Alicia Keys Biography, Pictures, Video

MAIN Art & ... Pop Culture Pop Music Alicia Keys

Born Alicia Keys in New York City, New York on January 25, 1981, the future R&B vocalist was practicing piano and being tutored in the classics by age seven. "Butterflyz", which she composed at 14, would later appear on her hit debut album, Songs in A Minor.

Keys graduated as valedictorian from the Professional Performing Arts School in Manhattan, and attended Columbia University on scholarship before embarking on a full time music career. A standout as a performer, her grounding in the basics set her apart from the teen pop music scene and garnered respect from the music community - which bestowed five Grammy Awards on the newly-fledged singer and songwriter in 2002.

The Diary of Alicia Keys, released in 2003, immediately catapulated to the top of the Billboard R&B charts. Since then, Keys as racked up an impressive number of music awards and nominations in 2004, including Billboard Female Artist of the Year, and the American Music Awards Favorite Female Artist.

Alicia Keys accepts
the 2005 Grammy Award
for Best R&B Album

In 2005, Keys took home Grammy Awards for Best R&B album for The Diary of Alicia Keys, Best Female R&B Vocal for If I Ain't Got You and Best R&B performance by a duo or group for My Boo, a duet with Usher.

In 2007, Alicia Keys starred in her big screen movie debut - alongside such Hollywood heavyweights as Ben Affleck, Andy Garcia, Ray Liotta, Jeremy Piven and Ryan Reynolds - in the comedy caper Smokin' Aces.

Later on in the year, she was a featured performer at the 2007 AMA Awards in November. Her hit single "No One" earned Keys awards for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song at the 2008 Grammy Awards. Meanwhile, she also starred in The Secret Life of Bees, a film adaptation of Sue Monk Kidd's acclaimed 2003 bestseller novel of the same name alongside Jennifer Hudson and Queen Latifah, released in October. Her role earned her a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture at the NAACP Image Awards.

Keys continued her upward career trajectory after collaborating with rap artist Jay-Z on the song "Empire State of Mind" from his 2009 album, The Blueprint 3. The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 and became her fourth number-one single.

That same year, The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers honored Keys with the Golden Note Award, an award given to artists "who have achieved extraordinary career milestones".Keys released her fourth studio album, The Element of Freedom, in December 2009.

Offstage, rumors about a possible romance between the singer and DJ/rapper Swizz Beatz was finally confirmed in May 2009. A year later, the couple announced that they were engaged and expecting a child together. Keys and Swizz Beatz later held a wedding celebration on the French island of Corsica on July 31, 2010.

More about Alicia Keys around the Web:

Alicia Keys - The official site featuring the latest news, video and audio clips from her top hits, a biography, picture gallery, free newsletter, suggested links.

Alicia Keys Online - A major fan site with recent news and photos, video and audio clips, song lyrics, ringtones, wallpapers, buddy icons and animations, picture galleries, messageboard.

The Alicia Keys Picture Pages - Vital stats, a brief bio and photo galleries of the vocalist including magazine covers, photo shoots and publicity shots, lyrics, related links.

Alicia Keys Fan.com - Huge fan resource with a busy messageboard, photo galleries featuring magazine scans, photo shoots, video and TV captures, appearances at award shows and more, plus video clips for registered users.

Alicia Keys News - Recent headline news and related stories from various sources around the Web.

Alicia Keys Lyrics - Song lyrics listed by Most Popular, or browseable in a complete list.