Alicia Keys
Alicia Keys
Biography
Alicia Augello Cook (born January 25, 1981), known professionally as Alicia Keys, is an American singer-songwriter. A classically-trained pianist, Keys was composing songs by age 12. She was signed at 15 years old by Columbia Records, and then, after disputes with the label, by Arista Records. Her debut album, Songs in A Minor, was released with J Records in 2001. Praised for Keys' musical talents and creative control, Songs in A Minor was critically and commercially successful, producing her first Billboard Hot 100 number-one single "Fallin'" and selling over 12 million copies worldwide. Songs in A Minor earned Keys five Grammy Awards in 2002. Her second album, The Diary of Alicia Keys (2003), was also a critical and commercial success, spawning successful singles "You Don't Know My Name", "If I Ain't Got You" and "Diary", and selling eight million copies worldwide. The album garnered her an additional four Grammy Awards. Her duet song "My Boo" with Usher became her second number-one single in 2004. Keys released her first live album, Unplugged (2005), and became the first female to have an MTV Unplugged album debut at number one. Her third album, As I Am (2007), produced the Hot 100 number-one single "No One", selling 5 million copies worldwide and earning an additional three Grammy Awards. In 2007, Keys made her film debut in the action-thriller film Smokin' Aces. Her fourth album,The Element of Freedom (2009), became her first chart-topping album in the UK, and sold 4 million copies worldwide. In 2009, Keys also collaborated with Jay Z on "Empire State of Mind", which became her fourth number-one single, and won the Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration in 2010. Girl on Fire (2012) was her fifth Billboard 200 topping album, spawning the successful title track, and won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album. In 2013, VH1 Storytellers was released as her second live album. Her sixth studio album, Here (2016), became her seventh US R&B/Hip-Hop chart topping album. Keys has received numerous accolades throughout her career, including 15 competitive Grammy Awards, 17 NAACP Image Awards, 12 ASCAP Awards, and awards from the Songwriters Hall of Fame and National Music Publishers Association. She has sold over 35 million albums and 30 million singles worldwide. Considered a musical icon, Keys was named by Billboard the top R&B artist of the 2000s decade and placed number 10 on their list of Top 50 R&B/Hip-Hop Artists of the Past 25 Years. VH1 also included her on their 100 Greatest Artists of All Time and 100 Greatest Women in Music lists, while Time have named her in their 100 list of most influential people in 2005 and 2017. Keys is also known for her humanitarian work, philanthropy and activism, and has received accolades for such work. Keys co-founded and is the Global Ambassador of the nonprofit HIV/AIDS-fighting organization Keep a Child Alive.
Known For
Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Known Credits
148
Gender
Female
Birthday
1981-01-25 (44 years old)
Place of Birth
Hell's Kitchen, New York City, New York, USA
Acting

2024

Prince and His Songs at the BBC as Self (archive footage)

2023

Lewis Capaldi: How I'm Feeling Now as Self (archive footage)

2023

Uncharted as Self

2023

Alicia Keys at the BBC as Singer

2020

History 101 as Self (archive footage)

2020

VERZUZ as Self

2020

Song Exploder as Self

2020

Dear Class of 2020 as Self

2020

Regular Heroes as Self

2019

Desus & Mero as Self - Illustrious Guest

2018

Red Table Talk as Self

2017

Alicia Keys: Baloise Session 2017 as Self - Performing Artist

2016

The Gospel as Self

2016

Let Me In as Zara

2015

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert as Self - Musical Guest

2015

Jem and the Holograms as Alicia Keys

2013

Mademoiselle C as Self

2013

Girl Rising as Narrator - Cambodia (voice)

2013

Alicia Keys: Rock In Rio as Self - Singer

2012

The Re-Up as Self

2011

The Voice as Self - Coach

2010

Sesame Street: 40 Years of Sunny Days as Self (uncredited) (archive footage)

2010

Hope for Haiti Now as Self

2009

RuPaul's Drag Race as Self - Guest Judge

2009

MTV World Stage as Self

2009

Q: The Man as Self

2008

The Secret Life of Bees as June Boatwright

2007

Schmidt & Pocher as Self

2007

Cane as Self

2007

The Nanny Diaries as Lynette

2007

Boris Becker meets as Self

2006

Smokin' Aces as Georgia Sykes

2005

The Tyra Banks Show as Self

2005

SNL Digital Shorts as Not available

2005

Iconoclasts as Self

2005

Live 8 as Self

2004

On Air with Ryan Seacrest as Self (performance)

2004

The Backyardigans as Mommy Martian (voice)

2004

Miley's New Year's Eve Party as Self - Musical Guest

2003

America's Next Top Model as Self - Keep a Child Alive

2002

American Dreams as Fontella Bass

2002

Last Call with Carson Daly as Self - Guest

2002

CMT Crossroads as Self

2002

The Best of Max as Self

2001

The Saturday Show as Self

2001

Star Academy as Self

2001

The Proud Family as Alicia Keys

2001

America | A Tribute to Heroes as Self - Performer

2000

106 & Park as Self

1998

Charmed as P3 Patron

1998

Vivement dimanche as Self

1998

TRL as Self

1998

Parkinson as Self

1997

The View as Self

1996

The Daily Show as Self

1994

MTV Europe Music Awards as Self - Performer

1992

ECHO-Verleihung as Self

1992

Nick News with Linda Ellerbee as Self - Host

1989

MTV Unplugged as Self

1984

The Cosby Show as Maria

1981

Wetten, dass..? as Self

1975

Saturday Night Live as Self - Musical Guest

1975

Saturday Night Live as Not available

1975

Saturday Night Live as Self (archive footage)

1969

Sesame Street as Self

1959

The Grammys as Self
Crew

2023

Uncharted Executive Producer

2021

How It Feels to Be Free Executive Producer

2021

Resort to Love Producer

2020

Work It Producer

2016

The Gospel Executive Producer

2016

The Gospel Original Music Composer

2016

Let Me In Executive Producer

2016

Let Me In Music

2013

The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete Original Music Composer

2011

Five Director

2008

Quantum of Solace Theme Song Performance