Alicia Keys to Perform 'Empire State of Mind' at New York Knicks Championship Parade
Alicia Keys is scheduled to perform her hit song "Empire State of Mind" at the New York Knicks' championship parade on Thursday, June 18. The Grammy-winning artist will close out the parade with her performance during the City Hall ceremony, which is tentatively slated for 1 p.m. ET. This celebration marks the Knicks' first NBA title in 53 years.
Alicia Keys is set to perform her song "Empire State of Mind" at the New York Knicks championship parade on Thursday, June 18. The performance will conclude the parade at the City Hall ceremony, which is tentatively scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.
Knicks owner James Dolan confirmed that Keys would perform the Jay-Z collaboration, though Jay-Z is not expected to join her on stage. Keys herself confirmed her participation during a FaceTime call with Knicks forward OG Anunoby, stating, "This is my city and the city's on fire."
The parade route will begin at 10 a.m. ET in Battery Park, proceed through the Canyon of Heroes, and culminate with the ceremony at City Hall. This event celebrates the New York Knicks' first championship win in 53 years.
The Knicks secured their title on Saturday, June 13, with a 94-90 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in game five. Despite missing the game due to hosting a documentary premiere, Keys celebrated by performing "Empire State of Mind" at an impromptu afterparty.
"Empire State of Mind," released in September 2009, peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks. The track also became associated with the 2009 New York Yankees, who won the World Series that season.
According to Billboard, "New York, we’ve been waiting for this one!!! My brother @oanunoby said the city is calling….. Meet me tomorrow at City Hall to celebrate our World Champion @nyknicks!!!!!! Don’t worry @egyptdean_ wouldn’t let me miss this," Keys added in the caption of an Instagram post.
