Alicia Keys Pays Tribute To Kobe Bryant At Grammys With Heartfelt Boyz II Men Performance

Alicia Keys hosted the 62nd annual Grammy Awards on Jan. 26, but instead of going right into the show, she took a moment to remember Kobe Bryant just hours after his tragic death.

Alicia Keys, 38, just further proved why she’s so darn likable. Immediately after taking the stage to begin hosting the 62nd annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Jan. 26 — her second time leading the biggest night in music, we must note — she paid tribute to NBA legend Kobe Bryant, who tragically died just hours before the ceremony. She said, “Here we are together on music’s biggest night celebrating the artists that do it best. But to be honest with you, we’re all feeling crazy sadness right now because earlier today Los Angeles, America, and the whole wide world lost a hero. We’re literally standing here heartbroken in the house that Kobe Bryant built. Kobe and his daughter, Gianna, and all of those that have been tragically lost today are in our spirit, in our hearts, and in our prayers. They’re in this building. I would like to ask everybody to take a moment and just hold them inside of you and share our strength and our support with their families. We never imagined in a million years we’d have to start the show like this. We wanted to do something that could describe a tiny bit of how we all feel right now.”

Then, Alicia was joined by Boyz II Men, and they performed the group’s song, “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday”. It was moving, but yet so so heartbreaking to watch. However, we believe that Alicia opened the show in the most perfect way possible — the only way possible — after what happened earlier in the day.

After hosting the show last year, Alicia received a ton of praise, and we can imagine the same will happen this year, following her powerful tribute. “Last year was such a powerful experience for me. Not only did I feel the love in the room, but I felt it from around the world and it confirmed the healing and unifying power of music,” Alicia told Los Angeles Times before hosting again this year. Alicia, who’s won 15 Grammys, herself, announced her return on Nov. 14 in a funny video that featured her most memorable moments from last year’s show. Last year, Alicia opened the show with former First Lady Michelle Obama and global superstar Lady Gaga by her side, so we knew this year she’d open with another powerful moment.