Life and career Alicia Keys

1 life , career

1.1 1981–1999: life , career beginnings
1.2 2000–2002: songs in minor
1.3 2003–2005: diary of alicia keys , unplugged
1.4 2006–2008: film debut , am
1.5 2009–2011: element of freedom, marriage , motherhood
1.6 2012–2015: girl on fire
1.7 2016–present: here , voice

life , career
1981–1999: life , career beginnings

alicia augello cook born on january 25, 1981, in hell s kitchen area of manhattan, new york city. child of teresa (augello), paralegal , part-time actress, , craig cook, flight attendant. keys father african american , mother of sicilian (sciacca) , either scottish or irish descent. keys has expressed comfortable multiracial heritage because felt able relate different cultures . parents separated when 2 , subsequently raised mother during formative years in hell s kitchen, manhattan. keys has 2 younger half brothers: clay cook (branch) , cole cook. in 1985, keys made appearance on cosby show @ age of four, , group of girls played parts of rudy huxtable s sleepover guests in episode slumber party . throughout childhood, keys sent music , dance classes mother. studied classical piano age seven, playing composers such beethoven, mozart, , chopin, , enrolled in professional performing arts school @ age of 12, majored in choir , began writing songs @ age of 14. graduated in 4 years valedictorian @ age of 16.

in 1994, keys met long-term manager jeff robinson after enrolled in brother s after-school program. following year robinson introduced keys future a&r @ arista records, peter edge, later described first impressions hitquarters: had never met young r&b artist level of musicianship. many people singing on top of loops , tracks, had ability, not part of hip-hop, go way beyond that. edge helped robinson create showcase keys , got involved in developing demo material. keen sign keys himself unable @ time due being on verge of leaving present record company. keys signed columbia records after. @ same time signing recording contract columbia records, keys accepted @ columbia university. @ first, keys attempted manage both, after month, dropped out of college pursue musical career full-time.

keys signed demo deal jermaine dupri , so def recordings, appeared on label s christmas album performing little drummer girl . co-wrote , recorded song titled dah dee dah (sexy thing) , appeared on soundtrack 1997 film, men in black. song keys first professional recording; however, never released single , record contract columbia ended after dispute label. keys unhappy label because career had stalled during 2 years under contract @ columbia due executive indecision on direction , major changes within company. keys called clive davis, sensed special, unique artist performance , signed arista records, later disbanded. keys chose wilde stage name until manager suggested name keys after dream had. keys felt name represented both performer , person.

2000–2002: songs in minor

keys performing in frankfurt, germany, 2002

following davis newly formed j records label, worked kerry krucial brothers , recorded songs rock wit u , rear view mirror , featured on soundtracks films shaft (2000) , dr. dolittle 2 (2001), respectively. keys first studio album songs in minor released in june 2001. musically, incorporated classical piano in r&b, soul , jazz album. jane stevenson of jam! described music old-school urban sounds , attitude set against backdrop of classical piano , sweet, warm vocals . usa today s steve jones wrote keys taps blues, soul, jazz , classical music propel haunting melodies , hard-driving funk . debuting @ number 1 on billboard 200 first-week sales of 236,000 units, went on sell on 6.2 million copies in united states , 12 million copies internationally. additionally, certified 6 times platinum recording industry association of america. songs in minor established keys popularity both inside , outside of united states became best-selling new artist , r&b artist of year.

the album s release preceded april release of debut single, fallin , spent 6 weeks atop billboard hot 100. album s second single, woman s worth , released in february 2002 , peaked @ 7 on hot 100 , number 3 on billboard s hot r&b/hip-hop songs; becoming second top ten single on both charts. released in june, how come don t call me served album s third single, peaking @ 59 on hot 100. album s fourth single girlfriend released in united kingdom peaked @ 82. following year, album reissued remixed & unplugged in minor, included 8 remixes , 7 unplugged versions of songs original.

songs in minor led keys win 5 awards @ 2002 grammy awards: song of year, best female r&b vocal performance, , best r&b song fallin , best new artist, , best r&b album; fallin nominated record of year. keys became second female solo artist win 5 grammy awards in single night, following lauryn hill @ 41st grammy awards. same year, collaborated christina aguilera latter s upcoming album stripped on song titled impossible , keys wrote, co-produced, , provided background vocals. during 2000s, keys made small cameos in television series charmed , american dreams.

2003–2005: diary of alicia keys , unplugged

keys performing @ consumer electronics show, 2004

keys followed debut diary of alicia keys, released in december 2003. album debuted @ number 1 on billboard 200, selling on 618,000 copies first week of release, becoming largest first-week sales female artist in 2003. sold 4.4 million copies in united states , certified 4 times platinum riaa. sold 8 million copies worldwide, becoming sixth biggest-selling album female artist , second biggest-selling album female r&b artist. album s lead single, don t know name , peaked @ number 3 on billboard hot 100 , number 1 on hot r&b/hip-hop songs 8 consecutive weeks, first top 10 single in both charts since 2002 s woman s worth . album s second single, if ain t got , released in february 2004 , peaked @ number 4 on billboard hot 100 , number 1 on hot r&b/hip-hop songs 6 weeks. album s third single, diary , peaked @ number 8 on billboard hot 100 , number 2 on hot r&b/hip-hop songs chart, being third consecutive top 10 single in both charts. album s fourth , final single, karma , peaked @ number 20 on billboard hot 100 , number 17 on hot r&b/hip-hop songs, first release fail achieve top ten status on both charts. if ain t got became first single female artist remain on billboard hot r&b/hip-hop songs chart on year. keys collaborated recording artist usher on song boo 2004 album, confessions (special edition). song topped billboard hot 100 6 weeks , hot r&b/hip-hop songs 3 weeks, became first number-one single in hot 100 since 2001 s fallin .

keys won best r&b video if ain t got @ 2004 mtv video music awards; performed song , higher ground lenny kravitz , stevie wonder. later year, keys released novel tears water: songbook of poems , lyrics, collection of unreleased poems journals , lyrics. title derived 1 of poems, love , chains line: don t mind drinking tears water. said title foundation of writing because have ever written has stemmed tears of joy, of pain, of sorrow, of depression, of question . book sold on us$500,000 , keys made new york times bestseller list in 2005. following year, won second consecutive award best r&b video @ mtv video music awards video karma . keys performed if ain t got , joined jamie foxx , quincy jones in rendition of georgia on mind , hoagy carmichael song made famous ray charles in 1960 @ 2005 grammy awards. evening, won 4 grammy awards: best female r&b vocal performance if ain t got , best r&b song don t know name , best r&b album diary of alicia keys, , best r&b performance duo or group vocals boo usher.

keys performed , taped installment of mtv unplugged series in july 2005 @ brooklyn academy of music. during session, keys added new arrangements original songs , performed few choice covers. session released on cd , dvd in october 2005. titled unplugged, album debuted @ number 1 on u.s. billboard 200 chart 196,000 units sold in first week of release. album sold 1 million copies in united states, certified platinum riaa, , 2 million copies worldwide. debut of keys unplugged highest mtv unplugged album since nirvana s 1994 mtv unplugged in new york , first unplugged female artist debut @ number one. album s first single, unbreakable , peaked @ number 34 on billboard hot 100 , number 4 on hot r&b/hip-hop songs. remained @ number 1 on billboard hot adult r&b airplay 11 weeks. album s second , final single, every little bit hurts , released in january 2006, failed enter u.s. charts.

keys opened recording studio in long island, new york, called oven studios, co-owns production , songwriting partner kerry krucial brothers. studio designed renowned studio architect john storyk of wsdg, designer of jimi hendrix electric lady studios. keys , brothers co-founders of krucialkeys enterprises, production , songwriting team have assisted keys in creating albums creating music other artists.

2006–2008: film debut , am

keys performing in 2008

in 2006, keys won 3 naacp image awards, including outstanding female artist , outstanding song unbreakable . received starlight award songwriters hall of fame. in october 2006, played voice of mommy martian in mission mars episode of children s television series backyardigans, in sang original song, boinga here . same year, keys suffered mental breakdown. grandmother had died , family heavily dependent on her. felt needed escape , went egypt 3 weeks. explained: trip crucial thing ve ever done myself in life date. difficult time dealing with, , came point needed to—basically, needed run away, honestly. , needed far away possible.

keys made film debut in 2007 in crime film smokin aces, co-starring assassin named georgia sykes opposite ben affleck , andy garcía. keys received praise co-stars in film; ryan reynolds called natural , said blow away. smokin aces moderate hit @ box office, earning $57,103,895 worldwide during theatrical run. in same year, keys earned further praise second film, nanny diaries, based on 2002 novel of same name, co-starred alongside scarlett johansson , chris evans. nanny diaries had hit moderate performance @ box office, earning $44,638,886 worldwide during theatrical run. guest starred herself in 1 man island episode of drama series cane.

keys released third studio album, am, in november 2007; debuted @ number 1 on billboard 200, selling 742,000 copies in first week. gained keys largest first week sales of career , became fourth consecutive number 1 album, tying britney spears consecutive number-one debuts on billboard 200 female artist. week became second largest sales week of 2007 , largest sales week female solo artist since singer norah jones album feels home in 2004. album has sold 3 million copies in united states , has been certified 3 times platinum riaa. has sold 5 million copies worldwide. keys received 5 nominations @ 2008 american music award , won two. album s lead single, no 1 , peaked @ number 1 on billboard hot 100 5 consecutive weeks , hot r&b/hip-hop songs ten consecutive weeks, became first number-one single in hot 100 since 2004 s boo , becoming keys third , fifth number-one single on each chart, respectively. album s second single, ll never see me again , released in late 2007 , peaked @ number 12 on billboard hot 100 , number 1 on hot r&b/hip-hop songs 7 consecutive weeks. october 27, 2007, when no 1 reached no. 1, through february 16, 2008, last week ll never see me again @ no. 1, keys on top of chart 17 weeks, more consecutive weeks other artist in hot r&b/hip/hop songs chart. album s third single, teenage love affair , peaked @ number 54 on billboard hot 100 , number 3 on hot r&b/hip-hop songs. album s fourth , final single, superwoman , peaked @ number 82 on billboard hot 100 , number 12 on hot r&b/hip-hop songs.

keys performing @ 2008 summer sonic festival in tokyo, japan

no 1 earned keys awards best female r&b vocal performance , best r&b song @ 2008 grammy awards. keys opened ceremony singing frank sinatra s 1950s song learnin blues duet archival footage of sinatra in video , no 1 john mayer later in show. keys won best female r&b artist during show. starred in fresh takes , commercial micro-series created dove go fresh, premiered during hills on mtv march april 2008. premiere celebrated launch of new dove go fresh. signed deal spokesperson glacéau s vitaminwater endorse product, , in american express commercial cardmember? campaign. keys, along white stripes guitarist , lead vocalist jack white, recorded theme song quantum of solace, first duet in bond soundtrack history. in 2008, keys ranked in @ number 80 billboard hot 100 all-time top artists. starred in secret life of bees role earned nomination outstanding supporting actress in motion picture @ naacp image awards. received 3 nominations @ 2009 grammy awards , won best female r&b vocal performance superwoman .

in interview blender magazine, keys allegedly said gangsta rap ploy convince black people kill each other, gangsta rap didn t exist , went on created government . magazine claimed said tupac shakur , notorious b.i.g. assassinated, beefs stoked government , media, stop great black leader existing . keys later wrote statement clarifying issues , saying words misinterpreted. later year, keys criticized anti-smoking campaigners after billboard posters forthcoming concerts in indonesia featured logo mild cigarette brand sponsored tobacco firm philip morris. apologized after discovering concert sponsored firm , asked corrective actions . in response, company withdrew sponsorship.

2009–2011: element of freedom, marriage , motherhood

keys @ 37th annual american music awards red carpet, november 2009

in 2009, keys approached clive davis permission submit song whitney houston s sixth studio album you. subsequently co-wrote , produced single million dollar bill record producer swizz beatz. months later, featured on rapper jay-z s song empire state of mind lead single eleventh studio album blueprint 3. song commercial , critical success, topping billboard hot 100, becoming fourth number-one song on chart. additionally, won grammy awards best rap/sung collaboration , best rap song following year, among total of 5 nominations. following month, american society of composers, authors , publishers honored keys golden note award, award given artists have achieved extraordinary career milestones . collaborated spanish recording artist alejandro sanz looking paradise , topped billboard hot latin songs chart, keys first number 1 on 3 charts, made first black-american of non-hispanic origin reach #1 on hot latin tracks.

keys released fourth studio album, element of freedom, in december 2009. debuted @ number 2 on billboard 200, selling 417,000 copies in first week. part of promotional drive album, performed @ cayman islands jazz festival on december 5, final night of three-day festival broadcast on bet. preceded release of lead single doesn t mean peaked @ sixty on hot 100, , fourteen on billboard s hot r&b/hip-hop songs. keys ranked top r&b recording artist of 2000–2009 decade billboard magazine , ranked @ number 5 artist of decade, while no 1 ranked @ number 6 on magazine s top songs of decade. in united kingdom, element of freedom became keys first album top uk albums chart. album s second single, try sleeping broken heart , released in november , peaked @ number twenty-seven on hot 100 , number 2 on hot r&b/hip-hop songs chart. album s third single put in love song featured recording artist beyoncé. music video single, filmed in rio de janeiro, brazil, has been postponed several times, , later confirmed alicia keys team made decision not release video. in february 2010, keys released fourth single, empire state of mind (part ii) broken down peaked @ fifty-five on hot 100 , seventy-six on hot r&b/hip-hop songs chart. in may, un-thinkable (i m ready) featuring rapper drake released album s fifth single. while peaking @ twenty-one on billboard hot 100, topped hot r&b/hip-hop songs twelve consecutive weeks. song became album s successful single; keys eighth number 1 on chart; , key s first number 1 song in 5 years. album s sixth , final single, wait til see smile , released in december 2010 in united kingdom.

in may 2010, representative keys , swizz beatz confirmed engaged , expecting child together. keys , beatz had wedding celebration on french island of corsica on july 31, 2010. on october 14, 2010, keys gave birth son, in new york city. recorded song eve called speechless , dedicated son.

in june 2011, songs in minor re-released deluxe , collector s editions in commemoration of 10th anniversary. support release, keys embarked on four-city promotional tour, titled piano & i: 1 night event alicia keys, featuring piano. keys set co-produce broadway premiere of stick fly, scheduled open in december 2011. on september 26, 2011, premiere of project 5, known five, short film marks debut of keys director. documentary of 5 episodes tell stories of 5 women victims of breast cancer , how affected lives. production has co-direction of actresses jennifer aniston, demi moore , film director patty jenkins. in october 2011, rca music group announced disbanding j records along arista records , jive records. shutdown, keys release future material on rca records.

2012–2015: girl on fire

keys @ nrj music awards 2013

keys released fifth studio album girl on fire through rca records on november 27, 2012. keys has stated wants album liberate , empower fans. album s title track released on september 4 lead single , peak number eleven on billboard hot 100, single keys s first top twenty own single on chart since 2007 single ll never see me again , performed song first time @ 2012 mtv video music awards on september 6. girl on fire uptempo anthem. brand new me released album s second single. softer ballad, noted different album s lead single.

prior, 2 songs girl on fire released promotion. first song titled new day . song later revealed solo version of 50 cent s lead single featuring dr. dre , keys. song, not king uploaded vevo promotional song. co-written scottish singer-songwriter emeli sandé, lyrics talk rich love couldn t afforded king . overall sales of album considerable lower keys previous ones.

on september 2012, keys collaborated reebok own sneakers collection. in october, keys announced partnership bento box entertainment s bento box interactive create education mobile application titled journals of mama mae , leelee ios devices relationship between young new york city girl , wise grandmother. app feature 2 of keys original songs, follow moon , unlock .

in january 2013, blackberry ceo thorsten heins , singer alicia keys officially unveiled blackberry 10 mobile platform in new york city. keys signed sell blackberry devices. blackberry ceo thorsten heins announced on january 30, 2013 grammy award-winning singer company s new global creative director. in january 2014, blackberry said part ways singer alicia keys @ end of month, year after canadian company signed global creative director in publicised move. in june 2013, vh1 storytellers special released on cd , dvd. also, keys , maxwell working on marvin gaye/tammi terrell type of duets ep.

in 2013, performed duet italian singer giorgia on song pray (pregherò) . in november, song extracted second single giorgia s album senza paura , has been marketed in digital stores worldwide. in 2014, keys collaborated kendrick lamar on song s on again amazing spider-man 2 soundtrack. in july 2014, reported keys had changed management red light management s botwin ron laffitte , guy oseary @ maverick.

on september 8, 2014, keys uploaded music video new song called here facebook page, accompanied lengthy status update describing motivation , inspiration write song. released digitally following week. keys working pharrell williams on sixth studio album, first set 2015 release. in interview vibe, keys described sound of album aggressive . 1 of songs on album called killing mother . keys played piano on diplo-produced song living love featured on madonna s thirteenth studio album rebel heart (2015). in november 2014, keys announced releasing series of children s books. first book released entitled blue moon: journals of mama mae , leelee.

keys gave birth second child, son genesis ali dean, on december 27, 2014. in 2015 keys performed @ bet awards 2015 weeknd. in september 2015, swizz beatz stated keys sixth studio album released in 2016.

keys played character skye summers in second season of empire. first appeared in episode sinned against , aired november 25, 2015.

2016–present: here , voice

on march 25, 2016, keys announced new coach on season 11 of voice. during voice finale, finished in third place team member, wé mcdonald.

on may 4, 2016, keys released first single in 4 years, entitled in common . on may 28, 2016, keys performed in opening ceremony of 2016 uefa champions league final in san siro, milan. song topped billboard s dance club songs chart on october 15.

on june 20, 2016, keys executive produced , starred in short film here. film follows zara (keys) , family s quest flee united states mexico after america after numerous bomb blasts destroy los angeles turning war zone.

on july 26, 2016, keys performed @ 2016 democratic national convention in philadelphia. in october 2016, released single upcoming album here called blended family (what love) feat. a$ap rocky. on november 1, keys unveiled short film, gospel, accompany lp. here released on november 4, peaking @ number 2 of billboard 200, becoming seventh top 10 album. peaked @ number-one on r&b/hip-hop albums chart, becoming seventh chart topper.

in january 2017 released track that’s what’s re-imagines spoken word segment on kanye west song low lights .

in season 12 of voice, alicia coach second season in row. won competition artist chris blue in season 12 finale broadcast on may 23, 2017.

in may 2017, in interview entertainment tonight, alicia announced working on seventh studio album. in letter fans, on 10th anniversary, revealed album ready.

on september 17, 2017, keys performed @ rock in rio, in powerful , acclaimed performance.

on october 18, 2017, nbc announced returning series upcoming 14th season on voice alongside veterans levine, shelton, , new coach kelly clarkson.

she wrote , composed song here , featured in short film rise; film part of new-york historical society s hotbed exhibit women s suffrage, ran november 3rd, 2017 march 25th, 2018.