NEW YORK-BRED SINGER, SONGWRITER, AND 15-TIME GRAMMY WINNER ALICIA KEYS SHOWS TWO VERY DIFFERENT SIDES OF HER SOUL IN NEW CONCEPT ALBUM KEYS, A CATHARTIC 90-MINUTE JOURNEY THAT PERFECTLY ENCAPSULATES THE TWO-DECADE CAREER OF ONE OF R&B’S MOST ICONIC STORYTELLERS

BY AMANDA MCCOY

In an industry saturated with bulging egos and torrents of false humility, Alicia Keys has always been a refreshing guidepost of realness, unashamed of her edges and unafraid to make a statement. The Hell’s Kitchen, New York City, native was a mere 20 years old when her debut album, Songs in A Minor, electrified the industry (accolades arrived in fives, as the album went platinum five times over and won Keys five Grammys), catapulting the young singer/songwriter to superstar status faster than a bullet train. But while many A-list celebrities often feel compelled to live behind shiny personas carefully constructed by expensive publicists, Keys never shied away from publicly sharing intimate details from her journey, from the onslaught of sexism in the music industry to her addiction to makeup. rough her music, she’s been vulnerable, hard, insecure, con dent, inspired, inflamed, love struck, lovelorn all the messy but beautiful poles of the human experience.

In her eighth album, dubbed Keys as a follow-up to last year’s Alicia, the now mother-of-two once again spotlights the juxtaposition of human emotion, this time by telling her story twice. The album contains two sides: Originals, a stripped down, soulful, piano-heavy collection that’s reminiscent of the songstress’ early work (a “homecoming,” she said in a press interview with Variety); and Unlocked, featuring the same tracks dressed up with drums, hip-hop beats, guest vocalists, and heavy production. In many ways, the double album is a perfect incarnation of Keys’ 20-year career, showcasing where she started, how she’s grown, and that it’s always possible to come home again. On the Originals side, the album’s lead single, “Best of Me,” is all old-school Keys smooth, soaring vocals and reverberating organ chords. The Unlocked rendition, however, takes a dance club approach with added drums and synth (or “grr,” as Keys termed). The entire LP runs 90 minutes and is a full-circle experience, a “Saturday and a Sunday,” from an artist who’s never been afraid to show us the many shades of her soul.

Alicia Keys aliciakeys.com