Alicia Keys has released her live album, Apple Music Live: Alicia Keys, following her 2022 Holiday Masquerade Ball, which premiered on Apple Music on Wednesday night.
The 19-track album features all the songs from Keys’ setlist, including her festive numbers “December Back 2 June,” “Santa Baby,” “Please Come Home For Christmas,” “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts)” and “Wonderful Christmas Time.” All the songs are included on Keys’ debut holiday album, Santa Baby.
Fellow musician and singer Jon Batiste joined Keys for a beautiful rendition of “Feeling Good” and “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts).”
Keys’ didn’t limit her concert to holiday songs. She also performed some of her hits from her extensive catalog including “You Don’t Know My Name,” “Fallin’,” “Girl On Fire” and “No One,” to name a few.
The 15-time Grammy winner hosted the Holiday Masquerade Ball in New York City at United Palace Theatre. Ahead of the event, Keys spoke with Ebro Darden of Apple Music about her dream of hosting a masquerade ball.
“I have personally been dying to do a masquerade ball. It’s been in my head on my idea list for a minute, and every time I’m like, ‘Should we do it for Halloween? Should we do it for just for my birthday? Should we do it for whatever?’ And it hasn’t manifested yet until right now. So we’re going to do the holiday masquerade ball. So it’s kind of a little bit of a dream that I’ve been having,” said Keys.
She also shared the method behind crafting her set list. “I usually sit down and I brainstorm. Me and my brother, Adam Blackstone, you know he be out here killing, but I know that I wanted it to be of course, holiday. So it has to be Santa Baby. Because that’s what we all want. We getting a vibe,” said Keys.
“But of course, there has to be some of those zones. So I love to mix it in and put it together and make sure you’re going to be familiar with this set list. You’re definitely going to be able to sing along. You’re going to feel good. It’s going to have some mixtures that you didn’t expect.”
Keys independently released Santa Baby on Nov. 4 via Alicia Keys Records. It’s available exclusively on Apple Music for streaming, as well as CD and vinyl.
“It’s gonna be your favorite soundtrack as you’re gearing up for family ties, decorations, holiday parties, time off and time for reflection and hibernation! Fireplaces and wine, nothing but good times,” Keys told fans via an email blast. “I wanted to do it now because it’s a new energy. I wanted to share some of my favorite songs and my style on all of them. I also wanted to write some meaningful NEW songs that reflect the times.”
She added, “I want to be among the greats who created timeless music that give us the love of the holiday.”
Stream Apple Music Live: Alicia Keys below.