Alicia Keys understands the importance of the vibe, so when the 15-time Grammy winner headlined a one-night-only concert at Harlem’s iconic Apollo theater last week, she was intent on setting a mood worthy of the venue. “The Apollo is everything,” Keys shared backstage. “It’s such a powerful historic, monumental location for music and art. All the people who have ever touched the stage—Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holliday, James Brown—it’s phenomenal.”
Pre-show, Keys kept her getting ready process calm by burning incense and a candle from her Keys Soulcare range, as hairstylist Nai’vasha Johnson and makeup artist Chichi Saito worked to create an elegant beauty look consisting of fresh skin, a curly high ponytail and golden-winged eyeliner. “There’s so much complexity in beauty, but I think it’s all about taking care of yourself,” says Keys. “You can have all the latest things, and still be physically, emotionally, and spiritually drained. It’s all about the balance.”
As she prepped, Keyes explained the necessity of divine feminine energy and how it informs her performances. “It’s this beautiful power that’s within all of us,” she says. “It’s part of the male experience, the female experience, the human experience, and it does play a part in how I dress.”
The outfit Keys’s stylist Jason Bolden chose for the evening—a custom Greta Constantine jumpsuit that was half tuxedo, half ballgown—reflected those ideas beautifully. As she strutted through the Apollo’s orchestra section, trailed by backup dancers, her audience knew they were in for a thrill.
Here, the superstar takes Vogue behind the scenes of her getting ready process.
Director: Blair Waters
DP: Bella Tan
Editor: Daniel Poler
AC: Eileen Yoon
Audio: Sean Paulsen
AP: Qieara Lesesne
Supervising Producer: Jordin Rocchi
Production Manager: Edith Pauccar
Production Coordinator: Kit Fogarty
Post-Production Supervisor: Marco Glinbizzi
Senior Talent Manager: Tara Burke
VP, Digital Video Programming and Development,Vogue (English Language): Joe Pickard
Senior Director, Digital Video: Tara Homeri
Director of Content, Vogue: Rahel Gebreyes
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