Alicia Keys Biography

Alicia Keys was born Alicia J. Augello-Cook on January 25, 1980, in New York City, New York. Her mother and father separated early in Keys’ life, and consequently she was raised primarily by her mother. Growing up, Keys lived in relative poverty, but she never allowed this to taint her ambitions. From early on, Keys was dedicated and driven, proclaiming acting as her initial career aspirations. She attended a casting call for the Cosby Show and won a one-time appearance in 1985. However, Keys began piano lessons just two years later at the age of seven, and her true calling was solidified.

Keys proved to be exceedingly talented for her young age, and was accepted into the prestigious Professional Performing Arts School in Manhattan. Not only talented, but also extremely intelligent, Keys graduated as valedictorian at the young age of sixteen. She was later accepted into Colombia University but never attended, because she wanted to focus on her music career full time. Keys’s first professional job was writing and recording the song “Dah Dee Dah (Sexy Thing)” for the 1997 blockbuster hit Men in Black.

Keys then met influential and legendary music personality Clive Davis, who signed her to Arista records. Davis and Keys later moved to J Records, Keys being the first artist to sign with this now successful label. She recorded several more songs for feature films including Shaft (2000) and Dr. Dolittle (2001), until the release of her debut album Songs in A Minor. The title paid homage to both her classical training and her young age.

This album went on to sell over 10 million units across the globe and win Keys five Grammy Awards, which included Best New Artist and Song of the Year for her smash hit “Fallin’.” Overnight, Keys became a formidable name in the music industry.