Alicia Keys is an American singer-songwriter, musician, producer, and actress who first burst onto the music scene in 2001 with her debut album, Songs in A Minor. Since then, she has gone on to great success and has sold millions of studio albums and singles worldwide.
Table of Contents:
1. Early Life and Musical Beginnings
2. Professional Success and Accolades
3. Philanthropy
4. Personal Life
5. Legacy
6. Alicia Keys Quotes
- Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Alicia Augello Cook was born on January 25, 1981, in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, to Teresa Augello, an Irish-Italian paralegal and part-time actress, and Craig Cook, an African-American flight attendant. She was given the name “Alicia” by her mother after the poem “The Fairie Queene” by Edmund Spenser. Raised by her mother in Manhattan, she graduated from the Professional Performing Arts School at the age of 16. Early on, Keys was recognized for her musical talent; working with her mother’s manager, she was signed to Columbia Records at the age of 15.
Alicia Keys developed a diverse musical palette by drawing inspiration from gospel, classical, and soul music. Throughout her career, Keys has recorded multiple hit singles, albums, and music videos. She released her first two albums, Songs in A Minor (2001) and The Diary of Alicia Keys (2003), which were well-received by audiences and critics alike. Both albums achieved multi-platinum success and earned Keys a plethora of awards, including five Grammy Awards and numerous American Music Awards. Her fifth studio album, Girl on Fire, was released in 2012 and featured the hit single “Girl on Fire”.
- Professional Success and Accolades
In addition to her success as a musician, Keys has also had success in the world of film and television. She made her acting debut starring alongside Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Gabrielle Union in the romantic comedy “The Secret Life of Bees” (2008). She also starred in the fourth season of “Empire” (2018) as the character Skye Summers. Furthermore, Keys has hosted the annual Grammy awards show on two occasions and has also served as a judge on the 11th season of “The Voice” (2018).
Throughout her career, Keys has amassed numerous awards and accolades. Some of her most notable awards include fifteen American Music Awards, eighteen Billboard Music Awards, eleven Grammy Awards (including a lifetime achievement award), and the BET Awards’ Lady of Soul Award. Additionally, she was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2018.
- Philanthropy
In addition to her success as a musician and actress, Keys has also devoted much of her time to philanthropy. Most notably, she founded Keep a Child Alive in 2003, an organization dedicated to providing treatment, care, and support for people affected by HIV in Africa, India, and the Caribbean. Keys served as the organization’s Global Ambassador until 2015, when she officially stepped down to focus more on her music career. She has also been involved with numerous other charities, such as the FrumThaLuv Foundation, Global Citizen, and the Sheiseverywoman Foundation.
- Personal Life
Keys married record producer and rapper Swizz Beatz in 2010. The couple welcomed their first son, Egypt Daoud Dean, the same year. In October 2014, Keys and Beatz welcomed their second son, Genesis Ali Dean. Keys, who is a vegetarian, has spoken about her dedication to staying healthy, crediting yoga and meditation for her inner peace and energy.
- Legacy
Keys has firmly cemented her place in music history as one of the greatest female singers and songwriters of her time. Not only have her music and acting endeavors been widely successful but her philanthropic efforts are widely lauded. To date, Keys has sold over sixty million albums worldwide and counting. Her undeniable talent, passion, and commitment to charity have been an inspiration to millions worldwide, and her impressive body of work will no doubt continue to be enjoyed by generations to come.
Alicia Keys Quotes
“I’d rather not have anything than be a liar.” — Alicia Keys
“Everything you want to be, you already are. You’re simply on the path to discovering it.” — Alicia Keys
“It’s karma, baby. And it goes around.” — Alicia Keys
“If I want to be alone, someplace I can write, I can read, I can pray, I can cry, I can do whatever I want – I go to the bathroom.” — Alicia Keys
“Fear is not a part of my vocabulary, actually, and I think that it’s really made me a much smarter, braver for sure, person.” — Alicia Keys
“I always want to stay focused on who I am, even as I’m discovering who I am.” — Alicia Keys
“You don’t know what will happen from one minute to the next.” — Alicia Keys
“I really like to live my life in a low-key fashion.” — Alicia Keys
“You can’t really compare people. That’s one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned because comparing yourself to someone else really stops you from being who you are.” — Alicia Keys
“All of us are different. That’s what makes us interesting and special. I don’t want to be anything like another person. I want to be totally myself and go against the grain, forge my own path. I’ve learned that being different is what makes you stand out. It makes everything so much more intriguing.” — Alicia Keys
“Soul music is timeless.” — Alicia Keys
“I’m a very positive person, but this whole concept of having to always be nice, always smiling, always happy, that’s not real. It was like I was wearing a mask. I was becoming this perfectly chiseled sculpture, and that was bad. That took a long time to understand.” — Alicia Keys
“I look forward to my first visit to Israel. Music is a universal language that is meant to unify audiences in peace and love, and that is the spirit of our show.” — Alicia Keys
“What breaks my heart is suffering of any kind. Too often, our world is divisive and cruel where it needs to be uniting and loving.” — Alicia Keys
“My life is rich because I have those kinds of people in my life.” — Alicia Keys
“Why give up before we try?” — Alicia Keys
“I wouldn’t mind being in one place for two months or so. It really doesn’t sound so bad!” — Alicia Keys
“All women are NATURALLY, badass!” — Alicia Keys
“When I was a kid, I’d practice Chopin on piano – and I love Chopin! He’s my dawg! Then I’d go out on the stoop and blast the radio. I’m from New York, the concrete jungle. Hip-hop influenced me from day one.” — Alicia Keys
“I have big everything on the bottom, but I love my legs. You’ve got to love what’s yours.” — Alicia Keys
“Simplicity makes me happy.” — Alicia Keys
“I don’t worry cause, everything’s gonna be alright.” — Alicia Keys
“Growth requires movement. And often, the only way forward is through an exit door.” — Alicia Keys
“Failure isn’t an option. I’ve erased the word ‘fear’ from my vocabulary, and I think when you erase fear, you can’t fail.” — Alicia Keys
“When I had nothing else, I had my mother and the piano. And you know what? They were all I needed.” — Alicia Keys
“Be driven, be focused, but enjoy every moment because it only happens once.” — Alicia Keys
“I don’t have a ton of friends, but the friends I have are great ones. I don’t have a huge family, but the family I have is a great one.” — Alicia Keys
“Love me like you’ll never see me again.” — Alicia Keys
“I don’t think even when you find a person, you can be completely honest, ever. There’s still pieces of you that you don’t give away. I do believe you always need that place where it’s just you, your thoughts, no one else’s judgment or anything.” — Alicia Keys
“Hand me the world on a silver platter, and what good would it be?” — Alicia Keys
“You just can’t take a day for granted. We had to work really hard for anything, and so that’s been instilled in me. And I don’t look at myself as better than anybody else, because in an instant everything can change.” — Alicia Keys
“No one will take care of you if you don’t take care of yourself.” — Alicia Keys
“Maturity and experience are part of my liberation.” — Alicia Keys
“Risk the fall to know how it feels to fly.” — Alicia Keys
“We have the potential to help people out of poverty, out of disease, out of slavery and out of conflict. Too often, we turn the other way because we think there’s nothing we can do.” — Alicia Keys
“I’m the co-founder of Keep a Child Alive. We provide medicine for families affected by HIV and AIDS in places like Africa and India.” — Alicia Keys
“But when I first fell in love with the piano, I knew it was me. I was dying to play.” — Alicia Keys
“Sometimes you need to start again, in order to fly.” — Alicia Keys
“Falling down ain’t falling down, If you don’t cry when you hit the floor, It’s called the past cause I’m getting past, And I ain’t nothing like I was before, You ought to see me now.” — Alicia Keys
“A lot of times I watch TV and I watch the film and there’s so many things I’d love to talk about that I feel don’t get the opportunity to be shown. Sometimes things become very stereotypical and one-sided, and I feel like it’s such a colorful world.” — Alicia Keys
“Through the shake of an earthquake, I will never fall. That’s how strong my love is.” — Alicia Keys
“If your family – just because they’re blood doesn’t mean that they necessarily give you the best advice.” — Alicia Keys
“Some people want it all But I don’t want nothing at all If it ain’t you baby If I ain’t got you baby Some people want diamond rings Some just want everything But everything means nothing If I ain’t got you, Yeah.” — Alicia Keys
“Fear is not a part of my vocabulary, actually.” — Alicia Keys
“You’re at your most purest, most innocent, pure state when you’re doing something you’ve never done before. You’re scared a little, you’re a little vulnerable, you’re kind of trying, and then you’re also better because you’re trying harder than you maybe would try.” — Alicia Keys
“Sometimes I feel good, at times I feel used. Loving you darling, makes me so confused.” — Alicia Keys
“I think we deserve people who really, really love us.” — Alicia Keys
“You are what you listen to.” — Alicia Keys
“If you treat me fairly, I’ll give you all my goods.” — Alicia Keys
“Empower us women and we will change this whole entire world.” — Alicia Keys
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