The Bermuda Music Festival is expected to end on a high note tonight as Grammy award winning artists Alicia Keys and Aaron Neville and the Charles Neville Quintet take centre stage.

Also performing are a handful of talented locals – the Wall Street Band and Black Buddafly, singers Larrita Adderley, Twanee Butterfield and Aimee Bento, the Warwick Gombey Troupe, Bunny Easton, Ali Malik and Freddie G.

Comedian Steve Harvey will emcee.

The main draw for tonight's performance is multiple Grammy Award winner Alicia Keys. The event headliner has received international acclaim for her achievements as a singer, songwriter, pianist, producer, author, news correspondent, philanthropist and actress.

Her stated belief is that prosperity cannot be evaluated by financial success but through passion, self-fulfilment and life experiences.

Born and bred in New York's Hell's Kitchen, Alicia Keys was strongly influenced by music from different generations and disciplines – Nina Simone, Donny Hathaway, Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder; classical compositions of Frédéric Chopin, Erik Satie, and Leontyne Price; and urban lyricists Tupac Shakur, The Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z and the Wu-Tang Clan.

At the age of seven she began receiving formal training – in classical piano and the jazz stylings of Oscar Peterson, Fats Waller, and Marian McPartland – with Margaret Pine. But, it was not until she attended the Professional Performing Arts School that she was introduced to the art of songwriting and producing. At 14, she was "discovered" by Jeff Robinson and began performing throughout the Tri-State area – anywhere and everywhere she could, from tiny clubs to street corners.

Two years later, she received a scholarship to study at Columbia University and briefly enrolled, before leaving to pursue her music career.

The rest is history. Throughout her career, she has earned numerous accolades. Among them, 11 Grammy Awards, 11 Billboard Music Awards, three American Music Awards, three World Music Awards, three MTV Video Music Awards, three MTV Europe Awards, two Nickelodeon Teen Choice Awards, two BET Awards, 14 NAACP Image Awards, seven Soul Train Music Awards, two Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards, one People's Choice Award and one My VH1 Award.

In keeping with her overall commitment to excellence, the young artist vowed that her new album As I Am would – like her previous successes – incorporate her world travels and personal experiences. She certainly has delivered.

"There's no formula to my music, it's just rooted in my heart and soul," she has stated. "Whether I talk about visiting the pyramids in Egypt, witnessing the AIDS epidemic in Africa or matters of the heart, everyone will be able to experience where I've been and where I am going in my life."

"As I Am", the singer's third studio album, was released late last year. It sold more than 742,000 copies in its first week. The hit single No One won two Grammy Awards this year – for Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.

The singer also received four awards at the 2008 NAACP Image Awards and was honoured at the first annual BET Honors ceremony.

Enjoying one of the most successful periods in her career with over five million copies of As I Am sold worldwide, she kicked off the "As I Am" Tour earlier this year, with sold out shows for both the European and US portions.

"My music allows me to speak freely," she says. "It doesn't have a beginning or ending because it's an integral part of my ongoing journey."

As with the rest of her tour, tonight's event is sold out.