Alicia Keys is easily one of the most successful and accomplished artist of the 2000s. Her smooth blend of age-old and new age R&B made her an instant success when her first album, Songs in A Minor, dropped in 2001. The album sold 50,000 copies on its first day on its way to ten million units, and the debut single, Fallin’, peaked at number on the charts. But all the commercial success didn’t deny her critical acclaim. At the 2002 Grammys, she walked away with five statuettes, including Best New Artist and Song of the Year. She didn’t fall prey to the Best New Artist curse, however, as her second album reached number one on both the pop and R&B charts and produced two more number one R&B singles. Alicia Keys’ career has rarely slowed down since, producing three more number one R&B albums and an astounding twenty-eight Grammy nominations and fifteen wins. Even her 2005 Unplugged release showcasing her performance skills enjoyed tremendous success, becoming the first album from the MTV series to debut at number one since Nirvana’s classic 1994 appearance. Several of her best-known singles, from My Boo to No One and Girl on Fire have gone platinum and remained R&B radio staples despite steep competition. In addition to being a magnificent vocalist, Alicia Keys is a talented musician, able to play instruments as varied as the piano, cello, guitar and drums. It’s no wonder that in addition to all those Grammys, Alicia Keys has picked up seventeen NAACP Image Awards as an inspiration to young people and performers everywhere.
Alicia Keys Piece of an Angel Tour
Alicia Keys sets herself up as angelic on her 2015 Piece of an Angel Tour. The dynamic singer presents herself as a multidimensional artist with a greater depth than can be found on her albums, able to sit behind the drums or piano and jam with the band. She gives her fans the hits they want, from No One to Girl on Fire and Know Who You Are. The R&B diva even reworks duets with Usher and Jay-Z to present them in a new light so paying fans aren’t disappointed. She slips between high-energy songs verging on hip hop to stripped-down solo work reminiscent of her soulful platinum-selling Unplugged appearance. Alicia Keys is an engaging performer famed for starting on time and putting on a lengthy performance with an encore or two, so come early, stay late, and get your money’s worth. The multiple Grammy winner keeps her concerts interesting and invigorating, treating big tour dates and small ones the same way: as an entertaining yet intimate evening that demonstrates that Alicia Keys never forgets that the show is for the fans.