Alicia Keys Is Bringing the Fashion Heat for Her Summer Tour

Though for most of us the summer season is a time of rest, when you’re Alicia Keys, it’s the perfect moment to get to work, and kick off a brand-new tour. On Friday night, the singer began her Keys to the Summer Tour at the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, the first in a string of stops over the next few weeks. “It’s the best show I’ve ever done,” Keys tells Vogue of the showcase. “Visually, musically, it’s a whole new world and level. I feel so excited—and the summer energy is amazing.” Along with performing some of her biggest hits, like “Fallin’” and “No One,” Keys is bringing the fashion heat with her stage wardrobe.

Working with stylist Anna Trevelyan, Keys wanted to tap into a new fashion mood for the tour, while still feeling authentically herself. “I have such an androgynous energy—it’s both masculine and feminine—and I really wanted to bring that energy to the forefront,” says Keys of her stage looks. “I wanted to bring a mixture. I love that it’s also very colorful and bright: It really captures my spirit and the summer.” Together, the pair landed on custom creations from labels such as Valentino, Pucci, GCDS, Monot, and Self-Portrait. “I love all of the different vibes of the designers,” says Keys. “I love that each [look] has its own personality; you can see that each designer thought specifically of me. I’m also wearing some pieces that haven’t even walked the runway yet!’

Fans got their first glimpse of Keys’s new ensembles at the Tampa show. Some of her favorites? “I love the Pucci [outfits]; I love that they’re very colorful, and how the fabric glows,” she says. (One look—with a cape, top, and pants—is made of reflective material.) Another highlight is the custom Valentino creation, also complete with a dramatic cape coat. “It feels quite elegant and chic,” says Keys. “I love the drama of the cape, and the beading. I have these stairs that I walk down, and the way that it falls down the stairs is so incredible.” Keys says that what she wears can meaningfully impact how she shows up before an audience. “I see fashion as performance,” she says. “Fashion is art—it’s a beautiful expression of who you are, and who you’re going to transform into.”

Given the star has only just kicked off her tour, she has plenty more fashion transformations to pull off over the next few weeks. She keeps up the momentum by grounding herself and looking after her wellbeing. “I stay sane during touring by making sure I’m having a great time and feeling good—making sure I’m getting rest and taking care of my health,” Keys says. “I also do things that are fun on my days off; it’s the summer, and I can go to the beach or by the pool. But I’m doing what I love, so even though it’s hectic, I’m loving what I’m doing.”

As for what fans can expect from her shows to come, Keys says, “I’m looking forward to continuing to shock people. People have never seen me do a show like this and they’re loving it—so I’m looking forward to continuing to give that energy.” She also can’t wait to hit certain cities along the way. “I’m looking forward to going to cities that I haven’t been to in a long time—New Orleans, Memphis,” she says. “There’s stops on this tour that I’m really looking forward to making magic at. It’s going to be epic.”

Below, a closer look at Keys’s new tour fashions.