Keys, Shakira, Usher Perform at NBA All-Star Game

International superstar and Grammy Award-winning pop diva Shakira will team up with 12-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter and actress Alicia Keys for a one-of-a-kind performance headlining the 2010 NBA All-Star Game Halftime Show on Valentine's Day, Sunday, Feb. 14. The NBA All-Star Game will air live at 8 p.m. ET on TNT, Score Canada, ESPN Radio, and in more than 200 countries in more than 40 languages.

Shakira will dazzle the crowd performing her current single "Give It Up To Me" in addition to the title single "She Wolf" off of her current hit album She Wolf. Alicia Keys will keep the stage hot belting out her classic hit "No One" from the 2007 multi-platinum selling album As I Am. Keys will also perform the chart topping single "Empire State of Mind" as well as deliver a sweet serenade of her smash hit "Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart" off of her current chart-topping album The Element of Freedom.

Grammy Award-winning R&B artist Usher will perform his high-energy single "More" during the introductions of the 2010 NBA All-Stars. In addition, TNT filmed an exclusive music video with Usher for the single "More" which will run in 600 Regal Cinemas beginning Friday, Jan. 29 and serve as a promotional spot for the 2010 NBA All-Star. Usher will also treat the crowd to a special performance of the fan favorite single "Yeah!" from his 2004 multi-platinum selling album Confessions.

The 2010 NBA All-Star Game performances will take place before the largest crowd ever to attend a basketball game - at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Alicia Keys (MBK/J Records) -- Alicia Keys is a singer, songwriter, classical pianist and philanthropist, born and raised in New York City. Destined to dazzle audiences from a young age, Keys began nurturing her music career in her teens. An artist who constantly raises the bar by pursuing her passions rather than following any formula, Keys' vibrant performances and formidable lyrical talents have inspired fans and notable artistic collaborations worldwide. One of the most successful artists of the past decade with 12 Grammys, numerous awards and over 30 million albums sold, Keys has taken on additional roles as author, news correspondent, producer, actress, and humanitarian constantly striving to encourage the youth, her peers and others. Counting philanthropy among her biggest passions, Keys is a tireless advocate for HIV/AIDS awareness as Co-Founder and Global Ambassador of Keep A Child Alive (KCA), a non-profit dedicated to providing life-saving anti-retroviral treatment to children and families in Africa, India and the developing world.

Shakira (Epic/Live Nation Artists) -- Shakira is a Colombian singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, dancer and philanthropist who emerged as a musical prodigy in the music scene of Latin America in the early 1990s. Shakira was born and raised in Barranquilla, Colombia. An extreme talent, Shakira has collaborated with American superstars such as Beyonce and Wyclef Jean in addition to performing with Usher and Stevie Wonder at the We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial. She has won two Grammy Awards, seven Latin Grammy Awards, and has been Golden Globe-nominated. She is also the highest-selling Colombian artist of all time, and the second most successful female Latin singer having sold over 50 million albums worldwide.

Usher (LaFace/JIVE) -- The five-time Grammy winner rose to fame in the 1990s, releasing the multi-platinum album My Way (1997) and 8701 (2001). His success continued with Confessions (2004), which has sold over ten million copies in the United States, and has been certified diamond by the RIAA. To date, he has sold over 40 million albums worldwide and has been recognized as one of the most dominant artists of the decade. In addition to being a multi-talented artist, Usher is a successful entrepreneur and philanthropist: He has own record label, US Records; is a part owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers franchise; launched the top-selling men's and women's fragrance line through a partnership with Elizabeth Arden; and he founded and actively directs New Look, Inc., an organization established to empower youth from underserved communities by giving them the skills necessary to become corporate and community leaders. Usher was also instrumental in launching the career of teen singer Justin Bieber. His highly anticipated sixth album, Raymond v. Raymond will be released on March 3rd. 

NBA All-Star 2010 in Dallas will bring together some of the most talented and passionate players in the league's history for a global celebration of the game. Among the many events that will reach fans in more than 200 countries and territories in more than 40 languages are the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam, NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, and NBA All-Star Jam Session presented by adidas. American Airlines Center will host All-Star Saturday Night, featuring the Sprite Slam Dunk contest, Foot Locker Three-Point Shootout, Taco Bell Skills Challenge, and Haier Shooting Stars. The 59th NBA All-Star Game will be played on Sunday, Feb. 14 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, before an expected crowd of more than 80,000 - the largest group ever to witness a live basketball game. TNT will televise the All-Star Game for an eighth consecutive year, marking Turner Sports' 25th season of All-Star coverage. This will be the second NBA All-Star in Dallas. The city also hosted the event in 1986.

NBA Cares is the league's social responsibility initiative that builds on the NBA's long tradition of addressing important social issues in the United States and around the world. Through this umbrella program, the NBA, its teams and players have donated more than $115 million to charity, provided more than one million hours of hands-on service to communities around the world, and created more than 440 places where kids and families can live, learn or play. NBA Cares works with internationally recognized youth-serving programs that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes, including: KaBOOM!, Special Olympics, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, UNICEF, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis.

Photo credit: Walter McBride

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