Performing at Clive Davis' annual

pre-Grammy bash has been a good omen for a lot of rising stars. Alicia

Keys hadn't even put out a single when she wowed the crowd with her piano

playing and soulful singing four years ago. A young Mario has also

showcased his talent, as have Gavin DeGraw and Maroon5. BEIJING, Feb. 13-- Performing at Clive Davis' annual pre-Grammy bash has been a good omen for a lot of rising stars. Alicia Keys hadn't even put out a single when she wowed the crowd with her piano playing and soulful singing four years ago. A young Mario has also showcased his talent, as have Gavin DeGraw and Maroon5.

Now Davis, the legendary music mogul who heads BMG's U.S. division, is hoping the same magic can happen for Fantasia, last year's"American Idol" winner.

Though her debut album,"This is Me," is off to a good start_ approaching platinum status since its release two months ago¢w Davis told The Associated Press that the celebration will spotlight Fantasia"because we wanted to make sure that she gets her just due as an artist outside of'American Idol.'"

Fantasia won't be the only performer at the Saturday event, which is held on the eve of the Grammys every year at the swanky Beverly Hills Hotel. Also on tap are Keys, Usher, Maroon5 again, and Oscar and Grammy nominee Jamie Foxx.

But part of the excitement of the exclusive, celebrity-soaked affair are the surprise performers, and Davis promises the same this year.

"Alicia Keys, Usher... they'll be getting up onstage performing with artists that they have not performed with before," Davis said.

Recent performers have included Stevie Wonder, Annie Lennox, P. Diddy, Aretha Franklin, Johnny Mathis, Santana and Whitney Houston.

"The idea is to raise the roof," Davis chuckled.

Producer-turned-rapper Kanye West leads all nominees with 10 nods. He has two nominations in the best rap-sung collaboration:"Slow Jamz" with Twista and actor-singer Jamie Foxx, and"All Falls Down" with Syleena Johnson.

West's debut album,"The College Dropout," also was nominated for album of the year. He'll face off against Keys and Usher¢w who have eight nominations each¢w as well as the late Ray Charles and Green Day.

Charles, whose posthumous duets album"Genius Loves Company" became the biggest seller of his long career, has seven nominations.

Keys and Usher have eight nominations each, including album of the year for Keys'"The Diary of Alicia Keys" and Usher's"Confessions."

Green Day garnered six bids for its rock-punk album"American Idiot," which satirized culture, politics and apathy. The group was nominated for record of the year and best rock song, for the title track, and best rock album.

Other record-of-the-year contenders are the mellow lament"Heaven" by Los Lonely Boys, the jumpy party song"Let's Get It Started" by the Black Eyed Peas(which became a hit after changing to a more politically correct title than the original"Let's Get Retarded" and becoming an anthem for the NBA) and Usher's massive hit"Yeah!"(Source: CRIENGLISH.com/Agencies)