Alicia Keys
Alicia Augello Cook, better known by her stage name, Alicia Keys, was called to become a master of her music. Born on January 25, 1981, she was raised by her single mother in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of New York City. Keys recognized she was musically gifted from a young age, and her mother encouraged her to nurture those interests through listening to soulful vocalists. Keys grew up listening to her mother’s jazz records, including artists like Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Louis Armstrong, sparking her appreciation for the piano. By age seven, she began piano lessons, practicing up to six hours a day.
As a classically trained pianist, Keys was 12 years old when she began composing her own songs. She was signed by Columbia Records at age 15, beginning an artistry that would establish her music career. Her sultry voice and masterful songwriting built the foundation of her debut studio album, Songs in A Minor. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, while its single “Fallin’” topped the Billboard Hot 100. The album went on to earn Keys five Grammy Awards in 2002.
After a contentious relationship with Columbia Records, Keys departed the label and signed with Arista Records before ultimately joining J Records. The move gave Keys greater creative freedom, allowing her career to continue skyrocketing. Her collaborations with artists including Usher on “My Boo” and Jay-Z on “Empire State of Mind” cemented her mainstream popularity. Throughout her career, Keys has sold over 90 million records worldwide, making her one of the world’s best-selling music artists.
Keys later expanded her artistry to Broadway with Hell’s Kitchen, a musical inspired by her life and featuring her music and lyrics. The show opened in 2024, received 13 Tony nominations, and won two Tonys and a Grammy, demonstrating Keys’ continued ability to transform her personal experiences into new forms of creative expression.