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Alicia Keys - Biography |
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A particularly well-resolved
combination of her Jamaican and European heritage, Alicia Cook made her
entrance into the world in Manhattan, and almost immediately launched into
a lifestyle of musical performance. At the age of four she was performing
in The Wizard of Oz; the following year she was provided with piano
lessons by her mother, who had recognized the budding potential possessed
by her daughter. By her teens she was composing her own songs and pursuing
a major in choir at Manhattan's Professional Performance Arts School.
Alicia's exceptional academic achievements allowed her to graduate at the
age of 16, and an acceptance into Columbia University followed
immediately; a dedication to her music outweighed her academic interests,
however, and before long she made the decision to make the pursuit of the
former her full-time occupation.
Industry awareness of Key's talents spread quickly, and a lively bidding
competition between major labels hungry for fresh blood ensued. It was
Clive Davis and Arista Records that ultimately claimed the talented young
pianist's soul in 1998, but two years later, before any releases had
materialized, Davis left to form J Records and took Keys with him as the
new label's first signing. The result was 2001's Songs In A Minor, an
album that subsequently entered the charts straight into the #1 position,
instantly tranforming the then-19-year-old into an international star (and
may the industry have mercy on her). Although some contribution was made
to the album by established R&B performers such as Jermaine Dupri and
Isaac Hayes, and a cover of a song by Prince was included, the bulk of the
album was either written on co-written by Keys herself. The featured
singles Fallin' and A Woman's Worth also proved extremely successful -- in
some part due to the high rotation of their video clips, which added the
highly photogenic nature of the composer to the basic appeal of the music
itself.
After a two year whirlwind of touring and publicity, 2003 saw Alicia Keys
releasing her sophomore effort, The Diary Of Alicia Keys. A more
fully-developed exploration of Keys' blending of various styles, this
second album lived up to the high standards set by its predecessor, and
once again achieved both a #1 position on the mainstream charts and
multi-platinum sales status. Yet another popular hit was scored in the
70s-style soul ballad You Don't Know My Name, indicating that Keys is more
likely to be in it for the long haul, rather than just another
flavor-of-the-moment. With the strong family support that she has, she may
even be able to survive it with her psychological well-being intact. |
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Alicia Keys - Personal Quotes |
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"Oh my God, the [hip-hop]
videos! The imagery is so awful! I just can't get with it at all.
The best thing I can say about it is that sometimes you have to see
that kind of stuff so as to have a more balanced view about why it's
so bad." [her opinion on the use of women, sex and sleaze in today's
rap/hip-hop videos]
"I always want to stay focused on who I am, even as I'm discovering
who I am".
"Keep a Child Alive is my passion and my mission."
"I love Bono. I really respect what he has done for Africa and how
he has used his fame to do good in the world. I hope I can do half
as much in my life."
"I believe AIDS is the most important issue we face, because how we
treat the poor is a reflection of who we are as a people."
"My mom always said, 'Don't date a guy who thinks he's prettier than
you.'" (In Style/Sept/2006)
"I think music and socialism and politics have always gone hand in
hand. As artists we used to be way more instrumental in providing a
soundtrack to the heartbeat of what's going on in the world. We all
don't have to think the same thing but it's important to state what
we think. There is such a fear of termination of one's career if
they have any intelligent thought about politics and that's messed
up."
I have big everything on the bottom but I love my legs. You've got
to love what's yours. |
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Alicia Keys -
Discography & Soundtracks |
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Songs in A Minor
Released: June 5, 2001
The Diary of Alicia Keys
Released: December 2, 2003
Unplugged
Released: October 11, 2005
Forth studio album
Released: June 2007
Soundtracks
Glory Road (2006) (writer: "Sweet Music (One of These Days)")
(performer: "Sweet Music (One of These Days)", "People Get Ready",
"I Will Make the Darkness Light") (producer: "Sweet Music (One of
These Days)", "People Get Ready", "I Will Make the Darkness Light")
Be Cool (2005) (writer: "Ain't No Reason")
The 47th Annual Grammy Awards (2005) (TV) (performer: "Georgia On My
Mind", "If I Ain't Got You", "Across the Universe")
Coach Carter (2005) (performer: "You Don't Know My Name") ("You
Don't Know My Name")
The 2004 Billboard Music Awards (2004) (TV) (performer: "Karma")
"Como uma Onda" (2004) TV Series (unknown episodes)
Taxi (2004/I) (writer: "Heartburn") (performer: "Heartburn")
... aka New York Taxi (France)
... aka Taxi 2004 (UK: promotional title)
"Six Feet Under" (1 episode, 2004)
- Parallel Play (2004) TV Episode ("Samsonite Man")
Hollywood Homicide (2003) (writer: "A Woman's Worth") (performer: "A
Woman's Worth")
Drumline (2002) (writer: "Butterflyz") (performer: "Butterflyz")
"Friends" (1 episode, 2002)
- The One with the Birthing Video (2002) TV Episode (performer:
"Fallin'")
Is It College Yet? (2002) (TV) (writer: "A Woman's Worth")
(performer: "A Woman's Worth")
... aka Daria in Is It College Yet? (USA: complete title)
... aka Daria: Is It College Yet? (USA: promotional title)
... aka Daria: Is It College Yet? - An MTV Movie (USA: video box
title)
Ali (2001) (writer: "Fight") (performer: "Fight") (producer:
"Fight")
Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001) (writer: "Rear View Mirror") (performer: "Rear
View Mirror")
... aka DR.2 (USA: promotional abbreviation)
... aka DR2 (USA: promotional abbreviation) |
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Alicia Keys - Filmography |
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The Nanny Diaries (2007) ....
Lynette
Smokin' Aces (2007) .... Georgia Sykes
"American Dreams" .... Fontella Bass (1 episode, 2003)
... aka Our Generation (Australia) (USA: working title)
- Rescue Me (2003) TV Episode .... Fontella Bass
"Charmed" .... P3 VIP Patron (1 episode, 2001)
- Size Matters (2001) TV Episode (uncredited) .... P3 VIP Patron
"The Cosby Show" .... Maria (1 episode, 1985)
- Slumber Party (1985) TV Episode (as Alicia Cook) .... Maria |
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Alicia Keys - Related Links |
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Wikipedia: Alicia Keys
YouTube: Alicia Keys
Alicia Keys at Babemania.com
Top Celebrities Sites:
The Celebrity
Cafe |
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