Jump to content

Alicia Keys: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Content deleted Content added
No edit summary
m Reverted edits by 174.27.98.3 (talk) to last revision by The Devil's Advocate (HG)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Infobox musical artist dont get on wikipedia this info is not right
{{Infobox musical artist

| name = ''Alicia Keys''
| name = ''Alicia Keys''
| image = Alicia Keys NRJ Music Awards 2013.jpg
| image = Alicia Keys NRJ Music Awards 2013.jpg

Revision as of 23:54, 15 May 2013

Alicia Keys
Keys in Cannes, France with husband Swizz Beatz, at the NRJ Music Awards ceremony, January 2013
Keys in Cannes, France with husband Swizz Beatz, at the NRJ Music Awards ceremony, January 2013
Background information
Birth nameAlicia Augello Cook
Also known asLellow
Born (1981-01-25) January 25, 1981 (age 43)[1]
OriginNew York, United States
GenresR&B, pop, soul, hip hop
Occupation(s)Actress, singer-songwriter
Instrument(s)Piano, keyboards, violin, vocals
Years active1996–present
LabelsArista, Columbia, J, RCA
Websitewww.aliciakeys.com

Alicia Augello Cook (born January 25, 1981), known professionally as Alicia Keys, is an American R&B singer-songwriter, musician, record producer and actress. Keys released her debut album with J Records, having had previous record deals first with Columbia and then Arista Records. Keys' debut album, Songs in A Minor, was a commercial success, selling over 12 million copies worldwide.[2] She became the best-selling new artist and best-selling R&B artist of 2001.[3] The album earned Keys five Grammy Awards in 2002, including Best New Artist and Song of the Year for "Fallin'" becoming the second American recording artist to win five Grammys in one night.[4] Her second studio album, The Diary of Alicia Keys, was released in 2003 and was also another success worldwide, selling eight million copies.[5] The album garnered her an additional four Grammy Awards in 2005.[6] Later that year, she released her first live album, Unplugged, which debuted at number one in the United States.[7] She became the first female to have an MTV Unplugged album to debut at number one and the highest since Nirvana in 1994.[3]

Keys made guest appearances on several television series in the following years, beginning with Charmed. She made her film debut in Smokin' Aces which included Ben Affleck, Andy Garcia, Chris Pine, Ryan Reynolds, Taraji P. Henson, Jeremy Piven and also went on to appear in The Nanny Diaries which starred Scarlett Johansson, Laura Linney, Paul Giamitti and Chris Evan in 2007. Her third studio album, As I Am, was released in the same year and sold five million copies worldwide, earning Keys an additional three Grammy Awards. The following year, she appeared in The Secret Life of Bees with Queen Latifah, Jennifer Hudson, Sophie Okonedo, and Dakota Fanning, which earned her a nomination at the NAACP Image Awards. She released her fourth album, The Element of Freedom, in December 2009, which became Keys' first chart-topping album in the United Kingdom. She released her fifth album, Girl on Fire, in November 2012, which became Keys' fifth chart-topping album in the United States.

Throughout her career, Keys has won numerous awards and has sold over 35 million albums and 30 million singles worldwide.[8] Billboard magazine named her the top R&B songs artist of the 2000s decade. In 2010, VH1 included Keys on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.[9] Billboard magazine placed her number ten on their list of Top 50 R&B/Hip-Hop Artists of the Past 25 Years.[10] BlackBerry (formerly RIM) named her as its Global Creative Director at the Blackberry 10 Experience event in New York City on January 30, 2013. Keys then opened Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans, Louisiana on February 3, 2013, by singing the U.S. National Anthem. At the 55th annual Grammy Awards, Keys performed with Maroon 5 singing a duet with their songs Daylight and Girl On Fire.

Life and career

1981–2001: Early life and career beginnings

Keys was born Alicia Augello Cook on January 25, 1981, in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan, in New York City.[11][12][13] She is the only child of Teresa Augello, a paralegal and part-time actress, and Craig Cook, a flight attendant.[14][15][16][17] Keys' mother is of Italian, Scottish, and Irish descent, and her father is Jamaican;[18] Keys has expressed that she was comfortable with her biracial heritage because she felt she was able to "relate to different cultures".[12][19] Her parents separated when she was two and she was subsequently raised by her mother during her formative years in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan.[20] In 1985, Keys made an appearance on The Cosby Show at the age of four, where she and a group of girls played the parts of Rudy Huxtable's sleepover guests in the episode "Slumber Party".[21][22] Throughout her childhood, Keys was sent to music and dance classes by her mother.[23] She began playing the piano when she was seven and learned classical music of composers such as Beethoven, Mozart and Chopin.[14] Keys enrolled in the Professional Performing Arts School at the age of 12, where she majored in choir and began writing songs at the age of 14.[15][24] She graduated in four years as valedictorian at the age of 16.[25]

In 1994, Keys met long-term manager Jeff Robinson after she enrolled in his brother's after-school program.[26] The following year Robinson introduced Keys to her future A&R at Arista Records, Peter Edge, who later described his first impressions to HitQuarters: "I had never met a young R&B artist with that level of musicianship. So many people were just singing on top of loops and tracks, but she had the ability, not only to be part of hip-hop, but also to go way beyond that."[27] Edge helped Robinson create a showcase for Keys and also got involved in developing her demo material. He was keen to sign Keys himself but was unable to do so at that time due to being on the verge of leaving his present record company. Keys signed to Columbia Records soon after.[27] At the same time as signing a recording contract with Columbia Records, Keys was accepted into Columbia University. At first, Keys attempted to manage both, but after a month, she dropped out of college to pursue her musical career full-time.[25][28]

Keys signed a demo deal with Jermaine Dupri and So So Def Recordings, where she appeared on the label's Christmas album performing "The Little Drummer Girl". She also co-wrote and recorded a song entitled "Dah Dee Dah (Sexy Thing)", which appeared on the soundtrack to the 1997 film, Men in Black.[28] The song was Keys' first professional recording; however, it was never released as a single and her record contract with Columbia ended after a dispute with the label. Keys was unhappy with the label because her career had stalled during her two years under contract at Columbia due to executive indecision over her direction and major changes within the company.[27] Keys called Clive Davis, who sensed a "special, unique" artist from her performance and signed her to Arista Records, which later disbanded.[11][12] Keys almost chose Wilde as her stage name until her manager suggested the name Keys after a dream he had. Keys felt that name represented her both as a performer and person.[29] Following Davis to his newly formed J Records label, she worked with Kerry "Krucial" Brothers and recorded the songs "Rock wit U" and "Rear View Mirror", which were featured on the soundtracks to the films Shaft (2000) and Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001), respectively.[30][31]

2001–02: Songs in A Minor

Keys performing in Frankfurt, Germany, 2002

Keys' first studio album Songs in A Minor was released in June 2001. Musically, it incorporated classical piano in an R&B, soul and jazz album.[34] Jane Stevenson of Jam! described the music as "old-school urban sounds and attitude set against a backdrop of classical piano and sweet, warm vocals".[35] USA Today's Steve Jones wrote that Keys "taps into the blues, soul, jazz and even classical music to propel haunting melodies and hard-driving funk".[36] Debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 236,000 units, it went on to sell over 6.2 million copies in the United States and 12 million copies internationally.[37][38] Additionally, it was certified six times Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.[39][40] Songs in A Minor established Keys' popularity both inside and outside of the United States where she became the best-selling new artist of the year.[3]

The album's release was preceded by the April release of her debut single "Fallin'" which spent six weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100.[41] The album's second single, "A Woman's Worth", was released in February 2002 and peaked at seven on the Hot 100 and number three on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs; becoming her second top ten single on both charts.[42] Released in June, "How Come You Don't Call Me" served as the album's third single, peaking at 59 on the Hot 100. The album's fourth single "Girlfriend" was released in the United Kingdom were it peaked at 82. The following year, the album was reissued as Remixed & Unplugged in A Minor, which included eight remixes and seven unplugged versions of the songs from the original.

Songs in A Minor led Keys to win five awards at the 2002 Grammy Awards: Song of the Year, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, and Best R&B Song for "Fallin'", Best New Artist, and Best R&B Album; "Fallin'" was also nominated for Record of the Year. Keys became the second female solo artist to win five Grammy Awards in a single night, following Lauryn Hill at the 41st Grammy Awards.[43] That same year, she collaborated with Christina Aguilera for the latter's upcoming album Stripped on a song entitled "Impossible", which Keys wrote, co-produced, and provided with background vocals.[44] During the early 2000s, Keys also made small cameos in television series Charmed and American Dreams.Cite error: The <ref> tag has too many names (see the help page). It sold 4.4 million copies in the United States and was certified four times Platinum by the RIAA.[39][45] It sold eight million copies worldwide,[46] becoming the sixth biggest-selling album by a female artist and the second biggest-selling album by a female R&B artist.[47] The album's lead single, "You Don't Know My Name", peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for eight consecutive weeks, her first Top 10 single in both charts since 2002's "A Woman's Worth". The album's second single, "If I Ain't Got You", was released in February 2004 and peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for six weeks. The album's third single, "Diary", peaked at number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number two on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, being their third consecutive Top 10 single in both charts. The album's fourth and final single, "Karma", which peaked at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 17 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, first release to fail to achieve top ten status on both charts. "If I Ain't Got You" became the first single by a female artist to remain on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for over a year.[48][49][50][51][52] Keys also collaborated with recording artist Usher on the song "My Boo" from his 2004 album, Confessions (Special Edition). The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 for six weeks and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for three weeks, became her first number-one single in Hot 100 since 2001's "Fallin'".

Keys won Best R&B Video for "If I Ain't Got You" at the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards; she performed the song and "Higher Ground" with Lenny Kravitz and Stevie Wonder.[53][54] Later that year, Keys released her novel Tears for Water: Songbook of Poems and Lyrics, a collection of unreleased poems from her journals and lyrics. The title derived from one of her poems, "Love and Chains" from the line: "I don't mind drinking my tears for water."[55] She said the title is the foundation of her writing because "everything I have ever written has stemmed from my tears of joy, of pain, of sorrow, of depression, even of question".[56] The book sold over US$500,000 and Keys made The New York Times bestseller list in 2005.[57][58] The following year, she won a second consecutive award for Best R&B Video at the MTV Video Music Awards for the video "Karma".[59] Keys performed "If I Ain't Got You" and then joined Jamie Foxx and Quincy Jones in a rendition of "Georgia on My Mind", the Hoagy Carmichael song made famous by Ray Charles in 1960 at the 2005 Grammy Awards.[60] That evening, she won four Grammy Awards: Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for "If I Ain't Got You", Best R&B Song for "You Don't Know My Name", Best R&B Album for The Diary of Alicia Keys, and Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals" for "My Boo" with Usher.[61]

Keys performed and taped her installment of the MTV Unplugged series in July 2005 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.[62] During this session, Keys added new arrangements to her original songs and performed a few choice covers.[63] The session was released on CD and DVD in October 2005. Simply titled Unplugged, the album debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart with 196,000 units sold in its first week of release.[64] The album sold one million copies in the United States, where it was certified Platinum by the RIAA, and two million copies worldwide.[14][39][65] The debut of Keys' Unplugged was the highest for an MTV Unplugged album since Nirvana's 1994 MTV Unplugged in New York and the first Unplugged by a female artist to debut at number one.[3] The album's first single, "Unbreakable", peaked at number 34 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number four on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.[66] It remained at number one on the Billboard Hot Adult R&B Airplay for 11 weeks.[67] The album's second and final single, "Every Little Bit Hurts", was released in January 2006, it failed to enter the U.S. charts.

Keys opened a recording studio in Long Island, New York, called The Oven Studios, which she co-owns with her production and songwriting partner Kerry "Krucial" Brothers.[68] The studio was designed by renowned studio architect John Storyk of WSDG, designer of Jimi Hendrix' Electric Lady Studios. Keys and Brothers are the co-founders of KrucialKeys Enterprises, a production and songwriting team who assisted Keys in creating her albums as well as create music for other artists.[69]

2006–08: Film debut and As I Am

In 2006, Keys won three NAACP Image Awards, including Outstanding Female Artist and Outstanding Song for "Unbreakable".[70] She also received the Starlight Award by the Songwriters Hall of Fame.[71] In October 2006, she played the voice of Mommy Martian in the "Mission to Mars" episode of the children's television series The Backyardigans, in which she sang an original song, "Almost Everything Is Boinga Here".[72] That same year, Keys nearly suffered a mental breakdown. Her grandmother had died and her family was heavily dependent on her. She felt she needed to "escape" and went to Egypt for three weeks. She explained: "That trip was definitely the most crucial thing I've ever done for myself in my life to date. It was a very difficult time that I was dealing with, and it just came to the point where I really needed to—basically, I just needed to run away, honestly. And I needed to get as far away as possible."[73][74]

Keys made her film debut in early 2007 in the crime film Smokin' Aces, co-starring as an assassin named Georgia Sykes opposite Ben Affleck and Andy García. Keys received much praise from her co-stars in the film; Reynolds said that Keys was "so natural" and that she would "blow everybody away". Smokin' Aces had a hit moderate performance at the box office, earning only $57,103,895 worldwide during its theatrical run.[75][76] In the same year, Keys earned further praise for her second film, The Nanny Diaries, based on the 2002 novel of the same name, where she co-starred alongside Scarlett Johansson and Chris Evans. The Nanny Diaries had a hit moderate performance at the box office, earning only $44,638,886 worldwide during its theatrical run.[77] She also guest starred as herself in the "One Man Is an Island" episode of the drama series Cane.[78]

Keys performing live, March 19, 2008

Keys released her third studio album, As I Am, in November 2007; it debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 742,000 copies in its first week. It gained Keys her largest first week sales of her career and became her fourth consecutive number one album, tying her with Britney Spears for the most consecutive number-one debuts on the Billboard 200 by a female artist.[79][80] The week became the second largest sales week of 2007 and the largest sales week for a female solo artist since singer Norah Jones' album Feels like Home in 2004.[81] The album has sold three million copies in the United States and has been certified three times Platinum by the RIAA.[82][83] It has sold five million copies worldwide.[84] Keys received five nominations for As I Am at the 2008 American Music Award and ultimately won two.[85] The album's lead single, "No One", peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for five consecutive weeks and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for ten consecutive weeks, became her first number-one single in Hot 100 since 2004's "My Boo" and becoming Keys' third and fifth number-one single on each chart, respectively.[86] The album's second single, "Like You'll Never See Me Again", was released in late 2007 and peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for seven consecutive weeks. From October 27, 2007, when "No One" reached No. 1, through February 16, 2008, the last week "Like You'll Never See Me Again" was at No. 1, the Keys was on top of the chart for 17 weeks, more consecutive weeks than any other artist in Hot R&B/Hip/Hop Songs chart.[87] The album's third single, "Teenage Love Affair", which peaked at number 54 on the 'Billboard Hot 100 and number three on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.[87] The album's fourth and final single, "Superwoman", which peaked at number 82 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 12 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.[87][88]

Keys performing at the 2008 Summer Sonic Festival in Tokyo, Japan

"No One" earned Keys the awards for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song at the 2008 Grammy Awards.[89] Keys opened the ceremony singing Frank Sinatra's 1950s song "Learnin' the Blues" as a "duet" with archival footage of Sinatra in video and "No One" with John Mayer later in the show.[90] Keys also won Best Female R&B Artist during the show.[91] She starred in "Fresh Takes", a commercial micro-series created by Dove Go Fresh, which premiered during The Hills on MTV from March to April 2008. The premiere celebrated the launch of new Dove Go Fresh.[92] She also signed a deal as spokesperson with Glacéau's VitaminWater to endorse the product,[93] and was in an American Express commercial for the "Are you a Cardmember?" campaign.[94] Keys, along with The White Stripes' guitarist and lead vocalist Jack White, recorded the theme song to Quantum of Solace, the first duet in Bond soundtrack history.[95] In 2008, Keys was ranked in at number 80 the Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists.[96] She also starred in The Secret Life of Bees, a film adaptation of Sue Monk Kidd's acclaimed 2003 bestseller novel of the same name alongside Jennifer Hudson, Dakota Fanning, Paul Bettany and Queen Latifah, released in October 2008 via Fox Searchlight. The Secret Life of Bees had a hit moderate performance at the box office, earning only $39,947,322 worldwide during its theatrical run.[97] Her role earned her a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture at the NAACP Image Awards.[98] She also received three nominations at the 2009 Grammy Awards and won Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for "Superwoman".[99]

In an interview with Blender magazine, Keys allegedly said "'Gangsta rap' was a ploy to convince black people to kill each other, 'gangsta rap' didn't exist" and went on to say that it was created by "the government". The magazine also claimed she said that Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. were "essentially assassinated, their beefs stoked by the government and the media, to stop another great black leader from existing".[24] Keys later wrote a statement clarifying the issues and saying her words were misinterpreted.[100] Later that year, Keys was criticized by anti-smoking campaigners after billboard posters for her forthcoming concerts in Indonesia featured a logo for the A Mild cigarette brand sponsored by tobacco firm Philip Morris. She apologized after discovering that the concert was sponsored by the firm and asked for "corrective actions". In response, the company withdrew its sponsorship.[101]

2009–11: The Element of Freedom, marriage and motherhood

Keys at the 37th Annual American Music Awards red carpet, November 2009.

In 2009, Keys approached Clive Davis for permission to submit a song for Whitney Houston's sixth studio album I Look to You. She subsequently co-wrote and produced the single "Million Dollar Bill" with record producer Swizz Beatz.[102] In May, married music producer Swizz Beatz announced that Keys and he were romantically involved.[103] Months later, she was featured on rapper Jay-Z's song "Empire State of Mind" which was the lead single from his eleventh studio album The Blueprint 3. The song was a commercial and critical success, topping the Billboard Hot 100, becoming her fourth number-one song on that chart.[104] Additionally, it won Grammy Awards for 'Best Rap/Sung Collaboration and 'Best Rap Song' the following year, among a total of five nominations.[105] The following month, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers honored Keys with the Golden Note Award, an award given to artists "who have achieved extraordinary career milestones".[106] She collaborated with Spanish recording artist Alejandro Sanz for "Looking for Paradise", which topped the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart, this was Keys' first number one on all three charts, which also made her the first African-American of non-Hispanic origin to reach #1 on the Hot Latin Tracks.[107]

Keys released her fourth studio album, The Element of Freedom, in December 2009.[108] It debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, selling 417,000 copies in its first week.[109] As part of the promotional drive for the album, she performed at the Cayman Islands Jazz Festival on December 5, the final night of the three day festival which will be broadcast on BET.[110] It was proceeded by the release of its lead single "Doesn't Mean Anything" which peaked at sixty on the Hot 100, and fourteen on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.[108][111] Keys was ranked as the top R&B recording artist of the 2000–2009 decade by Billboard magazine and ranked at number five as artist of the decade, while "No One" was ranked at number six on the magazine's top songs of the decade.[112][113][114] In the United Kingdom, The Element of Freedom became Keys' first album to top the UK Albums Chart.[115] The album's second single, "Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart", was released in November and peaked at number twenty-seven on the Hot 100 and number two on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[111] The album's third single "Put It in a Love Song" featured recording artist Beyoncé Knowles. The music video for the single, which was filmed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has been postponed several times, and later it was confirmed that Alicia Keys' team made a decision not to release the video[citation needed]. In February 2010, Keys released the fourth single, "Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down" peaked at fifty-five on the Hot 100 and seventy-six on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[111] In May, "Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready)" featuring rapper Drake was released as the album's fifth single. While only peaking at twenty-one on the Billboard Hot 100, it topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for twelve consecutive week. the song became the album's most successful single; Keys eighth number one on the chart;[111] and Key's first number one song in five years. The album's sixth and final single, "Wait Til You See My Smile", was released in December 2010in the United Kingdom.

In May 2010, a representative for Keys and Swizz Beatz confirmed that they were engaged and expecting a child together.[116] During the time of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the couple had their union and their unborn child blessed in a Zulu ceremony, which took place in the Illovo suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa.[117] Keys and Beatz had a wedding celebration on the French island of Corsica on July 31, 2010.[118][119] In October, Keys gave birth to their son, Egypt Daoud Ibarr Dean, in New York City. She recorded a song together with Eve called "Speechless" which is dedicated to her son.[120]

In June 2011, Songs in A Minor was re-released as deluxe and collector's editions in commemoration of its 10th anniversary.[121] To support the release, Keys embarked on a four-city promotional tour, entitled Piano & I: A One Night Only Event With Alicia Keys, featuring only her piano. Keys is also set to co-produce the Broadway premiere of Stick Fly, which will open in December 2011.[122] On September 26, 2011, was the premiere of Project 5 known as Five, short film that marks the debut of Alicia Keys as a director. It is a documentary of five episodes that tell stories of five women who were victims of breast cancer and how it affected their lives. The production also has co-direction of the actresses Jennifer Aniston, Demi Moore and film director Patty Jenkins.[123] In October 2011, RCA Music Group announced it was disbanding J Records along with Arista Records and Jive Records. With the shutdown, Keys will release her future material on RCA Records.[124][125]

2012–present: Girl on Fire

Keys released her fifth studio album Girl on Fire through RCA Records on November 27, 2012.[126] Keys has stated that she wants the album to "liberate" and "empower" fans.[127] The album's title track was released on September 4 as its lead single, and she performed the song for the first time at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards on September 6.[128][129] "Girl on Fire" is an uptempo anthem.[130] "Brand New Me" was released as the album's second single.[130] A softer ballad, it was noted as significantly different to the album's lead single.[130] Prior, two songs from Girl on Fire were released as promotion. The first was a song entitled "New Day".[111] The song was later revealed to be the solo version of 50 Cent's lead single featuring Dr. Dre and Keys.[131][132] Another song, "Not Even the King" was uploaded to VEVO as a promotional song. Co-written by Scottish singer-songwriter Emeli Sandé, its lyrics talk about a rich love that couldn't be afforded by "the king".[133][134][135] In September 2012, Keys collaborated with Reebok for her own sneakers collection.[136] In October, Keys announced her partnership with Bento Box Entertainment's Bento Box Interactive to create an education mobile application entitled "The Journals of Mama Mae and LeeLee" for iOS devices about the relationship between a young New York City girl and her wise grandmother. The app will feature two of Keys' original songs, "Follow the Moon" and "Unlock Yourself".[137][138] In January 2013, BlackBerry CEO Thorsten Heins and singer Alicia Keys officially unveiled the BlackBerry 10 mobile platform in New York City. Keys has now signed up to help sell BlackBerry devices. BlackBerry CEO Thorsten Heins announced on January 30, 2013 that the Grammy Award winning singer would be the company’s new Global Creative Director.[139]

Artistry

An accomplished pianist, Keys incorporates piano into a majority of her songs and often writes about love, heartbreak and female empowerment.[12][57] She has cited several musicians as her inspirations, including Prince, Nina Simone, Barbra Streisand, Marvin Gaye, Quincy Jones, Donny Hathaway and Stevie Wonder.[140][141][142] Keys' style is rooted in gospel and vintage soul music, supplemented by bass and programmed drumbeats by Joseph Quevedo.[143] She heavily incorporates classical piano with R&B, soul and jazz into her music.[144][145] She began experimenting with other genres, including pop and rock, in her third studio album, As I Am,[143][146][147] transitioning from neo soul to a 1980s and 1990s R&B sound with her fourth album, The Element of Freedom.[148][149] Patrick Huguenin of the New York Daily News stated that her incorporation of classical piano riffs contributed to her breakout success.[48] Jet magazine states she "thrives" by touching her fans with "piano mastery, words and melodious voice".[150] The Independent described her style as consisting of "crawling blues coupled with a hip-hop backbeat", noting that her lyrics "rarely stray from matters of the heart".[151] Blender magazine referred to her as "the first new pop artist of the millennium who was capable of changing music."[152]

Keys playing the piano while performing, surrounded by three backing vocalists

Keys has a vocal range of a contralto, which spans three octaves.[48][153] She can sing from B flat over an octave below middle C (B2) to B below soprano C (B5). Often referred to as the "Princess of Soul",[32][151] Keys has been commended as having a strong, raw and impassioned voice;[154][155] others feel that her voice is "emotionally manufactured" at times and that she pushes her voice out of its natural range.[154][155] Keys' songwriting is often criticized for lack of depth, which has led to her writing abilities being called limited:[154] her lyrics have been called generic, clichéd and revolving around generalities.[143][154] Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune feels that she "[pokes] around for multi-format hits rather than trying to project any sort of artistic vision".[155] Diversely, Jon Pareles of Blender magazine stated that the musical composition of her songs makes up for their lyrical weakness,[146] while Gregory Stephen Tate of The Village Voice compared Keys' writing and production to 1970s music.[156]

Throughout her career, Keys has won numerous awards and is listed on the Recording Industry Association of America's best-selling artists in the United States, with 15 million certified albums.[157] She has sold over 30 million albums worldwide.[21][158]

Philanthropy

Keys performing at the Live Earth concert

Keys is the co-founder and Global Ambassador of Keep a Child Alive, a non-profit organization that provides medicine to families with HIV and AIDS in Africa.[159] Keys and U2 lead singer Bono recorded a cover version of Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush's "Don't Give Up", in recognition of World AIDS Day 2005. Keys and Bono's version of the song was retitled "Don't Give Up (Africa)" to reflect the nature of the charity it was benefiting.[160][161] She visited African countries such as Uganda, Kenya and South Africa to promote care for children affected by AIDS.[162][163][164] Her work in Africa was documented in the documentary Alicia in Africa: Journey to the Motherland and was available in April 2008.[165]

Keys has also donated to Frum tha Ground Up, a non-profit organization that aids children and teenagers with scholarships.[166][167] She performed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as part of the worldwide Live 8 concerts to raise awareness of the poverty in Africa and to pressure the G8 leaders to take action.[168] In 2005, Keys performed on ReAct Now: Music & Relief and Shelter from the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast, two benefit programs that raised money for those affected by Hurricane Katrina.[169][170] In July 2007, Keys and Keith Urban performed The Rolling Stones' 1969 song "Gimme Shelter" at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey at the American leg of the Live Earth concerts.[171][172]

Keys performed Donny Hathaway's 1973 song "Someday We'll All Be Free" at the America: A Tribute to Heroes televised benefit concert following the September 11 attacks.[173] She participated in the Nobel Peace Prize Concert which took place at the Oslo Spektrum in Oslo, Norway, on December 11, 2007, along with other various artists.[174] She recorded a theme song for Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama. She joined Joss Stone and Jay-Z on the effort, which served as a theme song for Obama's campaign.[175] For her work, Keys was honored at the 2009 BET Awards with the Humanitarian Award.[176] Keys performed the song "Prelude to a Kiss", retitled "Send Me an Angel", from her 2007 album As I Am for the "Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief" telethon in response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake.[177] In December 2012, Keys performed alongside many other native New Yorkers in 12-12-12: The Concert for Sandy Relief to benefit victims of Hurricane Sandy.[178]

In September 2012, she was featured in a campaign called "30 Songs / 30 Days" to support Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, a multi-platform media project inspired by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn’s book.[179] In March 2013, Keys teamed up with Greater Than AIDS to launch EMPOWERED, a new public information campaign to reach women in the U.S. about HIV/AIDS. Appearing in a revealing PSA for EMPOWERED, Alicia Keys speaks with five women whose lives have been affected by HIV/AIDS.[180]

Discography

Concert tours

Filmography

List of television and films credits
Year Title Role Notes
1985 The Cosby Show Maria "Slumber Party" (Season 1, Episode 22)
2001 Charmed P3 VIP Patron (uncredited) "Size Matters" (Season 4, Episode 5)
2001—2010 Saturday Night Live Herself / Musical Guest "Reese Witherspoon/Alicia Keys" (Season 27, Episode 1)
"Charles Barkley/Alicia Keys" (Season 35, Episode 11)
2003 American Dreams Fontella Bass "Rescue Me" (Season 2, Episode 6)
2003 The Proud Family Herself (voice) "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" (Season 3, Episode 46)
2005 Sesame Street Herself Episode #36.26 (Season 36, Episode 26)
2006 The Backyardigans Mommy Martian (voice) "Mission to Mars" (Season 2, Episode 1)
2007 Cane Herself "One Man Is an Island" (Season 1, Episode 7)
2007 Elmo's Christmas Countdown Herself Christmas television special
2007 Smokin' Aces Georgia Sykes Debut film
2007 The Nanny Diaries Lynette
2008 Dove: Fresh Takes Alex Lead role
2008 The Secret Life of Bees June Boatwright Nominated - NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
2009 The X Factor (UK) Herself; Performance The X Factor (UK series 6)
2011 Five Director Nominated - Directors Guild of America Award
2012 Firelight Executive Producer
2012 The X Factor (Australia)[181] Herself; Guest Mentor Season 4
2012 The X Factor (UK) Herself; Performance The X Factor (UK series 9)
2012 The X Factor (U.S.) Herself; Performance Season 2
2013 The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete Executive Producer, Composer

See also

Template:Wikipedia books

References

  1. ^ "Monitor". Entertainment Weekly (1243/1244): 36. Jan 25/Feb 1, 2013. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  2. ^ "Alicia adds tour dates". Metro. Associated Newspapers. March 7, 2008. Retrieved July 5, 2009.
  3. ^ a b c d Anitai, Tamar (November 12, 2007). "MTV Artist of the Week: Alicia Keys". MTV News. Retrieved July 5, 2008. Cite error: The named reference "Buzzworthy" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  4. ^ "Yes, America, Amy Winehouse Is a Star". BBC America. February 11, 2008. Archived from the original on June 17, 2009. Retrieved July 5, 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ Batey, Angus (November 10, 2007). "The ascent of Alicia Keys". The Times. London: News Corporation. Retrieved July 5, 2009.
  6. ^ "2005 Grammy Award Winners". CBS News. February 13, 2005. Retrieved July 5, 2009.
  7. ^ Whitmire, Margo (October 19, 2005). "Keys 'Unplugs' For 3rd Straight No. 1 Disc". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved September 16, 2009.
  8. ^ Skeels, Virginia (August 15, 2012). "Girl On Fire: Alicia Keys slips into form-fitting sheer dress as she unveils name of new album". Daily Mail.
  9. ^ Who Will Come Out On Top Of VH1’s 100 Greatest Artists Of All Time?
  10. ^ "Top 50 R&B/Hip-Hop Artists of the Past 25 Years. In the US, Alicia Keys has sold over 15 million albums". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. November 18, 2010. Retrieved January 6, 2012.
  11. ^ a b "Alicia Keys Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved November 2, 2010.
  12. ^ a b c d "Interview: Alicia Keys". The Guardian. London: Guardian Media Group. November 2, 2001. Retrieved January 6, 2009.
  13. ^ Mervis, Scott (April 17, 2008). "Music Preview: Through her first several records, Alicia Keys has a golden touch". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Block Communications. Retrieved November 22, 2009.
  14. ^ a b c "Alicia Keys: Biography". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Retrieved November 2, 2010.[dead link]
  15. ^ a b "Alicia Keys". China Daily. China Daily Group. September 7, 2004. Archived from the original on December 08 2008. Retrieved December 16, 2008. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  16. ^ Iley, Chrissy (February 24, 2008). "Alicia Keys, the girl who made Bob Dylan weep". The Times. London: News Corporation. Retrieved December 16, 2008.
  17. ^ Vineyard, Jennifer (January 12, 2006). "Alicia Keys' Early Years To Be Made Into A TV Series". MTV News. Archived from the original on December 05 2008. Retrieved November 3, 2008. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  18. ^ "A lot of people believe I'm part Jamaican, though I'm not. I'm definitely black and Italian and a little Irish or Scottish" (European American) – Bream, Jon (April 28, 2008). "More Keys to Alicia's Life". Star Tribune. Retrieved November 13, 2009.
  19. ^ "Alicia Keys – Keys Avoids Mixed Race Abuse". Keys first appeared at a Talent show on "Jessie Jones" where she performed along side "four little women" who were also an unknown group at the time. Both were signed to a record deal after the performance.Contactmusic.com. December 1, 2004. Retrieved August 21, 2009.
  20. ^ Ojumu, Akin (November 16, 2003). "Soul sister". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on February 24, 2009. Retrieved January 24, 2009. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  21. ^ a b Sams, Christine (February 23, 2009). "The secret life of Alicia Keys". The Age. Melbourne: Fairfax Media. pp. 1–3. Archived from the original on February 25, 2009. Retrieved March 8, 2009. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  22. ^ "Slumber Party". The Cosby Show. Season 1. Episode 22. March 28, 1985. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  23. ^ "Music and dance kept Alicia Keys out of trouble during childhood". Thaindian News. Thaindian.com Company Limited. July 15, 2008. Archived from the original on May 03 2009. Retrieved April 8, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  24. ^ a b Weiner, Jonah (March 19, 2008). "Alicia Keys: Unlocked". Blender. Alpha Media Group. pp. 1–4. Retrieved November 16, 2008.[dead link]
  25. ^ a b Pareles, Jon (January 27, 2002). "Music; To Be Alicia Keys: Young, Gifted and in Control". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. pp. 1–3. Retrieved November 8, 2008.
  26. ^ "New York's Rising Stars". Crain's New York Business. 2003. Retrieved November 15, 2010.
  27. ^ a b c "Interview with Peter Edge". HitQuarters. October 13, 2004. Retrieved November 15, 2010.
  28. ^ a b "New Singer Alicia Keys Sitting Pretty with Smash Debut Album 'Songs In A Minor'". Jet. 100 (9). Johnson Publishing Company: 60–61. 2004. Retrieved April 30, 2009.
  29. ^ Vineyard, Jennifer (January 18, 2006). "Alicia Keys Nearly Spills Secrets To Jane". MTV News. Archived from the original on March 11, 2008. Retrieved March 7, 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  30. ^ Brasor, Philip (October 3, 2001). "Alicia Keys: 'Songs in A Minor'". The Japan Times. Retrieved February 26, 2009.
  31. ^ Birchmeier, Jason. "Dr. Dolittle 2 – Overview". Allmusic. Retrieved November 2, 2010.
  32. ^ a b "The Next Queen of Soul". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. November 8, 2001. pp. 1–6. Retrieved November 2, 2010.
  33. ^ "Hot Product". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. June 11, 2001. Archived from the original on August 03 2009. Retrieved August 3, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  34. ^ MacDonald, Patrick (September 19, 2008). "Six years after 'Minor' success, Alicia Keys is a major star". The Seattle Times. The Seattle Times Company. Retrieved May 3, 2009.
  35. ^ Stevenson, Jane. "Album Review: Songs in A Minor". Jam!. Retrieved April 23, 2009.
  36. ^ Jones, Steve (May 12, 2001). "Travis, made manifest R&B's Alicia Keys hits all the right ones". USA Today. Retrieved February 15, 2010.
  37. ^ Martens, Todd (July 5, 2001). "Keys' Debut Tops The Billboard 200". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Archived from the original on August 02 2009. Retrieved August 1, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  38. ^ Grein, Paul (July 22, 2009). "Chart Watch Extra: The Top 20 New Acts Of The 2000s". Yahoo! Music. Retrieved July 22, 2009.
  39. ^ a b c "RIAA – Gold & Platinum". RIAA. Retrieved March 14, 2009.
  40. ^ "Alicia adds tour dates". Metro. Associated Newspapers. March 7, 2008. Retrieved November 2, 2010.
  41. ^ Martens, Todd (December 4, 2001). "Alicia Keys' U.S. Tour Bows Jan. 22". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Archived from the original on August 02 2009. Retrieved August 1, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  42. ^ Jeckell, Barry A. (May 2, 2002). "'Totally Hits 2002' Packs In 20 Top Tracks". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Archived from the original on August 02 2009. Retrieved August 1, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  43. ^ "Yes, America, Amy Winehouse Is a Star". BBC America. February 11, 2008. Archived from the original on February 15, 2008. Retrieved February 13, 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  44. ^ Reid, Shaheem (June 25, 2002). "Christina Aguilera, Alicia Keys Party Up For 'Impossible'". MTV News. Archived from the original on December 06 2008. Retrieved November 9, 2008. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  45. ^ Hope, Clover (February 3, 2006). "Keys Pleasantly Surprised By Grammy Nominations". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Archived from the original on August 02 2009. Retrieved August 1, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  46. ^ Batey, Angus (November 10, 2007). "The ascent of Alicia Keys". The Times. London: News Corporation. Retrieved January 27, 2009.
  47. ^ Ah-young, Chung (June 3, 2008). "R&B Diva Alicia Keys in Town". The Korea Times. Archived from the original on December 16, 2008. Retrieved November 14, 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  48. ^ a b c Huguenin, Patrick (October 11, 2008). "'Secret Life of Bees' star Alicia Keys' hive of activity". Daily News. New York: Mortimer Zuckerman. Archived from the original on December 04 2008. Retrieved December 4, 2008. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  49. ^ Martens, Todd (January 22, 2004). "Singles Chart Remains In OutKast's Command". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Archived from the original on August 02 2009. Retrieved August 1, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  50. ^ Whitmir, Margo (June 24, 2004). "Usher Locks Up Singles Chart Again". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Archived from the original on August 02 2009. Retrieved August 1, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  51. ^ Whitmir, Margo (September 23, 2004). "Ciara Keeps 'Goodies' Perched On Top". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Archived from the original on August 02 2009. Retrieved August 1, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  52. ^ "Karma – Alicia Keys". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Archived from the original on August 02 2009. Retrieved August 1, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  53. ^ "MTV Awards 2004: The winners". BBC. August 30, 2004. Archived from the original on December 16, 2008. Retrieved November 14, 2008. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  54. ^ Buhrmester, Jason (August 30, 2004). "Outkast, Jay-Z Dominate Tame MTV Awards". Blender. Alpha Media Group. Retrieved February 3, 2009.[dead link]
  55. ^ "The Poetry of Alicia Keys". CBS News. November 11, 2004. Archived from the original on December 07 2008. Retrieved December 4, 2008. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  56. ^ "In Tears for Water: Songbook of Poems and Lyrics". FindArticles. CBS Corporation. 2004-11. Retrieved December 4, 2008. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  57. ^ a b Stark, Petra (November 16, 2008). "Alicia Keys, superwoman". The Daily Telegraph. News Limited. Retrieved July 17, 2009.[dead link]
  58. ^ Lafranco, Robert (February 10, 2005). "Money Makers". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Archived from the original on December 16, 2008. Retrieved December 4, 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)[dead link]
  59. ^ Barkham, Patrick (August 30, 2005). "Green Day takes top honours at MTV awards ceremony". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on December 07 2008. Retrieved November 14, 2008. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  60. ^ "Late Ray Charles tops Grammy Awards". The Guardian. London. February 15, 2002. Archived from the original on December 07 2008. Retrieved November 14, 2008. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  61. ^ "2005 Grammy Award Winners". CBS News. February 13, 2005. Archived from the original on October 16, 2008. Retrieved November 9, 2008. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  62. ^ Jenison, David (October 19, 2005). "Keys Plugs In at No. 1". Yahoo! Music. Retrieved December 7, 2006.
  63. ^ Cohen, Jonathan (August 22, 2005). "Keys Blends Old With New On 'Unplugged'". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Archived from the original on August 02 2009. Retrieved August 1, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  64. ^ Whitmire, Margo (October 19, 2005). "Keys 'Unplugs' For 3rd Straight No. 1 Disc". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Archived from the original on August 02 2009. Retrieved August 1, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  65. ^ Hope, Clover (January 24, 2006). "Keys Craves 'Strange As Hell' Collaborations". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Archived from the original on August 02 2009. Retrieved August 1, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  66. ^ "Unplugged – Charts & Awards – Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Retrieved November 2, 2010.
  67. ^ Bronson, Fred (January 26, 2006). "Chart Beat". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Archived from the original on August 03 2009. Retrieved August 3, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  68. ^ Weiss, David (October 1, 2005). "Alicia Keys Opens Recording Studio in New York". Mix. Penton Media. Retrieved December 7, 2006.
  69. ^ LeRoy, Dan (December 7, 2005). "Alicia Collaborator Krucial Goes Solo". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Retrieved December 7, 2006.[dead link]
  70. ^ "Image Awards Honor Foxx, Keys, Carey". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. February 26, 2006. Archived from the original on August 03 2009. Retrieved August 3, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  71. ^ "Alicia Keys – A Legend Grows". ASCAP. Retrieved December 9, 2008.
  72. ^ "For The Record: Quick News On Alicia Keys, Cameron Diaz, Justin Timberlake, Lance Bass, Beyoncé & More". MTV News. September 20, 2006. Archived from the original on December 16, 2008. Retrieved December 6, 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  73. ^ Bream, Jon (April 25, 2008). "Alicia Keys: From near-breakdown to breakthrough with 'Yes I Am'". PopMatters. Archived from the original on January 22, 2009. Retrieved December 16, 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  74. ^ "Analyse This: Alicia Keys, singer". Daily Mail. London: Associated Newspapers. November 23, 2008. Archived from the original on January 22, 2009. Retrieved January 9, 2009. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  75. ^ "Smokin' Aces Tranforms Alicia Keys from Artist to Assassin". IGN. January 28, 2007. Archived from the original on December 16, 2008. Retrieved December 10, 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  76. ^ Carroll, Larry (January 2, 2007). "Alicia Keys Kills — Literally — In Film Debut, 'Smokin' Aces'". MTV News. Archived from the original on February 16, 2009. Retrieved January 24, 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  77. ^ Carroll, Larry (April 13, 2006). "Alicia Keys Works Her Hollywood Mojo, Joins Johansson In 'Nanny Diaries'". MTV News. Archived from the original on December 16, 2008. Retrieved December 10, 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  78. ^ "Cane – One Man is an Island". Yahoo!. Archived from the original on December 16, 2008. Retrieved December 6, 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  79. ^ Harris, Chris (November 21, 2007). "Alicia Keys Lands Fourth Consecutive #1 On Billboard Chart With As I Am". MTV News. Archived from the original on December 12, 2008. Retrieved December 7, 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  80. ^ Caulfield, Kieth (November 21, 2007). "Alicia Keys 'As I Am' Bows Big at No. 1". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Archived from the original on December 16, 2008. Retrieved December 7, 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  81. ^ Cohen, Jonathan (November 21, 2007). "Keys Storms Chart With Mega-Selling 'As I Am'". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Archived from the original on August 02 2009. Retrieved August 1, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  82. ^ Celizic, Mike (April 27, 2008). "Alicia Keys kicks off TODAY concert series". msnbc.com. NBCUniversal. Retrieved December 7, 2008.
  83. ^ "Gold and Platinum". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 4, 2009.
  84. ^ "Alicia Keys to find backing singer via Myspace". NME. IPC Media. May 2, 2008. Retrieved April 20, 2011.
  85. ^ Goodman, Dean (November 23, 2008). "R&B star Chris Brown sweeps American Music Awards". Thomson Reuters. Reuters. Archived from the original on December 16, 2008. Retrieved December 7, 2008. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  86. ^ Bonson, Fred (October 18, 2007). "Chart Beat". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Archived from the original on August 03 2009. Retrieved August 3, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  87. ^ a b c "As I Am – Charts & Awards – Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Retrieved November 2, 2010.
  88. ^ Graff, Gary (April 28, 2008). "Alicia Mulls Next Album, New Single". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Archived from the original on August 02 2009. Retrieved August 1, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  89. ^ "Grammy 2008 Winners List". MTV News. February 10, 2008. Archived from the original on December 16, 2008. Retrieved November 9, 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  90. ^ Donahue, Ann (February 11, 2008). "Grammy Performances Meld Classic, Contemporary". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Archived from the original on August 02 2009. Retrieved August 1, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  91. ^ Reid, Shaheem (June 25, 2008). "Kanye West, UGK Win Big At BET Awards, But Ne-Yo, Alicia Keys, Lil Wayne Performances Steal The Show". MTV News. Retrieved June 24, 2008.
  92. ^ "Video: Alicia Keys and Dove(R) Give Women a Fresh Take on Life in Their Twenties". Thomson Reuters. Reuters. March 24, 2008. Retrieved November 2, 2010.
  93. ^ "OK! Interview: Alicia Keys". OK!. August 6, 2008. Retrieved July 17, 2009. [dead link]
  94. ^ "Martin Scorsese Directs Andre Agassi, Sheryl Crow, Ellen DeGeneres, Alicia Keys and Shaun White in New American Express(R) Campaign for 'The Members Project'". PR Newswire. June 1, 2007. Retrieved December 10, 2008.
  95. ^ Bray, Elisa (September 19, 2008). "First Listen: Another Way To Die, James Bond Theme, Jack White and Alicia Keys". The Independent. London: Independent News & Media. Retrieved January 17, 2009.
  96. ^ "The Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists (80–61)". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Archived from the original on October 24, 2008. Retrieved November 8, 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  97. ^ Zeitchik, Steven (December 26, 2007). "Dakota Fanning and Alicia Keys drawn to "Bees"". Thomson Reuters. Reuters. Retrieved November 2, 2010.
  98. ^ "40th NAACP Image Awards" (PDF). NAACP. January 7, 2009. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  99. ^ "The 51st Annual Grammy Awards Nominations List". Grammy. Archived from the original on October 11, 2010. Retrieved November 2, 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  100. ^ "Alicia Keys Backtracks On Gangsta Rap Conspiracy Claims". The Huffington Post. April 15, 2008. Retrieved February 4, 2009.
  101. ^ "Keys 'sorry' for tobacco adverts". BBC. July 28, 2008. Archived from the original on July 29, 2008. Retrieved July 28, 2008. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  102. ^ "Preview: Whitney Houston – 'I Look to You'". Rap-Up. Retrieved August 10, 2009.
  103. ^ "Alicia Keys dating rapper". The Boston Globe. May 18, 2009. Archived from the original on January 11, 2010. Retrieved December 4, 2009. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  104. ^ Pietroluong, Silvio (November 19, 2009). "Jay-Z Rules Hot 100, Lady Antebellum Jumps into Top 10". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Archived from the original on December 18, 2009. Retrieved November 22, 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  105. ^ Billboard Staff (February 13, 2011). "Grammys 2011 Winners List". Billboard. Retrieved June 5, 2011.
  106. ^ Mitchell, Gail (June 26, 2009). "Stargate, Tricky Stewart, The-Dream ASCAP's Top Songwriters". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved June 27, 2009.
  107. ^ "Looking for Paradise – Alejandro Sanz". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Archived from the original on April 04 2010. Retrieved April 5, 2010. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  108. ^ a b "Alicia Keys Will Wait for 'Freedom'". Rap-Up. Archived from the original on October 28, 2009. Retrieved October 26, 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  109. ^ Caulfield, Keith (December 23, 2009). "Susan Boyle Blocks Alicia Keys From No. 1 on Billboard 200". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Archived from the original on December 25, 2009. Retrieved December 23, 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  110. ^ "Alicia Keys to perform at Jazz Fest". Cayman News Service. May 11, 2009. Archived from the original on May 15, 2009. Retrieved May 12, 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  111. ^ a b c d e "Chart History: Billboard Legacy". Billboard.com. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  112. ^ George, Raphael (December 18, 2009). "Alicia Keys named top R&B artist of decade". Reuters. Retrieved February 11, 2010.
  113. ^ "Best of the 2000s – Artists of the Decade". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Archived from the original on January 06 2010. Retrieved December 12, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  114. ^ "Best of the 2000s – Hot 100 Songs". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Archived from the original on January 06 2010. Retrieved December 12, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  115. ^ Sexton, Paul (February 8, 2010). "Alicia Keys Scores First U.K. No. 1 Album". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Archived from the original on February 09 2010. Retrieved February 10, 2010. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  116. ^ Laudadio, Marisa (May 27, 2010). "Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz Are Engaged – and Expecting!". People. Time. Archived from the original on May 28, 2010. Retrieved May 27, 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  117. ^ "Alicia Keys and Swizz Haseeb Receive Zulu Blessing in Africa". Rap-Up. Archived from the original on June 26, 2010. Retrieved August 2, 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  118. ^ Baertlein, Lisa (August 2, 2010). "Alicia Keys Marries Swizz Beatz". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Archived from the original on August 05 2010. Retrieved August 2, 2010. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  119. ^ Serpe, Gina (August 1, 2010). "Call Her Mrs. Beatz: Alicia Keys Weds!". EOnline. EOnline. Archived from the original on August 02 2010. Retrieved August 1, 2010. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  120. ^ Greer, Carlos (October 15, 2010). "Alicia Keys Has a Baby Boy". People. People. Archived from the original on 10/20/2010. Retrieved October 15, 2010. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  121. ^ James Dinh (April 13, 2011). "Alicia Keys Announces 10th Anniversary Edition Of Songs In A Minor". MTV News. Retrieved July 10, 2011.
  122. ^ Kaufman, Gil (June 28, 2011). "Alicia Keys Heads To Broadway – Music, Celebrity, Artist News". MTV. Retrieved November 24, 2011.
  123. ^ Zakarin, Jordan (March 29, 2011). "Project Five': Jennifer Aniston, Alicia Keys, Demi Moore Directing Film For 'Lifetime". Huffington Post. Retrieved November 24, 2011.
  124. ^ "RCA's New Executive Team Named Under CEO Peter Edge Amid Layoffs (Update)". Billboard. August 23, 2011. Retrieved November 24, 2011.
  125. ^ "Radio Industry News, Music Industry Updates, Arbitron Ratings, Music News and more!". FMQB. Retrieved November 24, 2011.
  126. ^ "Alicia Keys Reveals 'Girl On Fire' Album Cover & Release Date". Billboard.com. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  127. ^ "Alicia Keys Hopes 'Liberating' New Album Empowers Fans - Music, Celebrity, Artist News". MTV.com. August 1, 2012. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  128. ^ "Alicia Keys Reveals 'Girl on Fire' Cover, Release Date". Rap-Up.com. August 23, 2012. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  129. ^ 08/21/2012 07:02:00 (July 31, 2012). "Alicia Keys To Perform 'Crazy' New Song At Video Music Awards | MTV Video Music Awards". Mtv.com. Retrieved November 26, 2012. {{cite web}}: |author= has numeric name (help)
  130. ^ a b c Edward Nero, Mark (11-11-2012). "New Music: Alicia Keys - 'Brand New Me'". About. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2012-11-20. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  131. ^ "New Day by AliciaKeys on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free". Soundcloud.com. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  132. ^ "Dr. Dre And Alicia Keys Join 50 Cent On 'New Day'". Rapfix.mtv.com. July 29, 2012. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  133. ^ Keys, Alicia (September 8, 2012). "If you were watching #StandUp2Cancer you'll recognize this video for my new song #NotEvenTheKing. Love this!!!". Twitter. Retrieved November 21, 2012.
  134. ^ "New Music: Alicia Keys - 'Not Even the King'". Rap-Up. Devin Lazerine. September 8, 2012. Retrieved November 21, 2012.
  135. ^ Daniels, Collins (September 10, 2012). "Alicia Keys debuts new song 'Not Even the King' - listen". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi UK. Retrieved November 21, 2012.
  136. ^ "Alicia Keys teams up with Reebok for sneakers collection - pictures - Showbiz News". Digital Spy. September 5, 2012. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
  137. ^ "Alicia Keys Launches Interactive App for Kids | Music News". Rolling Stone. October 25, 2012. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  138. ^ "Alicia Keys Launches New Animated App". Rap-Up.com. October 24, 2012. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  139. ^ John, Christopher (January 30, 2013). "Meet Your New BlackBerry Global Creative Director: Alicia Keys - Speakeasy - WSJ". Blogs.wsj.com. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
  140. ^ "Keys to Success". Time Inc. August 27, 2001. Archived from the original on February 05 2009. Retrieved February 4, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  141. ^ Fiore, Raymond (April 21, 2006). "Opening Doors". Time. Retrieved February 14, 2009.
  142. ^ Horan, Tom (November 29, 2003). "CD of the week: The Diary of Alicia Keys by Alicia Keys". The Daily Telegraph. London: News Limited. Retrieved July 2, 2009.
  143. ^ a b c Pareles, Jon (September 9, 2007). "A Neo-Soul Star as She Is: Nurturing Her Inner Rebel". The New York Times. pp. 1–2. Retrieved February 14, 2009.
  144. ^ MacDonald, Patrick (September 19, 2008). "Six years after 'Minor' success, Alicia Keys is a major star". The Seattle Times. The Seattle Times Company. Retrieved March 13, 2009.
  145. ^ Neal, Mark Anthony. "Song in A Minor: A Major Debut". PopMatters. Retrieved February 4, 2009.
  146. ^ a b Pareles, Jon (November 13, 2007). "Alicia Keys – As I Am on Blender". Blender. Alpha Media Group. Retrieved February 4, 2009.[dead link]
  147. ^ Brown, Marisa. "As I Am – Overview". Allmusic. Retrieved November 2, 2010.
  148. ^ Ratliff, Ben (December 13, 2009). "News CDs from Alicia Keys, Timbaland and Jimmy Buffett – Review". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 18, 2009. Retrieved December 14, 2009. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  149. ^ "Alicia Keys and the Freedom of love". Houston Chronicle. Hearst Corporation. December 14, 2009. Archived from the original on January 17, 2010. Retrieved December 14, 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  150. ^ "Alicia Keys Wraps Up Busy Year With Awards, Hit CD, Tour And Poetry Book?". Jet. 106 (24). Johnson Publishing Company: 61. 2004. Retrieved December 25, 2008.
  151. ^ a b "Alicia Keys: Soul princess". The Independent. London: Independent News & Media. November 18, 2005. Retrieved December 25, 2008.
  152. ^ "Alicia Keys: Album review". Blender. February 12, 2003. Retrieved May 18, 2009.[dead link]
  153. ^ "Alicia Keys: She sings, she acts, she smoulders". Canwest News Service. Canwest Mediaworks Publications. October 15, 2008. Archived from the original on May 03 2009. Retrieved April 16, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  154. ^ a b c d Freedom du Lac, J. (November 13, 2007). "Alicia Keys, Still Warming Up". The Washington Post. The Washington Post Company. Retrieved December 7, 2008.
  155. ^ a b c Kot, Greg (November 11, 2007). "Drab production keeps Alicia Keys' promise unfulfilled". Chicago Tribune. Tribune Company. Archived from the original on February 24, 2009. Retrieved February 14, 2009. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  156. ^ Tate, Gregory Stephen (November 20, 2007). "Extensions of a Woman". The Village Voice. New Times Media. pp. 1–2. Archived from the original on February 12, 2009. Retrieved February 14, 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  157. ^ "RIAA – Gold & Platinum – Top Selling Artists". RIAA. Retrieved March 3, 2009.
  158. ^ Orf, Chris Hansen (July 22, 2008). "R&B queen Alicia Keys to play Dodge Theatre". East Valley Tribune. Archived from the original on October 14, 2008. Retrieved November 8, 2008.
  159. ^ "Green Family Foundation Sponsors Alicia Keys' Keep a Child Alive College Student..." Thomson Reuters. Reuters. November 20, 2008. Retrieved November 2, 2010.
  160. ^ "Alicia Keys And Bono Team Up For Charity Track". Vibe. Vibe Media Group. December 1, 2005. Retrieved December 16, 2008. [dead link]
  161. ^ "Bono and Keys duet on Africa song". BBC. December 4, 2005. Retrieved December 16, 2008.
  162. ^ "For The Record: Quick News On Gwyneth Paltrow, Chris Martin, Obie Trice, Notorious B.I.G., Jessica Simpson & More". MTV News. April 10, 2006. Archived from the original on December 27, 2008. Retrieved December 16, 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  163. ^ "Alicia Keys and 'Keep a Child Alive' Visit AHF's Ithembalabantu Clinic, Free AIDS Clinic in Durban, South Africa Run by AIDS Healthcare Foundation". PR Newswire. April 16, 2006. Retrieved December 4, 2006.
  164. ^ "Alicia Keys in Kenya for HIV Project". USA Today. Gannett Company. April 6, 2006. Retrieved July 17, 2009.
  165. ^ "Alicia Keys' Documentary "Alicia in Africa: Journey to the Motherland" Available..." Thomson Reuters. Reuters. April 7, 2008. Retrieved November 2, 2010.
  166. ^ "Keys lends support to mentoring group". USA Today. Gannett Company. June 24, 2005. Retrieved December 16, 2008.
  167. ^ "Frum Tha Ground Up Story Page". USA Today. Gannett Company. January 22, 2007. Retrieved December 16, 2008.
  168. ^ Wolinsky, David (June 27, 2005). "Keys, Peas Join Live 8". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Archived from the original on January 14, 2009. Retrieved December 16, 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)[dead link]
  169. ^ Moss, Corey (September 2, 2005). "Kelly, Stones, Kanye Added To Massive Disaster-Relief Special". MTV News. Archived from the original on January 14, 2009. Retrieved December 16, 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  170. ^ "Celebrity-Studded Benefit Raises Funds for Hurricane Katrina Survivors; Shelter From the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast". FindArticles. CBS Corporation. December 6, 2005. Retrieved February 15, 2009.
  171. ^ Dolan, Jon (July 7, 2007). "Live Earth". Blender. Alpha Media Group. Retrieved December 16, 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)[dead link]
  172. ^ "Live Earth New York Rocks Giants Stadium". Spin. Spin Media. July 9, 2007. Retrieved December 16, 2008.
  173. ^ Samuels, Allison (December 31, 2001). "Alicia Keys". Newsweek. Archived from the original on November 17, 2010. Retrieved November 2, 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  174. ^ "Nobel Peace Prize Concert". Nobel Peace Prize. Retrieved December 16, 2008.
  175. ^ Watson, Roland; Costello, Miles; Fleming, Sam (August 12, 2008). "Joss Stone to record song for Barack Obama". The Times. London: News Corporation. Retrieved December 7, 2008.
  176. ^ Ditzian, Eric (June 29, 2009). "BET Awards Salute Michael Jackson With Heartfelt Tributes". MTV News. Retrieved June 29, 2009.
  177. ^ Reid, Shaheem (January 22, 2010). "Alicia Keys Performs 'Prelude to a Kiss' During 'Hope for Haiti Now'". MTV News. Archived from the original on February 08 2010. Retrieved February 10, 2010. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  178. ^ ""12-12-12" The Concert for Sandy Relief". 121212concert.org. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
  179. ^ "30 Songs / 30 Days for Half the Sky | Half The Sky". Halftheskymovement.org. August 30, 2012. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  180. ^ "News | Alicia Keys Reveals EMPOWERED Campaign, PSA Video". Singersroom. March 11, 2013. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
  181. ^ "X-Factor special announcement". The X Factor (Australia). Yahoo!7. Retrieved July 18, 2012.

Further reading

External links

Awards and achievements
Preceded by MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist
2001
Succeeded by
Preceded by BET Award for Best New Artist
2002
Succeeded by
Preceded by NAACP Image Award for Outstanding New Artist
2002
Succeeded by
Preceded by James Bond title artist
Another Way to Die, 2008
Succeeded by
Media offices
Preceded by Soul Train Music Awards host
2004
Succeeded by

á

Template:Persondata

Template:Link FA