Words by Alicia Keys arrived in 2001 with a piano, a voice steeped in soul and gospel, and a debut single that announced a major talent. More than two decades later, she is one of the most decorated R&B artists of her generation, a Broadway composer and an outspoken voice on creativity and self-acceptance.
Early life
Alicia Augello Cook was born on January 25, 1981, in New York City and raised by her mother in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan. She began studying classical piano at age seven, working through Beethoven, Mozart and Chopin, and she was writing her own songs by the time she was 12.
She attended the Professional Performing Arts School in Manhattan and graduated at 16 as valedictorian. She was accepted to Columbia University but left after a short time to pursue music full time.
Songs in A Minor
After an early record deal stalled, Keys followed music executive Clive Davis to his new label, J Records. Her debut album, “Songs in A Minor,” came out in 2001. Its lead single, “Fallin’,” built on a brooding piano figure and a gospel-tinged vocal, went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The album sold millions of copies. At the 2002 Grammy Awards, Keys won five trophies, including best new artist and song of the year for “Fallin’,” tying what was then the record for a female artist in a single night.
A run of hits
Her second album, “The Diary of Alicia Keys” (2003), produced “You Don’t Know My Name” and “If I Ain’t Got You,” a ballad that remains one of her signature songs. “Unplugged” (2005) captured her live, and “As I Am” (2007) delivered “No One,” one of the biggest singles of the decade.
In 2009 she joined Jay-Z on “Empire State of Mind,” a love letter to New York. Her soaring chorus turned the track into a civic anthem, played at Yankees games and New Year’s Eve celebrations, and it spent five weeks at No. 1. She recorded her own version, “Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down,” for “The Element of Freedom” (2009).
Later albums include “Girl on Fire” (2012), “Here” (2016), “Alicia” (2020) and “Keys” (2021), a double album that presented its songs in both “original” and “unlocked” versions.
Broadway
Keys wrote the music for “Hell’s Kitchen,” a semi-autobiographical musical about a teenage girl growing up in the neighborhood where Keys was raised. It opened at the Public Theater in 2023 and moved to Broadway in 2024, where it earned multiple Tony nominations and wins, including best actress in a musical for newcomer Maleah Joi Moon.
Television and hosting
Keys served as a coach on NBC’s “The Voice” for several seasons and hosted the Grammy Awards in 2019 and 2020, opening the shows with piano medleys that became highlights of both broadcasts.
Causes
Keys co-founded Keep a Child Alive, a nonprofit supporting families affected by HIV in Africa and India. In 2016 she announced that she would stop wearing makeup for public appearances, describing the decision as a step toward authenticity, and her essay on the subject sparked wide conversation. She later launched a skin-care and wellness brand, Keys Soulcare. Her 2020 memoir, “More Myself,” became a best seller.
Personal life
Keys married producer Swizz Beatz (Kasseem Dean) in 2010. They have two sons, and the couple are also prominent art collectors who have shown their collection at the Brooklyn Museum.
Her sound
Keys’s music blends classical technique with soul, hip-hop and gospel. She typically writes at the piano and builds arrangements around it, giving her records an organic, live feel that set her apart from many of her pop and R&B contemporaries. Her influence can be heard in a generation of singer-songwriters who perform behind the keys.
Awards
She has won more than 15 Grammy Awards and sold tens of millions of records worldwide, and Billboard ranked her among the top R&B artists of the 2000s.
Where to start
Listen to “Fallin’,” “If I Ain’t Got You,” “No One,” “Empire State of Mind” and “Girl on Fire.” For a fuller picture of her artistry, watch her “Unplugged” set or listen to the “Hell’s Kitchen” cast recording.
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