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 Five-time
Grammy-winner Alicia Keys has risen as the young fresh talent of a new
generation of soul since the release of her phenomenal 2001 debut, Songs
In A Minor. Filtered through her devout respect to vintage soul, modern
hip-hop, R&B, blues, and jazz, this classically trained pianist has
developed a fusion that leads critics to call her the new Roberta Flack
with a hip-hop edge. Though barely 23, it seems that her entire life has
been a nurturing experience, preparing her for a lifetime career in
music.
Born and raised in Harlem, New York, as Alicia Augello Cook, Keys was
introduced to the piano at the age of 7, a healthy escape to the hard
inner-city street life that existed right outside her door. She majored
in choir at the Performing Arts School Of Manhattan while committing to
piano lessons throughout her childhood and into her teens, studying
Beethoven, Mozart, and Chopin (her favorite composer) as well as jazz
greats like Marian McPartland, Fats Waller, Miles Davis, and Oscar
Peterson. She also grew up listening to the likes of Donny Hathaway,
Roberta Flack, Mary J. Blige, Biggie Smalls, Tupac, and Nina Simone. At
14, she wrote her first song, "Butterflyz," which is featured on her
debut album.
Alicia Keys Links
During this time,
Keys trained and rehearsed intensely with vocal coach Conrad Robinson
until age 16, when she graduated as her high school valedictorian and
was accepted to attend Columbia University. Robinson introduced the
young songstress to his brother Jeff, who eventually became her manager.
It turned out Keys never enrolled in college, as she instead ventured
forth to pursue a career in music, signing a record deal with Columbia
Records.
Alicia later left Columbia due to creative differences after
contributing "Dah Dee Dah (Sexy Thing)" to the label's Men In Black
soundtrack, and followed Arista Records founder Clive Davis to his new
imprint, J Records, where she found her home along with a handful of
other artists. While Davis built up his new empire, Keys performed local
shows in New York to gain exposure. Davis, who had previously promoted
artists like Whitney Houston and Carlos Santana, catapulted Keys's
career by securing her exposure on BET, MTV, and The Oprah Winfrey Show,
where she gave an unforgettable performance of her future hit single, "Fallin',"
with 40 million people watching before her debut album was even in
stores. Songs In A Minor then debuted at number one on the charts upon
its June 26, 2001 release, and continued to remain in the top 20 after
29 weeks, going platinum seven times over worldwide. The disc's first
single, "Fallin'," ended the year at number two on the Billboard Hot 100
chart.
Since her chart-topping success, Keys has won numerous awards, including
an MTV VMA, two Billboard Awards, two American Music Awards, two NAACP
Image Awards, three Soul Train Awards, two World Music Awards, one ECCHO
Award, and an astounding five Grammys for Best New Artist, Song Of The
Year, Best R&B Vocal Performance, Best R&B Song, and Best R&B Album,
tying Lauryn Hill's record for the most Grammys won by a female artist
in one year.
Keys certainly has
had an overwhelming start in the music industry, but she seems
undeterred by the pressure of releasing her much-awaited 2003 sophomore
album, The Diary Of Alicia Keys. Keys is also currently writing and
producing for other artists through her company Krucial Keys Enterprise,
along with her partner Kerry "Krucial" Brothers.
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