Alicia Keys

She was born as Alicia Augello Cook on January 25, 1981, in New York City as the only child of Teresa and Craig Cook. Her mother was a part-time actress while her father was a flight attendant. She is of biracial heritage. Her parents separated when she was quite young and she was primarily raised by her mother, Her mother ensured that young Alicia received dance and music lessons. She started learning classical piano when she was seven and enrolled in the Professional Performing Arts School at the age of 12. She graduated as valedictorian at the age of 16. Following her graduation she became serious about her musical career and signed a recording contract with Columbia records.

Alicia Keys is a Grammy Award winning American singer who rose to fame with her debut album, ‘Songs in A Minor’, which sold over 12 million copies and established her as an overnight sensation.

Not only was her debut album a huge commercial success, it also received much critical acclaim and won her several prestigious awards. Her success continued with the release of her subsequent albums and soon she became one of contemporary America’s most favorite singers. Her subsequent albums too performed well and she proved to the audiences and critics that she was not one-time wonder. Eventually she forayed into television and films as well and has appeared in movies such as ‘Smokin' Aces’ and ‘Dove Fresh Takes’

Her recent album ‘Girl on Fire’ was out in November 2012. It was a mixture of conventional genre songs and piano ballads, with occasional references to marriage and motherhood. Even though the album was a moderate success, its commercial performance was pale in comparison to the earlier albums.

 

In 2002 to 2005 several recognition from Grammy Awards for Song of the Year, Best R&B Song, Best R&B Album, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance In 2006, she won three NAACP Image Awards, including Outstanding Female Artist and Outstanding Song for ‘Unbreakable’. In 2014, she received the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album for ‘Girl on Fire’.

 

She is the co-founder and Global Ambassador of Keep a Child Alive, a non-profit organization that provides medicine to families with HIV and AIDS in Africa. She also performs regularly in charity concerts to raise funds for several humanitarian causes.

She also support for the non-profit corporation “Aid Still Required”, which is committed to deal and take proper care of the unnoticed issues in society, along with providing concern and support for the victims of natural disasters.

At The Bernard B. Jacobs Theater Alicia was spotted carrying a Christian Louboutin, Artemis studded bag. This bag is a part of the Fall 2011 collection. It has some unique features like snap-fastening flap front and internal patch pocket.

Probably everyone knows in Manhattan that when it comes to cool shades, Alicia cannot trust anything except Ray-Ban Aviator sunglasses. They are also known as Pilot Shades and are easily recognizable by the dark, reflective lenses. The metals frames come either with paddles or hook temples.

Alicia does have a soft corner for cool looking handbags and one of his proud possessions includes the 'Birkin' bag which is manufactured by ready-to-wear giant Hermes.

At present Alicia Keys and record producer Swizz Beatz announced that they were romantically involved. A year later they were expecting a child together. The couple got married in July 2010 in Corsica, a French island. She gave birth to a son in New York. Though they now live happily the initial years of courtship were rocked by allegations that Alicia was behind the break-up of the first marriage of her husband.