Alicia Keys to Perform ‘Empire State of Mind’ at Knicks Championship Ceremony

It was only a matter of time before Alicia Keys was summoned to perform “Empire State of Mind” at a formal celebration of the New York Knicks’ first NBA Championship in 53 years. The song, her collaboration with Jay-Z, has been the city’s unofficial victory anthem since the team secured the title. Keys will take the stage at a City Hall ceremony on Thursday, June 18, following the championship parade through Lower Manhattan.

The invitation came directly from Knicks forward OG Anunoby, who told Keys over FaceTime, “The city’s asking for you.” A video posted to Keys’ Instagram captures the call, with her son jumping into frame to promise, “I’ll make sure she gets there.” Keys responded with a mix of personal warmth and civic pride. “This is my city, and the city’s on fire,” she said. “There’s so much love in the city, it’s crazy. Y’all brought all that energy.”

The parade begins at 10 a.m. along Broadway, with the noon ceremony hosted by Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Six hundred tickets were distributed to the public via lottery. “This championship belongs to New York City,” Mamdani said. “The Knicks brought together New Yorkers from every borough and every walk of life.”

Keys’ performance anchors a moment where sport and sound have fused into shared civic ritual—and gives a song that already echoed across the boroughs an official platform.