It sold over 159,000 copies in the first week. In November 2012, Keys released Girl on Fire, her fifth chart-topping album in the US. This was followed by ‘Nanny Diaries’ in 2007.Īs if Keys couldn’t get any more talented, she made her directorial debut in 2011 for the short film “Project 5.” The film centers on the stories of five different individuals, all battling breast cancer. Her first film stint was for ‘Smokin’ Aces,’ a 2006 action thriller written and directed by Joe Carnahan. It was also Keys’ first album to top the charts in the UK. She is also the second American artist ever to receive five Grammys in a single night.Īll of her albums except for her fourth, The Element of Freedom, peaked at No. ‘Best New Artist’ and ‘Song of the Year’ for “Fallin’’” are a few of her accolades.
Her debut album, Songs in A Minor, sold over 12 million copies worldwide and earned Keys 5 Grammy Awards in 2002. She’s been friends with Usher and Beyoncé since she was 13. For the record, Adele and Taylor Swift have ten and Rihanna only eight.
One of the lesser-known facts about Alicia Keys is her odd habit-the girl loves to crack her neck!Īlicia Keys is a 15-time Grammy winner. However, her mom intervened, saying, “It sounds like you’re a stripper.” It was her manager who suggested “ Keys.” She turned out to like it as it resonated with her more as a performer and a person.
When she was 14, she composed her first song, “Butterfly’.” She would, later on, include it in her first album.Īt the age of 16, Alicia wanted the name Wilde to be her stage surname. She studied the piano at age seven and played classics by Beethoven, Chopin, and Mozart. In 1985, she featured in the Slumber Party episode of the Cosby Show. Her mother is of Scottish, Irish, and Italian descent, while her father is African-American. She was born to Teresa Augello, a paralegal and part-time actress, and Craig Cook, a flight attendant.
Her real name is Alicia Augello-Cook and she was born in Harlem, New York. Today the R&B/ Soul singer turns 36 so we’re taking a look at 10 interesting and lesser known fun facts about Alicia Keys’ life and career. Ironically, this is less showy than 2005's Unplugged, and it's better for it.With her new album HERE, political activism and decision to go makeup free, Alicia Keys was one of 2016’s most prominent artists. The five songs that didn't air are relevant, including a hot "Fallin'" that could have easily been overcooked, and an "Un-thinkable (I'm Ready)" that packs a heavier rhythmic punch than the studio version. For all its choppiness, VH1 Storytellers is enjoyably off-the-cuff, with Keys' anecdotes (including an extended tale about the making of "You Don't Know My Name") and remarks ("I love an acoustic guitar!") often delivered as she and her band are playing. Furthermore, much of her intro to the following "Brand New Me" was cut. Keys' first words here, the lead-in to "No One," are "We were at the end of the album, and it was finished, and…" - so it provokes the feeling of walking into the venue as the gig is in progress. Heavy editing was involved certain portions of Keys' dialogue is hacked up, crowd noise is unnaturally lowered and raised in volume, and there is little evident effort to make the songs flow.
While this set expands the set to 11 songs, it does not present the full performance. First aired ten days prior to the release of Girl on Fire, Alicia Keys' VH1 Storytellers program featured six songs.