Tonight, during the MTV Video Music Awards, Alicia Keys performed the live debut of her new Swae Lee-assisted track “LALA (Unlocked)” from the Liberty State Park. It marked her first performance at the VMAs since 2012, where she debuted “Girl on Fire” from the award-winning album of the same title.
She later stood behind the piano to deliver a smooth snippet of “Empire State of Mind” in honor of September 11.
Last week, Keys issued “LALA (Unlocked),” which she co-produced alongside Mike WiLL Made-It. She followed with a supporting visual. The song starts a new era for Keys, whose most recent album, ALICIA, appeared on Rated R&B’s Best Albums of 2020 list.
Starting in June 2022, Keys will launch a worldwide tour in support of her previous album. A YouTube docu-series, described by Keys as a “sick series,” is slated for release later this year.
Watch the first-televised performance of “LALA (Unlocked)” go down below.
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