Alicia Keys
R&B Singer
Alicia Augello Cook, known professionally as Alicia Keys, is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. A classically trained pianist, Keys started composing songs when she was 12 and was signed at 15 years old by Columbia Records.
About
Alicia Augello Cook, better known as Alicia Keys, was born on January 25, 1981 in New York City. She is an American singer-songwriter and pianist of mixed Italian, African-American and Irish ancestry. As a child, she began playing classical music at age 7 and studied at the Professional Performing Arts School in Manhattan. At 16 years old she graduated from high school and signed a deal with Columbia Records.
In 2001, Keys released her debut album Songs in A Minor which sold over 12 million copies worldwide. The album earned her five Grammy Awards including Best New Artist, Song Of The Year and Best R&B Album. In 2003, she released her second album The Diary of Alicia Keys which featured the singles “If I Ain’t Got You” and “Karma”. The album earned her three more Grammys including Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for “If I Ain’t Got You”.
In 2005, Alicia released Unplugged which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart; it featured a mix of acoustic versions of her older songs along with new material. In 2007 she released As I Am which featured the single “No One” which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. She has since released four more studio albums: The Element of Freedom (2009), Girl On Fire (2012), Here (2016) and ALICIA (2020).
Throughout her career Keys has won numerous awards including 15 Grammy Awards, 17 NAACP Image Awards and 5 BET Awards. She has also been recognized for her philanthropic work having founded Keep a Child Alive to provide medication and healthcare to children affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa.
Life Timeline
<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">1981</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Alicia Keys is Born</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">On January 25, 1981, Alicia Augello Cook was born in Hell's Kitchen, New York City.</p></div>
<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">1995</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">1st Record Deal Signed</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">At the age of 14, Alicia signs a recording contract with Jermaine Dupri and Columbia Records.</p></div>
<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">2001</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Debut Album, Songs in A Minor</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Debut album, Songs in A Minor, is released to worldwide critical acclaim and commercial success.</p></div>
<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">2002</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Grammy Awards</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Wins 5 Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist and Song of the Year for “Fallin”.</p></div>
<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">2009</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">The Element of Freedom</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Fourth studio album, The Element of Freedom, is released to commercial success.</p></div>
<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">2012</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Girl on Fire</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Fifth studio album, Girl on Fire, is released to widespread critical acclaim and commercial success.</p></div>
<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">2019</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">ALICIA Album is Released</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Seventh studio album, ALICIA, is released to critical acclaim.</p></div>
Why We Love Them
<div id="" class="whywelove-item"><h3 id="" class="whywelove-title"><span class="whywelove-leter">A.</span> She's Talented</h3><p id="" class="whywelove-text">Alicia Keys is one of the most talented R&B singers of our time. Not only is she a great singer, but she is also an amazing songwriter and producer. She has won numerous awards for her music and has collaborated with some of the biggest names in the music industry.</p></div>
<div id="" class="whywelove-item"><h3 id="" class="whywelove-title"><span class="whywelove-leter">B.</span> She's Charismatic</h3><p id="" class="whywelove-text">Alicia Keys has a lot of charisma when she performs. Her stage presence is mesmerizing and her voice is captivating. She constantly interacts with the audience which makes it even more enjoyable to watch her perform.</p></div>
<div id="" class="whywelove-item"><h3 id="" class="whywelove-title"><span class="whywelove-leter">C.</span> She's Philanthropic</h3><p id="" class="whywelove-text">Alicia Keys is a philanthropist who cares deeply about making a difference in the world. She founded the Keep a Child Alive charity which works to provide medical care, education and nutrition to those affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa and India.</p></div>
Interesting Facts
<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">1.</span> Grew Up in New York City</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">Alicia Keys was born in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan and grew up in the city's famous music scene. She began studying classical piano when she was seven years old.</p></div>
<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">2.</span> Won Five Grammy Awards in One Night</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">Keys won five Grammy awards in one night at the 41st Annual Grammy Awards in 2002, a record for most awards won by a female artist in one night.</p></div>
<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">3.</span> Founded Keep a Child Alive Charity</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">Keys founded the charity organization Keep a Child Alive in 2003 to help fight AIDS in Africa and India.</p></div>
<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">4.</span> Served as Musical Director for Black Reel Awards</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">Keys served as the musical director for the Black Reel Awards in 2005, an awards show honoring African American achievements in film.</p></div>
<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">5.</span> Was Named Global Creative Director of BlackBerry</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">In 2013, Alicia Keys was named global creative director of BlackBerry, becoming the first person to ever hold that position.</p></div>
FAQs
