Alicia Keys surprises COVID-19 essential workers with medley of songs, talks new album

Keys sang "Empire State of Mind" as well as two new songs.

Alicia Keys showed support for essential workers on Thursday's "Good Morning America," thanking them for their hard work throughout the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The 15-time Grammy winner sang a trio of songs at a socially distanced event in New York City, serenading front-line workers with two songs off her new album, "Alicia," as well as her big hit "Empire State of Mind."

The two songs from "Alicia" included "Good Job" and "Love Looks Better."

WATCH: Alicia Keys performs "Good Job" and "Empire State of Mind" on "GMA"

Keys, 39, spoke about her upcoming album -- her first since 2016 -- as well as her new book, "More Myself," which she considers a "companion piece" to the self-titled album, out Friday.

"The book takes you up to today and the music takes you from today on," she said on "GMA." "It's definitely about all sides of us as people."

"I have so many sides to myself -- we all do -- and I've been embracing that on this music, so you're going to love it," she added. "It's going to take you to many places and many reflections."

WATCH: Alicia Keys performs "Love Looks Better" on "GMA"

Keys also revealed her family's favorite songs off the new album, noting that husband Swizz Beatz and their sons -- 9-year-old Egypt and 5-year-old Genesis -- really enjoy "Underdog," "Good Job" and "So Done."

When discussing "Love Looks Better," the "Fallin'" songstress noted that it's a timely tune that reminds us to take a minute to focus on what really matters in life.

"I think we can all see that we've been real busy and real distracted," Keys said, "to the point where we've all been forced to slow down in so many ways and recognize what's important."

So it really says my love looks better on you as opposed to all these other places that we're trying to rush to and get to and all these things we're trying to accomplish," she concluded. "My love looks better right here, right now."