‘Empire’s’ Jamal Lyon Has a “Powerful” Moment With Alicia Keys

November 27, 2025 - Hip Hop
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In the latest episode of popular TV series Empire, Jussie Smollett, who plays rising R&B singer Jamal Lyon, teamed up with guest star Alicia Keys, who plays Skye Summers, a pop star and mentor to Smollett. The two jam out into a soaring ballad titled “Powerful,” and as the title and the lyrics of the song suggest, the performance was indeed powerful. While it is clear to any fan of the series that Jamal is gay, for some reason so much tension was built up that they ended the performance with a kiss. We’re not entirely sure what this means but it was definitely a shocking moment. Watch it above.

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