Alicia Keys and Friends Throw Fundraising Gala in NYC

(andPOP) - Grammy Award-winning songstress Alicia Keys got her famous friends together for the annual Keep A Child Alive fundraiser, the Black Ball, in New York City on Thursday night. Keys also hosted the event, now in its second year, last December. This time, she took to the stage for special performances with Usher, Paul Simon, John Mayer, Common, Angelique Kidjo, and the Agape Children?s Choir from Durban, South Africa.

The Black Ball was the finale event to Time magazine?s Global Health Summit, which brought together leaders in medicine, government, business, public policy, and the arts to develop solutions to global health crises. Proceeds from the event went to Keep A Child Alive, which helps provide HIV/AIDS medicine to children and their families in developing countries. The Black Ball, held at Frederick P. Rose Hall, even attracted quite a few celebrity supporters, including Whoopi Goldberg, Jessica Alba, Natasha Richardson, Cynthia Nixon, and fashion designer Giorgio Armani.