Alicia Keys attended Clive Davis’ funeral service on Monday, which was livestreamed from Central Synagogue in Manhattan. Taking the stage, she reflected on the impact he had on her life.
“Clive, you are woven into the fabric of who I am, not just as an artist, as a woman. You showed me what it looks like to move through with integrity and intention. You showed me that excellence is not an accident, it’s a devotion, a daily, relentless, beautiful devotion and I carry that with me everywhere I go,” she said.
Alicia said that Clive was behind “the music that has moved us and comforted us and that we celebrate with” and therefore created “a legacy [that] will outlast all of us.”
“I honor you and I love you. I am because you believed I could be. Thank you for the music, for the vision, for the encouragement, for the, for the friendship,” she said. “Thank you for seeing me fully, completely from the very beginning, even before I fully saw myself. With all my heart, all my soul, and every single note I’ve ever played.”
Elsewhere during the funeral, Dionne Warwick shared a few words about her late friend, while Jennifer Hudson performed Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” and Whitney Houston’s classic “I Will Always Love You.”
Clive died on June 22 at his New York home while surrounded by family. He was 94 years old.
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