Alicia Keys is seriously talented. The 32 year old mother of one (son, Egypt Dean is two and a half years old) has repeatedly made good music over the course of her 11 year career, winning well over 104 awards including 14 Grammys, and selling over 35 million copies of her albums worldwide.
Personally, I love me some Ms Keys.
The first real album I ever bought was her 2001 debut "Songs In A Minor" and I know it ain't no coincidence. I must have listened to that CD over a million times! Matter of fact, I listened to the album until it could play no more and then I went and bought another copy lol! I rocked to Jane Doe, sang along to A Woman's Worth and like everybody else loved Fallin, How Come You Don't Call Me and Girlfriend. But my all time favourites on that album were Mr Man and Why Do I Feel So Sad. Waoh..how I loved that album!
And since then the sexy singer has never let me down. From album to album, she has stayed true to her style and ganered support and loyal fans, including my humble self, along the way. The Diary Of Alicia Keys, As I Am, The Element of Freedom and the newly released Girl On Fire are all nothing short of masterpieces.
So one would expect that all the success Ms Keys has had in the competitive world of music will be enough to make her sit back and relax? Not a chance! Today, the sultry singer released an article for online women's inspirational portal LeanIn, talking about the next chapter in her life.
Read it and be inspired!
A few years ago, I found myself at a crossroads. I had passed that period of being naïve, figuring out how everything worked, and learning how to put it all together. I realized it was time for me to reach out in new directions. I had new ideas and dreams. I didn’t want life to just happen to me—I wanted to be an active participant.
Though people knew me primarily for my music, there were other avenues I wanted to explore. I dreamed of creating an environment – a home, so to speak – for all of my endeavors. My various interests were growing, and I was beginning to discover more opportunities in film, music, television, theatre, the tech world and beyond. I didn’t want to look at all of those possibilities as separate endeavors, but rather as a cohesive package. Additionally, I was heavily involved in philanthropic efforts and wanted that passion to complement all of my creative projects as well. I realized I had a huge palette to draw from and it was important that my projects reflected my hard work.
I knew I needed this “home” to have a purpose. When I was younger, people would approach me to do endorsements and promotions for jeans, perfumes, beauty products… everything you can imagine. But I was hesitant because I knew I didn’t want to just do “things”—I wanted these things to have meaning. As I thought about what I wanted to make of my new “home,” I began to focus on the idea of inspiration and how it could be my guiding force in the world—working solely on things that have the potential to bring light to people and make a real difference.
I saw this most clearly when I was backstage before one of my shows. A woman came up to me during a meet and greet and asked me if I was going to sing “Unbreakable.” I teased her for a moment, saying, “I don’t know, maybe… we’ll have to see.” She responded very seriously. “I hope so. I am five years in remission. I played that song every day during chemo.” Her words left me speechless. In fact, even today when I think about that exchange, I still get the chills as I reflect on her response. That moment alone embodies how I feel about music and all creative endeavors— there’s an incredibly beautiful power that when used appropriately, has the ability to inspire people.
Read the rest of the article on The Author's Website
Image courtesy Alicia Keys Facebook
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