Alicia Keys reflects on success of Tony-nominated ‘Hell’s Kitchen’

After scoring 13 Tony nominations for her musical Hell’s Kitchen, Alicia Keys is reflecting on the show’s success.

The musical is based on Alicia’s life and features her hit songs, as well as new music written by Alicia especially for the show. She tells People it’s been a joy to see how a show so personal to her is resonating with audiences.

“This is all of our stories,” she tells the mag. “That’s what I’ve learned creating and watching Hell’s Kitchen; that there’s so much that connects us all. Even though we have different versions, we all go through things that are quite similar. Ultimately, we’re just all trying to find where we belong and who we actually are.”

She adds, “That’s what I get from it; I get this ability to understand each other and to find our way. And it’s cathartic. You’re laughing, you’re singing, you’re crying — you’re a mess in this show. But you feel seen. And I think it’s really, really beautiful.”

Alicia says she also loves that this show is attracting new people to Broadway.

“One of the goals of Hell’s Kitchen was to really open the door to those who have never stepped foot in a Broadway theater ever before,” she explains. “So I’m excited that when I look around — because I am in that theater often — I see so many different people in so many different walks of life. I love that so much and that’s really important.”