Olympic Gold Medalist Alysa Liu speaks during a press conference ahead of a Welcome Home Celebration Rally held in Oakland.
Jessica Christian/S.F. Chronicle
Some of the East Bay’s biggest musicians surprised fans of Alysa Liu at the figure skater’s homecoming rally in Oakland, sharing their love and admiration for the Olympic gold medalist.
“Can y’all make some noise for my GOAT? Come on Alysa,” R&B star Kehlani told the screaming crowd that packed Frank H. Ogawa Plaza on Thursday, March 12 after performing her Grammy Award-winning hit song “Folded.”
Gesturing for Liu to join her at the front of the stage, she ran over to give the U.S. figure skating champ a hug.
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“It’s actually so insane how much talent that Oakland breeds … Like across all genres of talents,” the singer proclaimed.
Indeed, Kehlani wasn’t the only star with ties to The Town at the event. Pinole rapper P-Lo, who thanked the athlete “for embodying what Oakland and what the Bay Area represents,” was joined onstage by fellow rapper G-Eazy. Performers at the rally, which was emceed by Oakland native and radio personality Sway Calloway, included dancers from TURFinc and Shaolin Kung Fu in Oakland’s Chinatown.
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“This is a legendary beautiful day of celebration of excellence, especially in Women’s History Month,” G-Eazy told the Chronicle.
The “No Limit” rapper, who grew up in Oakland and attended Berkeley High School, added that he wasn’t even planning to take the stage at the rally but was simply in attendance to show support for Liu.
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“It’s a beautiful, beautiful example of excellence and greatness at the highest level,” he said, “so shout out to Alysa.”
Oakland-based rapper G-Eazy attends Alysa Liu’s celebration, showing support for Oakland and Alysa at an event in downtown Oakland.
Ryan Curry
Fittingly, P-Lo, co-founder of the Bay Area music collective HBK Gang, released a song about her last week called “S/O Alysa Liu.”
Thursday’s event marks the first large hometown appearance by P-Lo, Kehlani and Calloway since taking part in various pre-Super Bowl LX festivities around the Bay Area last month.
“This is one of the most special places in the world, historically,” G-Eazy said of Oakland. “There’s something in the water.”
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A product of that talent pipeline herself, Kehlani used her time onstage to celebrate her alma mater, Oakland School for the Arts, which Liu attended for one semester during middle school.
“I wouldn’t be anywhere I am today or doing anything I’m doing without everything that Oakland School for the Arts instilled in me,” she said.
The charter school, founded in 2002, sits just blocks away from Thursday’s rally location at 530 18th St. Other alumni include Golden Globe Award-winner Zendaya and her “Euphoria” co-star Angus Cloud, who died in 2023.
“Imma appreciate Oakland ‘till the day I die,” Kehlani concluded.
R&B artist Kehlani sings at a rally celebrating Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu’s Olympic wins.
Benjamin Fanjoy/Getty Images
Those at the rally weren’t the first Bay Area stars to fawn over Liu this week. On Tuesday, March 10, the 20-year-old ran into Zendaya at the Louis Vuitton Fall-Winter 2026 Show in Paris. The two were spotted chatting and posing for photos together at Liu’s first major fashion show.
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Last month at the Winter Olympics in Milan, the athlete became the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal for figure skating in 24 years. The feat, coupled with her easygoing personality and signature bleached halo hair, launched her to global fame.
“I don’t think about it too much, because then I would lose my mind,” Liu said at a news conference prior to Thursday’s rally. “Every time I go outside, someone recognizes me. I have to learn to live my life.”
Others at Thursday’s celebration, during which Liu received a key to the city of Oakland, included her father, Arthur Liu; Oakland filmmaker and comedian W. Kamau Bell; Fremont Olympic figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi; San Francisco Olympic boxer Andre Ward and Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee.
“This is for y’all,” Liu told Thursday’s crowd, while holding up her medals in the air. “I couldn’t not be more proud to represent Oakland out on the big stage at Olympics.”
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Hearst multimedia journalist Ryan Curry contributed to this report.