Yolanda Adams Recalls First Meeting with HELL’S KITCHEN Creator Alicia Keys

Grammy winner Yolanda Adams recently made her Broadway debut in Hell’s Kitchen, an opportunity that serves as a return to her roots. On a visit to TODAY with Jenna & Friends, the gospel singer shared how she grew up performing in theater in Texas, before moving over to music full-time. 

“All of a sudden, the music side popped off, and I’m like, ‘Okay, we’ll do the music.’ But there’s always been that itch [for theater]…” she said. Adams and Hell’s Kitchen creator Alicia Keys have known each other since the early days of their careers, having first met during respective appearances on Oprah. 

“I remember that day meeting her because she was so kind, so sweet… and when she got on that piano, I was like, ‘Oh, this girl is going to be phenomenal for the rest of her life,'” Adams said, explaining that she has played an “auntie” role in Keys’ life in the years since. Check out the full interview, where she also speaks about receiving her 16th Grammy nomination for her new gospel album “Sunny Days.”

Yolanda Adams stepped into the role of Miss Liza Jane on November 21, sharing the role with Tony and Grammy Award winner Kecia Lewis before taking over full-time on December 16. Adams plays a limited engagement in Hell’s Kitchen through Sunday, January 25, 2026.

The musical, featuring a book by Kristoffer Diaz, direction by Michael Greif, and choreography by Camille A. Brown, reimagines Keys’s songs and life experiences through the story of Ali, a fiery 17-year-old growing up in Manhattan Plaza. The show won the 2025 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theatre Album and continues to draw packed houses at the Shubert Theatre.