deliciously by Melanie Fiona, Alicia Keys descended onto the stage in a cage and 'emancipated' herself while performing the introduction to her latest album, Element of Freedom. The opening stage set was the most elaborate throughout the night, and for the duration of the performance the stage design was somewhat plain. However, there is no doubt that the lack of ostentatious pyrotechnics, stage designs and other proverbial bells and whistles typical to large-scale shows was deliberate - the focus was solidly on Alicia and the music.