Grammy Award-winners do not come any better than Alicia Keys as she takes to the stage ready to showcase the songs that have made her name. A soul superstar, Keys has also worked as an actress, appearing in a range of television shows and movies, whilst releasing numerous albums that have earned her ongoing acclaim. With her songs proving to be universally popular, gaining tickets for any UK appearance is a must, with thousands of fans across the country hoping to get to the front row.
Her first taste of the show business world came in 1985 with a one off appearance in “The Cosby Show” when she was only 4 years old. Keys had been born Alicia Augello Cook in 1981 in New York and it would be many years before she would grace the screen again – this time with a range of successful songs to her name.
During the nineties she nurtured a musical talent that she had expressed through the piano and classical music, eventually attending the Professional Performing Arts School. Her first taste of the musical world came with the song “The Little Drummer Girl”, a song on So So Def Recordings’ Christmas album, before contributing a song to the soundtrack of “Men in Black” in 1997. However, despite work also appearing on film soundtracks like “Dr Dolittle 2” and “Shaft”, it would take the release of her first album to really cement her name – an event that happened with 2001’s “Songs in A Minor”.
The album was a success, reaching the US number one and selling millions of copies across America, with double the amount selling around the world. Alicia Keys had established herself as a world class act and she would go on to win five awards at the 2002 Grammy Awards. They included Best New Artist, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, Song of the Year, Best R&B Song and Best R&B Album.
It is safe to say that Keys’ second album was hotly anticipated and she did not disappoint with 2003’s “The Diary of Alicia Keys”, earning her further Grammy Awards and albums sales that saw millions of copies sold worldwide. With critics on her side, she would go on to release further albums such as “As I Am” in 2007 and her latest record “The Element of Freedom” in 2009.
Since making it as a musician Alicia Keys has continued to act in movies and television after first appearing in front of the camera in 1985. Her screen credits include “Charmed” (2001), “American Dreams” (2003), “Smokin’ Aces” (2007), “The Nanny Diaries” (2007) and “The Secret Life of Bees” (2008).
