Alicia Keys, mother of two sons, Genesis, and Egypt made her New York City performance a family affair.

The Grammy-winning artist took the stage at the Apollo Theater in Harlem as part of SiriusXM and Pandora’s Small Stage Series. In front of a sold-out hometown audience, Keys performed a mix of her classic hits and newer songs, making a special moment by introducing her younger son to the concertgoers.

During an encore, Keys returned to the stage and asked the audience, “My son Genesis wants to join us — is that alright?” The boy then appeared, wearing a mask, sat beside the piano, and greeted the crowd. Keys dedicated the performance of “If I Ain’t Got You” to him, stating, “This is for him. This is for you.” She also acknowledged her older son, Egypt, who was backstage.

Following the song, the mother and son duo walked hand in hand to the front of the stage, waving goodbye to the cheering crowd.

Promoting the performance earlier, Keys, who shares her children with husband Swizz Beatz, expressed her excitement on Instagram, writing, “This. Is. It!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’ve been dreaming about bringing these One Night Only shows to YOU!! We’re taking over the illustrious Apollo in NYC TONIGHT!! These shows are so special to me! Each one will be different. I’m so excited to see you! Get your look ready! You’re about to enter The KEYS universe! No holding back!”

Keys shared with PEOPLE her emotions about witnessing her older son, Egypt, grow and start performing. In a touching moment featured on her YouTube Originals docuseries Noted: Alicia Keys The Untold Story, Keys and Egypt watched a clip from the 2019 iHeartRadio Music Awards, where Egypt played piano alongside Keys during her performance of “Raise a Man.” As they watched, Keys became teary-eyed.

Reflecting on the moment, Keys said, “I’m not the crying type, I’m really not. But you get so sensitive just [thinking] about how life goes on, and seeing him next to me and remembering that moment. That moment was the first time that he performed with me onstage, and I remember being completely so wrapped up in him being okay because I asked him to do it.”

Keys recalled how nervous she was for her son initially, as he hesitated before agreeing to perform. She admitted to forgetting to practice until the night before the show, feeling anxious about his performance.

Seeing her son’s growth and confidence onstage left a profound impact on Keys, highlighting the emotional journey of parenthood.