With the recent announcement of Alicia Keys being pregnant and her upcoming wedding, I thought it would only be fitting to cap off her great week by giving her the coveted Artist of the Week. Alicia is one of the most recognizable faces in music and is an advocate to many charity organizations. Above all, her voice soars above the rest in the R&B pop genre.
Alicia burst onto the scene in 2001 with her debut album Songs in A Minor, which featured one of the most successful songs of the decade, “Fallin’.” Although Alicia is not really considered Neo-Soul, she came at a time when R&B was making a resurgance. She released an album when R&B was going back to the roots. Playing the piano and writing her own songs, Alicia set herself apart from the crowd from the get-go. It also helped that she won five Grammys that year.
Most artist fall short on their sophomore effort, but not Alicia. Probably my favorite of all her albums, The Diary of Alicia Keys was released in late 2003. The album had a more retro feel than the first. The song “You Don’t Know My Name” had the soulfullness of a 70’s soul song, while blending it to the contemporary sound. Alicia covered a song from my favorite R&B singer Gladys Knight on the track “If I Were Your Woman.” Other great songs include: “Karma,” “Heartburn,” “If I Ain’t Got You” and “When You Really Love Someone.”
About four years passed before her next album but Alicia kept busy by doing some acting and also lending her talents to several charities. In 2007, she released her third studio album As I Am. Her song “No One” could be heard everywhere. I mean there was no escaping that song! I tried to escape its death grip, but I couldn’t get away from that catchy hook and beat! I mean that opening piano with that beat and the opening lines: “I Just Want You Close/Where You Could Stay With Me Forever…..You & Me Together/Through the Days & Nights/I Don’t Worry Cause Everything Gonna Be Alright/No One/No One/Can Get In the Way Of What I Feel For You” Damn, I remember all that from memory!
Alicia released Elements of Freedom earlier this year. Although the album does not have that one catchy song that has been on all her other releases, the album is good. The album is not her greatest work, but Alicia is held to a higher standard than most musicians these days.
In 2009, Alicia and Ruff Ryder’s producer Swizz Beatz began dating. Earlier this week, Alicia confirmed that she was pregnant and will be married to the producer later on this year. Alicia has started many organizations and scholarships to help kids with HIV and provide music to schools in the inner city. Alicia is doing what she was meant to do: share her music with the world while using her name and image to shed light on some of our nation’s greatest problems.
Top 5 Songs
2. No One
5. Rock Wit U
Useful Links
Keep A Child Alive– Alicia Keys Charity
Article about her pregnancy & engagement