Alicia Keys is an acclaimed American singer and songwriter born on January 25, 1981. She has left a significant mark on the music world. From a young age, Alicia’s passion for music was clear. She began composing her songs at just 12 years old and secured a record deal with Columbia Records by 15.
However, it was her move to J Records that marked a turning point leading to her breakout album Songs in A Minor in 2001. This debut not only wowed critics but also sold over 12 million copies globally earning Alicia five Grammy Awards. The hit single “Fallin’” from this album topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart solidifying her place in the industry.
Alicia’s success continued with her second album “The Diary of Alicia Keys” (2003) which sold eight million copies worldwide. The singles “You Don’t Know My Name”, “If I Ain’t Got You”, and “Diary” became fan favorites and the album earned her four more Grammy Awards.
In 2004, Alicia’s collaboration with Usher on “My Boo” gave her another number-one hit. Her first live album “Unplugged” (2005) included the single “Unbreakable” and made her the first woman to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 with an MTV Unplugged project. Her third studio album “As I Am” (2007) sold seven million copies globally featuring her third number-one single “No One.”
Alicia also ventured into acting making her film debut in the action-thriller Smokin’ Aces (2007). The following year she performed “Another Way to Die” the theme for the James Bond film Quantum of Solace with Jack White.
Her fourth album The Element of Freedom (2009) topped the UK Albums Chart and sold four million copies worldwide. It included hits like “Doesn’t Mean Anything” and “Empire State of Mind” with Jay-Z her fourth number-one in the U.S.
In 2012, Alicia’s fifth album “Girl on Fire” continued her streak of success debuting at number one on the Billboard 200. Her sixth album “Here” (2016) reached number two on the charts. “Alicia’s” (2020) and “Keys” (2021) seventh and eighth albums brought singles like “Show Me Love” (featuring Miguel) and “Underdog”. In 2022, she released “Santa Baby” a holiday album and her first independent project. In 2023, she debuted her first Broadway musical Hell’s Kitchen showcasing her talents in writing, composing, and co-producing.
With over 90 million records sold worldwide, Alicia Keys stands as one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Billboard crowned her the Top Artist of the 2000s in the R&B/Hip-Hop category and she ranked tenth on their list of Top 50 R&B/Hip-Hop Artists of the Past 25 Years.
Her accolades include 16 Grammy Awards, 17 NAACP Image Awards, 12 ASCAP Awards, and honors from the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the National Music Publishers Association. VH1 has named her among the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time and the 100 Greatest Women in Music. She also made Time’s list of the 100 most influential people in 2005 and 2017.
Beyond music, Alicia is a passionate activist. She co-founded Keep a Child Alive in 2003 a nonprofit dedicated to fighting HIV/AIDS and serves as its Global Ambassador showcasing her commitment to humanitarian work and philanthropy.
| Full Name | Alicia Augello Cook |
| Date of Birth | January 25, 1981 |
| Place of Birth | New York City, New York, USA |
| Occupation | Singer, Songwriter, Actress, Musician, Producer |
| Height | 5 feet 6 inches (168 cm) |
| Spouse | Swizz Beatz (Kasseem Dean) |
| Children | Egypt Daoud Dean, Genesis Ali Dean (sons) |
| Net Worth | $150 million |
Alicia Keys’s Early Life and Education
Alicia Keys whose birth name is Alicia Augello Cook was born on January 25, 1981, in Hell’s Kitchen Manhattan, New York City. Her mother Teresa Augello worked as a paralegal and part-time actress while her father Craig Cook was a flight attendant. Keys’ background is a mix of African, American, Italian, and possibly Irish or Scottish heritage. Raised mainly by her mother in a small apartment in Manhattan Plaza she had a challenging upbringing as her father was not present in her life from a young age.
Growing up in Hell’s Kitchen exposed Keys to a rough environment with street violence drugs and crime. Despite these challenges, she found solace and strength through her mother’s hard work and resilience. Keys learned early on to be independent and self-reliant which shaped her character.
From a young age Keys found comfort in music influenced by her mother’s jazz records and early experiences singing in school productions. At six years old she discovered her passion for the piano and received a pivotal gift of an old piano at age ten which greatly contributed to her musical development. She received rigorous classical piano training and began composing music at a young age.
Alicia Keys’s education at the Professional Performing Arts School further nurtured her musical talents where she majored in choir and explored various musical genres. She continued to develop her skills in singing, songwriting, and performing throughout her teenage years influenced by artists like Marvin Gaye and Curtis Mayfield.
Harlem became a significant place for Keys during her adolescence where she embraced its cultural diversity and learned important life lessons. It was during this time that she met Kerry Brothers Jr. who later became her close collaborator and boyfriend.
Despite facing many challenges early in life Alicia Keys’ resilience talent and passion for music propelled her toward a successful career in the music industry. Her experiences growing up in New York City not only shaped her music but also her strong sense of identity and purpose.
Career
In 1985, when Alicia Keys was just four years old Keys appeared on “The Cosby Show” as Maria one of Rudy’s friends at a slumber party.
By 1994 at age 13, Keys caught the attention of manager Jeff Robinson through her involvement in Teens in Motion a youth organization. Robinson’s brother who taught Keys vocals in Harlem had repeatedly recommended her to Jeff. Initially skeptical Jeff finally went to see Keys perform with her band in Harlem. Impressed by her soulful singing ability to play different types of music and her songwriting Robinson decided to mentor her.
Despite being part of a band, Alicia Keys was encouraged by Robinson to pursue a solo career after the group broke up. With Robinson’s support Keys met with music executive Peter Edge in 1995. Together with Robinson they produced demo recordings of Keys’s original songs and showcased them to various record labels. This led to a bidding war among the labels though Edge couldn’t sign her immediately due to his ongoing transition to Clive Davis’ Arista Records.
Eventually, Columbia Records offered Keys a deal including a $26000 piano. She signed with them at just 15 years old while also attending high school and preparing for university. Keys a valedictorian started at Columbia University early but soon dropped out after realizing her passion was in music, not academics.
Under Columbia Keys faced numerous challenges. The label wanted to control her image and music often disregarding her creative input. Frustrated with the situation she decided to take more control over her work. With advice from her partner Kerry “Krucial” Brothers she began producing her music independently of Columbia. This move allowed her to regain creative freedom and led to a significant shift in her career.
In 1998, Alicia Keys left Columbia and signed with Arista Records under Clive Davis who supported her artistic vision. Her debut album “Songs in A Minor” released in 2001 became a massive success topping the charts and earning her multiple Grammy Awards. This marked the beginning of Keys’s journey as a celebrated artist known for her unique blend of classical soul and hip-hop influences.
Since then Keys has continued to evolve as a musician and performer leaving a lasting impact on the music industry with her authenticity and talent. Her story is one of resilience and determination showcasing her unwavering commitment to her craft and creative independence.
In 2006, Alicia Keys achieved significant recognition winning three NAACP Image Awards for her music including Outstanding Female Artist and Outstanding Song for “Unbreakable”. She also received the Starlight Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Around the same time she lent her voice to the character Mommy Martian in a children’s TV show called The Backyardigans and performed an original song called “Almost Everything Is Boinga Here”.
During that year Keys faced personal challenges including the loss of her grandmother and feeling overwhelmed by family responsibilities. To cope she took a crucial three-week trip to Egypt which she described as a necessary escape.
In November 2006, Keys performed live with David Bowie at a fundraising event in New York which turned out to be Bowie’s final public performance.
In early 2007, Alicia Keys made her film debut in the movie “Smokin’ Aces” where she received praise for her role as an assassin named Georgia Sykes. She also starred in “The Nanny Diaries” alongside Scarlett Johansson and Chris Evans. Both films did moderately well at the box office.
Later in 2007, Alicia Keys released her third studio album “As I Am” which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. It was her biggest debut yet selling 742000 copies in its first week. The album featured hit singles like “No One” and “Like You’ll Never See Me Again” which topped the charts and earned her several Grammy Awards.
Keys continued to expand her career in various directions including endorsements with brands like Dove and Glacéau’s VitaminWater. She also recorded the theme song for the James Bond film Quantum of Solace with Jack White.
Throughout the following years, Keys maintained her momentum with successful albums like “The Element of Freedom” and “Girl on Fire”. She also ventured into other creative areas including producing and directing and became involved in charitable initiatives such as Project 5 a documentary series about breast cancer survivors.
In her personal life, Alicia Keys married Swizz Beatz in 2010 and they welcomed their first child later that year. She continued to balance her music career with philanthropy and creative projects solidifying her reputation as a multifaceted artist and influential figure in popular culture.
On March 25, 2016, Alicia Keys joined Season 11 of “The Voice” as a new coach. During the finale her team member We’ McDonald finished third. In May 2016, Keys released “In Common” and performed it at the opening of the 2016 UEFA Champions League Final in Milan. The song later topped Billboard’s Dance Club Songs chart in October. On World Refugee Day June 20, 2016, Alicia Keys released a short film titled Let Me In which she helped produce with her organization We Are Here. The film reimagines the refugee crisis within the United States.
In October 2016, Keys dropped “Blended Family (What You Do for Love)” featuring A$AP Rocky from her upcoming album Here. She also premiered a short film called “The Gospel” on November 1 2016 as part of the album’s release. Her Here concert special aired on BET on November 3 and the album itself came out on November 4 reaching number 2 on the Billboard 200 chart.
In January 2017, she released “That’s What’s Up” a track inspired by Kanye West‘s “Low Lights.” Keys returned for Season 12 of The Voice and won with her contestant Chris Blue on May 23, 2017. She didn’t return for the next season as she was focusing on her seventh studio album. In August 2017, Alicia Keys attended WE Day an event by WE Charity and later performed at Rock in Rio on September 17, 2017, to critical acclaim.
In 2018, Alicia Keys launched her non-profit “She Is the Music” aiming to support women in the music industry. She hosted the Grammy Awards in 2019 and performed at various events throughout the year including Pride Live’s Stonewall Day Concert. Keys also released singles like “Show Me Love” in September 2019 and “Time Machine” in November 2019.
She continued her Grammy Awards hosting in 2020 and released her album Alicia which debuted at number 4 on the Billboard 200. In 2021, Alicia Keys released her lifestyle brand Keys Soulcare and performed at significant events like the Billboard Music Awards.
In 2021 and 2022, she released singles and continued her musical journey with tours and new projects including her first Christmas album Santa Baby released in 2022. Keys also ventured into theater producing her first Off-Broadway musical Hell’s Kitchen which premiered in November 2023.
In 2024, Alicia Keys performed at the Super Bowl LVIII halftime show alongside Usher singing their hit duet “My Boo.” Her musical Hell’s Kitchen transferred to Broadway and she released “Kaleidoscope” as the lead single from its soundtrack album in March 2024.
Net Worth
Alicia Keys has an estimated net worth of $150 Million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. The main source of Alicia Keys’s net worth comes from her career in music. This includes earnings from album sales, concerts, tours, and endorsements.
Personal life
For more than ten years Alicia Keys was in a quiet romantic relationship with her longtime friend and collaborator Kerry Brothers Jr. until 2008. After that, she started dating the hip-hop artist and producer Swizz Beatz. They got married on July 31, 2010, and now have two sons.
Philanthropy
Alicia Keys has been involved in various charitable activities throughout her career. After the September 11 attacks, she performed Donny Hathaway’s song “Someday We’ll All Be Free” at a benefit concert. In 2002, she protested against budget cuts for student education at New York City Hall. She’s supported Frum tha Ground Up which gives scholarships to children and teens.
Keys co-founded Keep a Child Alive aiming to help families affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa and India. She was moved to start this after witnessing the impact of AIDS during a trip to South Africa. Keys and activist Leigh Blake visited clinics there and in other African countries like Uganda and Kenya to promote care for affected children. She also hosts an annual fundraising gala for the organization.
In 2005, Alicia Keys performed at Live 8 to raise awareness about poverty in Africa. She also participated in benefit concerts for Hurricane Katrina victims. She’s been involved in other events like the Live Earth concerts and the Nobel Peace Prize Concert.
Keys has continued her activism supporting causes such as AIDS awareness women’s empowerment and racial justice. She’s protested and spoken out at events like the Women’s March on Washington. Keys and her husband are also known for their art collection and philanthropy supporting artists and cultural preservation efforts.
