American singer, Alicia Keys has been chosen by the organizing body of the prestigious club football tournament, UEFA Champions League, to perform live at the 2016 final’s opening ceremony in Milan, Italy.
The competition’s final, which is set to take place on May 28, 2016 in Italy at Milan’s Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, to television audiences in over 220 countries, sees UEFA adopting a new model of tournament closure.
The new model has got the multiple Grammy Award-winning singer excited as she likens the renowned city to her second home.
‘My mother’s family is from Italy, so whenever I go, I always feel the most loved,’ she said. ‘I feel like it’s a homecoming of love in a lot of ways.’
In its statement, the European football body revealed this year’s organizational dynamism as it said it intends to ‘merge the worlds of world-class music, entertainment and sports, as well as celebrate design and fashion as a nod to the host city, Milan’.
Alicia in no little measure agrees with the body, as she commented further on the event, ‘This is going to be a powerful moment in history and one that represents the spirit of all the similarities we share no matter where we live and who we are,’
‘I’m honoured to be a special part of such a beloved experience’, she quipped.
The 35-year-old mother of two will be expected to dish a medley of new music at the event, which is one of the most watched football competitions in the world.