The 15 Grammy Award winner made his "Good Job" debut Thursday at CNN's World City Hall to answer the latest questions and concerns in the fight against Covid-19.
The song was originally written months ago to honor the unsung heroes in Keys' life, she told CNN in conversation before the broadcast.
"It has always been such a personal song and such a poignant song," she said. "And every time I play, I want to cry because I think of my mother, I think of my grandmother, I think of my friends who cannot make ends meet."
But as the pandemic swept the world, Keys realized that the words could also pay tribute to health professionals, front-line workers, parents, teachers and all those who mobilized during this unprecedented period.
"Often people don't feel like they are doing a good job. They feel underwater and like there will never be a brighter day," she said. "Fast forward to where we are now, and it's almost like the song was written for that and I didn't know it."
Keys teamed up with CNN to use the song as the theme for a new CNN Heroes campaign to celebrate ordinary people who became heroes during the Covid-19 crisis.
Starting Friday, viewers and visitors to CNN platforms will be invited to share photos and videos of people in their communities who are doing their part to make the world a better, safer and healthier place.
CNN will recognize a collection of these everyday heroes every week.
"Alicia Keys and the lyrics to 'Good Job' send a much-needed message of gratitude to the frontline workers who are essential to this crisis," said Whit Friese, CNN vice president and creative director of the creative marketing group. "It is nothing less than an honor for our team to collaborate with such incredible talent on a project as significant as this."
The singer-songwriter remembers saying a prayer when she was nominated for her first Grammy Awards for her 2001 debut album, "Songs in A Minor".
"Please leave me something to say," she prayed. "Don't just let me have this moment and have nothing to say that will resonate with anyone."
That same prayer is one of the reasons Keys said she was moved to write "More Myself: A Journey", a New York Times bestseller and the first book on Oprah Winfrey's new imprint. on the books of Flatiron.
Keys said that she and her family, which include her husband producer Swizz Beatz, their two sons together, and her son from a previous relationship - used this time to reflect.
"We are certainly doing well, but we are constantly thinking about where we are going as a world and as a global family," said Keys. "I think we have an opportunity to really think about who we want to be first as individuals, then who do we want to be as communities and globally? It's a powerful thought and it looks like that's the mandate right now. " "
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