Alicia Keys Performs "Empire State Of Mind" At The Queen's Jubilee & Brits Are Left Confused

BYHayley Hynes6.9K Views
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Alicia Keys
While Keys' voice sounded undoubtedly amazing, her audience felt as though she may not have chosen the most appropriate song.

Across the pond, people all over Britain have been celebrating Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee – a festival spanning multiple days in honour of Her Majesty's 70 years served on the throne. Of course, it wouldn't be a party without music, which is why several world-class entertainers, including Queen, Ella Eyre, Lin Manuel Miranda, Andrea Bocelli, and Diana Ross were commissioned to perform.

"Fallin" songstress Alicia Keys was also recruited, and she didn't come to play, breaking out some of the biggest hits from her repertoire – though one of them ("Empire State of Mind") was lost on the un-American audience.

Alicia Keys Performs "Empire State Of Mind" At The Queen's Jubilee & Brits Are Left Confused
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"Call me old-fashioned, but why is Alicia Keys singing about [New York] when she is celebrating the Queen's Platinum Jubilee in LONDON?" someone pondered online.

The mother of two must've sensed the audience's discomfort during the show – or simply expected it ahead of time and prepared to change the lyrics – as she sang "Now you're in London" rather than "Now you're in New York" at one point.

Though her hit collab with JAY-Z may not have landed with everyone, many seemed to love her rendition of 2012's "Girl on Fire" which some social media users have been speculating that she dedicated to Meghan Markle. As the R&B legend sang, the word "Superwoman" appeared repeatedly cast over Buckingham Palace.

Another standout moment that viewers loved was seeing Keys wearing a cape and saying "Yes Queen" right outside her Royal Highness' home – check out more Twitter reactions below, and tap back in with HNHH later for more pop culture news updates.













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About The Author
Hayley Hynes is the former Weekend Managing Editor of HotNewHipHop, she stepped down after two years in 2024 to pursue other creative opportunities but remains on staff part-time to cover music, gossip, and pop culture news. Currently, she contributes similar content on Blavity and 21Ninety, as well as on her personal blog where she also offers tarot/astrology services. Hayley resides on the western side of Canada, previously spending a year in Vancouver to study Fashion Marketing at Blanche Macdonald Centre and Journalism at Mount Royal University in Calgary before that. She's passionate about helping others heal through storytelling, and shares much more about her life on Instagram @hayleyhynes.
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