Girl on Fire | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | November 22, 2012 | |||
Recorded | 2011–2012 | |||
Studio |
| |||
Genre | R&B | |||
Length | 53:08 | |||
Label | RCA | |||
Producer | ||||
Alicia Keys chronology | ||||
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Singles from Girl on Fire | ||||
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Girl on Fire is the fifth studio album by American singer and songwriter Alicia Keys. It was released on November 22, 2012, being Keys' first release with RCA Records following Sony Music Entertainment's decision to close J Records during a company reshuffle. The album is an R&B album with elements of different musical styles, including rock, electro, reggae and hip hop. It features a largely minimalist production, includes piano-driven songs and balances traditional R&B with atypical chords and melodic changes.
Upon its release, Girl on Fire received generally positive reviews from music critics. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with 159,000 copies sold in its first week. [1] It produced five singles–"Girl on Fire" (which peaked at number two on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and number 11 on the US Billboard Hot 100), "Brand New Me", "New Day", "Fire We Make" (featuring Maxwell), and "Tears Always Win". To further promote the album, Keys embarked on her fifth worldwide concert tour, titled Set the World on Fire Tour, which commenced in March 2013 and ended in December. At the 56th Annual Grammy Awards, Girl on Fire won Best R&B Album, making Keys the most awarded artist in this category, with three wins.
Girl on Fire is Keys' fifth studio album and the follow-up to The Element of Freedom (2009). It also serves as her first release under RCA Records, after a reorganization at parent company Sony Music Entertainment led to her previous label J Records being absorbed into RCA. [2] Between the two albums, Keys married record producer and rapper Swizz Beatz, became a mother, began co-managing her own career, produced and directed both a Broadway play and short film, in addition to designing a line of trainers for Reebok. [2] Keys had also either appeared on or produced material for several other artists, including work on Kanye West, Emeli Sandé and Miguel's albums. [3] Essence reported that Keys began working on Girl on Fire in February 2011. [4] Speaking on how the events of the previous three years inspired her, during an interview with Billboard , Keys stated: "These last three years have been the most in every way. The most newest, the most difficult, the most loving, the most dream-filled, the most breaking free . . . an entire crazy dynamic of lessons and emotions to grow into and claim. This whirlwind has definitely forced me to be who I am, to be free enough and brave enough to just not accept anything else-nor try to be anything else." [2]
Speaking on how Girl on Fire was different to The Element of Freedom, Keys said: "I've stepped more into my business and really... taken control for how I want that to be. So every way that I've created now is totally in a new space. It's more in a true space of who I am and what story it is that I'm trying to tell, what it is I'm going through, what the world is going through. And it's really important for me to describe that and say that exactly how I see it, period. So, things are just new. The world is new! Everything feels like brand new to me." [5] Keys even explained that the album title is a slight reference to Katniss Everdeen, the central character in the adventure novel series The Hunger Games , of which she is a fan. [5]
Recording sessions for the album took place at Jungle City Studios and Oven Studios in New York, Chalice Studios and The Record Plant in Los Angeles, Geejam Studios in Jamaica, and Metropolis Studios in London. [6] Keys worked with a range of producers for Girl on Fire, including husband Swizz Beatz, Babyface, Kerry Brothers, Jr. and Jeff Bhasker among others. [3] When working on the album, Keys said she was not inspired by the current rhythmic trends in pop music. "I was really focused on writing, on the crafting of a song, more so than anything else. I didn't care about a beat. I didn't care about a hot track. I didn't even want to hear those things. I wanted to create a song." [7] During a Keep a Child Alive concert in New York City, Keys met blues-rock guitarist Gary Clark, Jr. Keys had initially asked Clark, Jr. if he would play the guitar elements from "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by George Harrison. Seeing potential in Clark, Jr.'s skills, Keys would present him with the song "Fire We Make" and asked him if he could play some guitar on the track. [8] Speaking about the collaboration he said, "I went in and I was like, 'What do you want me to do?' and she was like, 'This is the song. You just do what you do, and we'll see what happens.' It was one of the best studio experiences I've ever had." [8]
An R&B album, [9] Girl on Fire has a balance of conventional R&B songs and piano ballads. [10] The album's music is typified by Keys' heightened singing, piano playing, [11] and a minimalist production. [12] It also showcases her attempt at different styles, which range from electro soul and hip hop, [11] to rock and reggae flourishes. [9] The songs are mostly midtempo and feature unconventional chords and melodic changes. [9]
The album's lyrics features aphorisms about relationships and God. [11] A portion of the album's songs have their narrator examining and struggling with a stifling relationship, while others touch on Keys' recent personal life, including marriage and motherhood. [13] Pitchfork Media's Stephen M. Deusner views Girl on Fire as an album "about rebirth and renewal", writing that Keys "use[s] romantic tragedy as the engine for transformation." [14] James Reed of The Boston Globe writes that its "emphasis on looking inward recalls the mood of Beyoncé's 4 ." [12]
The quiet opening track "De Novo Adagio", which translates to adagio again, exhibits Keys' classically trained musicianship. [14] "Listen to Your Heart" is one of the album's uptempo songs, taking a more dancier direction than Keys' previous material. [15] "Brand New Me", a slow-burning declaration of the narrator's independence, [14] was penned with Scottish singer-songwriter Emeli Sandé, as an autobiographical snapshot of Keys' life. Sandé also helped Keys' write the songs "Not Even the King" and "101". [15] On "Brand New Me", Keys sings about finally taking control over a domineering partner. [7] "Not Even the King" is a piano-driven song about "rich love" which is bigger than the entire world, where Keys sings: "They offer the world to have what we got, but I found the world in you." [16]
In early September 2012, the audio for the song "Not Even the King" was uploaded to Keys' official Vevo channel. [16] On September 24, Keys performed an exclusive set for a MTV event called MTV Crashes Manchester. The set, which took place outside the City Cathedral in Manchester, included a variety of songs from her discography, as well as songs from Girl on Fire. [17] On September 28, she performed several new tracks from the album as well as older hits at the iTunes Festival. [18] On October 16, Keys performed her set at the "City Advantage Love the Journey Concert" at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall in New York City. [15] On November 12, Keys was featured on an episode of VH1 Storytellers , where she performed both old and new material. Josh Stillman of Entertainment Weekly praised her appearance on the show as a whole: "She carries herself onstage with cool and confidence – not showy or attention-seeking, merely comfortable – and speaks in a voice so smooth you could drape it over your shoulders." [19] He noted that Keys was backed by a six-piece band for songs such as "No One" and "If I Ain't Got You", but stripped the mood down for the "passionate solo renditions" of "Not Even the King" and "Brand New Me". [19]
On November 18, 2012, Keys performed "Girl on Fire" on The X Factor results show. On November 20, Keys streamed a Google+ Hangout on her official YouTube channel live from her studio, to give fans a "guided tour" of the album. [20] When announcing the session, she stated: "hear all the songs on the record [and] I'll be able to share my creative process and also tell you some of the very special and important meanings behind some of the songs." [20] Girl on Fire was released in the United States on November 27, as her first album released by RCA Records. In November 2012, following her performance on The X Factor, Keys announced an eight-date UK and Ireland arena tour, which took place in 2013. Keys also said that she would tour with Miguel beginning in March 2013. [21] On January 10, 2013, Keys announced that she would embark on the Set the World on Fire Tour in North America; tickets went on sale on January 14. [22]
The album's title song was unveiled on September 4, 2012, as the lead single. [23] Recorded as a three-part suite, "Girl on Fire" was accompanied by its "Inferno" version featuring rapper Nicki Minaj and a "Bluelight" remix featuring Keys singing the song in a stripped-back production. The song was composed by Keys, Jeff Bhasker and Salaam Remi. Rock guitarist Billy Squier is also credited as a writer due to "Girl on Fire" including a music sample of the drum track from his song "The Big Beat" (1980). [24] Keys performed the song for the first time at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards on September 6, 2012, being joined by Minaj and the 2012 Summer Olympics gymnastics gold medalist Gabby Douglas, who made a special appearance during the performance. [25] In the United States, "Girl on Fire" peaked at number two on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100. [26]
On November 19, "Brand New Me", which was co-written with Scottish singer-songwriter Emeli Sandé, impacted the urban adult contemporary radio in the United States as the album's second single. [27]
"New Day" served as the album's third single for international markets only, being sent to radio stations in France on February 21, 2013, [28] in Australia on May 17, [29] and finally in the United Kingdom on May 29. [30]
"Fire We Make", Keys' duet with Maxwell, was serviced to US urban adult contemporary radio stations on March 28 as the fourth single. [31]
The album's fifth single "Tears Always Win" was released for digital download via iTunes Store on May 7. [32] Keys performed the song on American Idol on May 9. [33] [34]
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 69/100 [35] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [13] |
The Daily Telegraph | [36] |
Entertainment Weekly | B [37] |
The Guardian | [11] |
The Independent | [38] |
Los Angeles Times | [39] |
Pitchfork | 7.1/10 [14] |
Rolling Stone | [9] |
Spin | 7/10 [40] |
USA Today | [41] |
Girl on Fire received generally positive reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 69, based on 25 reviews. [42] In Rolling Stone , Jody Rosen called Keys a musical "iconoclast" and Girl on Fire "both her catchiest and subtlest album yet – and one of the best R&B records of 2012." [9] Uncut wrote in its review, "Her technical brilliance remains stunning; it's now matched by her maturity and modernity." [43] Will Hodgkinson of The Times wrote that the album "works by combining odd modern touches with a classic songwriting sensibility." [44] Helen Brown from The Daily Telegraph felt that, although "the powerful simplicity of her lyrics" occasionally "tends toward the trite", the album "does at least see her classily smouldering and occasionally ablaze." [36] Andrew Hampp of Billboard felt that it is "low on the filler" of some of Keys' previous albums and dubbed it "arguably [her] most consistent album to date." [45] Melissa Maerz of Entertainment Weekly wrote that "the music feels surprisingly intimate" when Keys plays her piano-based songs rather than the "jazzy smoothfests". [37] Robert Christgau said Girl on Fire was "heartfelt, lively, and sweet—as r&b maturity statements go", while naming the title track and "One Thing" as its highlights. He gave it a two-star honorable mention in his column for MSN Music , [46] indicating a "likable effort consumers attuned to its overriding aesthetic or individual vision may well enjoy". [47]
In a mixed review, Ben Ratliff of The New York Times observed "so many clichés" and critiqued that the songs with Keys' personal "subtext ... quickly grow trite, in words and music." [48] Dave Simpson of The Guardian wrote that, "as a reinvention, the album doesn't go far enough, and there are some underwhelming tunes". [11] Simon Price of The Independent found it to be "dominated by navel-gazing auto-therapy sessions" and asserted, "What it lacks, ironically, is fire." [49] Slant Magazine 's Eric Henderson found the album to be "less a portrait of Keys's womanhood at a crossroads as it is another extension of a career spent predominantly navigating straight down the middle of the road." [50] Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune felt that, like her previous albums, Keys still "keeps her guard up and the listener at arm’s length." [51] Kitty Empire of The Observer quipped, "she's supposed to be on fire here, not just warming the piano stool", [52] while Mikael Wood of the Los Angeles Times viewed it as another "collection of handsomely crafted, gorgeously sung ballads interrupted by several overworked anthems about the value of perseverance." [39]
Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2012 | La chanson de l'année | Song of the Year | "Girl on Fire" | Nominated | |
2013 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Music Video | Won | ||
Outstanding Album | Girl on Fire | Nominated | |||
Outstanding Female Artist | Alicia Keys | Won | |||
2013 | International Dance Music Award | Best R&B/Urban Dance Track | "Girl on Fire" | Nominated | |
RTHK International Pop Poll Award | Top Ten International Gold Songs | Won | |||
Top Female Artist | Alicia Keys | Nominated | |||
2013 | Billboard Music Award | Billboard Music Award for Top R&B Artist | Nominated | ||
Top R&B Album | Girl on Fire | Nominated | |||
Top R&B Song | "Girl on Fire" | Nominated | |||
2013 | MTV Video Music Award Japan | Best Female Video | Nominated | ||
Best R&B Video | Nominated | ||||
2013 | BMI Urban Award | Most Performed Song | Won | ||
2013 | Soul Train Music Award | Best R&B/Soul Female Artist | Alicia Keys | Nominated | |
The Ashford & Simpson Songwriter's Award | "Fire We Make" | Nominated | |||
Best Collaboration | Nominated | ||||
2014 | TEC Award | Outstanding Creative Achievement – Record Production/Album | Girl on Fire | Nominated | |
2014 | Grammy Award | Best R&B Album | Won | ||
2014 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Song | "Fire We Make" | Nominated | |
Outstanding Music Video | Nominated | ||||
Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration | Nominated | ||||
2014 | ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Award | Award Winning R&B/Hip-Hop Song | "Girl on Fire" | Won |
In the United States, Girl on Fire debuted at number one the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 159,000 copies in its first week. [65] It became Keys' fifth number-one album on the chart [65] but also registered Keys' lowest first-week sales for an album til her 6th album studio “Here (Alicia Keys album)” and “Alicia (Alicia Keys album)”;her previous album, The Element of Freedom (2009), had opened to sales of 417,000 units, "buoyed by its week-before Christmas release date". [1] In its second week, Girl on Fire dropped to number seven on the chart, selling an additional 77,000 copies. [66] In its third week, the album fell to number nine, selling 61,000 more copies. [67] On August 11, 2020, the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for combined sales and album-equivalent units of one million units in the United States. [68]
In the United Kingdom, the album debuted at number 15 on the UK Albums Chart and number two on the UK R&B Albums Chart, [69] selling 31,675 copies in its first week. [70] In Australia, it debuted at number 12 on the ARIA Albums Chart and number two on the ARIA Urban Albums Chart. [71] [72] Upon the release of Girl on Fire in South Korea, the entire album charted on the Gaon International Singles Chart: "Tears Always Win" debuted at number one, "Not Even the King" at number 24, "Girl on Fire" (Inferno Version, featuring Nicki Minaj) at number 46, "That When I Knew" and "Brand New Me" at numbers 50 and 51, respectively, "One Thing" at 56, "Fire We Make" (with Maxwell) at number 64, "New Day" at number 66, "Listen to Your Heart" at number 68, "When Its All Over" at number 72, "Limitedless" at number 82, "De Novo Adagio (Intro)" at number 84 and "101" at number 87. [73] According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), Girl on Fire was the 32nd best-selling album worldwide of 2012 with sales of 1.3 million copies. [74]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "De Novo Adagio" (Intro) | 1:19 | ||
2. | "Brand New Me" | Keys | 3:53 | |
3. | "When It's All Over" |
| 4:34 | |
4. | "Listen to Your Heart" |
|
| 3:46 |
5. | "New Day" |
|
| 4:02 |
6. | "Girl on Fire" (Inferno version) (featuring Nicki Minaj) |
| 4:30 | |
7. | "Fire We Make" (duet with Maxwell) |
| 5:21 | |
8. | "Tears Always Win" |
|
| 3:59 |
9. | "Not Even the King" |
| Keys | 3:07 |
10. | "That's When I Knew" |
| 4:05 | |
11. | "Limitedless" |
|
| 3:57 |
12. | "One Thing" |
| Ho | 4:08 |
13. | "101" |
| Keys | 6:29 |
Total length: | 53:08 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
14. | "Girl on Fire" |
|
| 3:44 |
15. | "Girl on Fire" (Bluelight version) |
|
| 4:22 |
Total length: | 61:14 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "No One" | 6:10 |
2. | "Brand New Me" | 4:49 |
3. | "You Don't Know My Name" | 7:00 |
4. | "Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down" | 4:18 |
5. | "Not Even the King" | 4:11 |
6. | "Fallin'" | 4:44 |
7. | "If I Ain't Got You" | 7:17 |
8. | "Girl on Fire" | 4:57 |
9. | "New Day" | 4:48 |
10. | "Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart" | 5:49 |
11. | "Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready)" | 5:40 |
Sample credits
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Girl on Fire. [6]
Musicians
Additional personnel
| Technical personnel
|
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [124] | Gold | 35,000^ |
Canada (Music Canada) [125] | Gold | 40,000^ |
France (SNEP) [126] | Gold | 50,000* |
Germany (BVMI) [127] | Gold | 100,000^ |
Netherlands (NVPI) [128] | Platinum | 50,000^ |
Philippines (PARI) [129] | Gold | 7,500* |
Poland (ZPAV) [130] | Gold | 10,000* |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) [131] | Gold | 15,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [132] | Gold | 100,000* |
United States (RIAA) [133] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Region | Date | Edition(s) | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Netherlands | November 22, 2012 | Standard | Sony Music | ||
Australia | November 23, 2012 | ||||
Germany | |||||
France | November 26, 2012 | Jive Epic | |||
United Kingdom |
| RCA | |||
Italy | November 27, 2012 |
| Sony Music | ||
United States | RCA | ||||
Japan | November 28, 2012 | Sony Music | |||
Sweden | |||||
France | December 14, 2012 | Vinyl | Jive Epic | ||
Germany | Sony Music | ||||
Netherlands | December 17, 2012 | ||||
Sweden | December 19, 2012 | ||||
United States | December 25, 2012 | RCA | |||
Australia | November 29, 2013 | Tour | CD+DVD | Sony Music |
Alicia Augello Cook, known professionally as Alicia Keys, is an American singer and songwriter. A classically trained pianist, Keys began composing songs when she was the age of 12 and was signed by Columbia Records at the age of 15. After disputes with the label, she signed with J Records to release her debut studio album, Songs in A Minor (2001). Met with critical acclaim and commercial success, the album sold over 12 million copies worldwide and won five awards at the 44th Annual Grammy Awards. It contained the Billboard Hot 100-number one single "Fallin'." Her second album, The Diary of Alicia Keys (2003) was met with continued success, selling eight million units worldwide and spawning the singles "You Don't Know My Name", "If I Ain't Got You", and "Diary". Its release earned an additional four Grammy Awards.
Songs in A Minor is the debut studio album by American singer and songwriter Alicia Keys, released on June 12, 2001, by J Records.
Stripped is the fourth studio album by American singer Christina Aguilera. It was released on October 22, 2002, by RCA Records. Looking to transition from the teen pop styles of her self-titled debut album (1999), Aguilera took creative control over Stripped, both musically and lyrically. She also changed her public image and established her alter ego Xtina. Musically, the record incorporates pop and R&B with influences from many different genres, including soul, rock, hip hop, and Latin music. Lyrically, most of the album's songs discuss the theme of self-respect, while a few other songs talk about sex and feminism. As an executive producer, Aguilera enlisted numerous new collaborators for the album.
The Diary of Alicia Keys is the second studio album by American singer Alicia Keys. It was released on December 2, 2003, by J Records. The album was recorded at several recording studios, and production was handled primarily by Keys with contributions from Kanye West and Kerry Brothers Jr., who described it as "an R&B album".
Unplugged is the first live album by American singer Alicia Keys. It was released on October 7, 2005 by J Records. Recorded as part of the television program MTV Unplugged on July 4, 2005 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the album includes songs from her first two studio albums Songs in A Minor (2001) and The Diary of Alicia Keys (2003).
American singer Alicia Keys has released nine studio albums, eight live albums, one remix album, six reissue albums, three extended plays, seven box sets, 47 singles as lead artist, and six promotional singles. Throughout her career, Keys has sold over 65 million records worldwide. According to Recording Industry Association of America, Keys is the top certified female R&B artist of the millennium, with 20 million certified albums and 38 million certified digital singles in the United States. Billboard ranked her as the second top female artist of the 2000s decade, fourth top R&B/hip-Hop female artist of the 2010s decade and the 60th Greatest Artist of all time.
A Girl Like Me is the second studio album by Barbadian singer Rihanna. It was released on April 10, 2006, by Def Jam Recordings. For the production of the album, Rihanna worked with Evan Rogers, Carl Sturken, Stargate, J. R. Rotem, and label-mate Ne-Yo, who wrote the album's second single. A Girl Like Me is a pop and reggae album influenced by Rihanna's Caribbean roots. The album also incorporates elements of dancehall and rock, as well as ballads, which music critics were ambivalent towards.
"Unfaithful" is a song by Barbadian singer Rihanna from her second studio album A Girl like Me (2006). It was written by Shaffer "Ne-Yo" Smith with the song's producers Stargate. The song was released by Def Jam Recordings on May 1, 2006, as the second single from the album. "Unfaithful" is a pop, dancehall and R&B ballad and was inspired by the music of American rock band Evanescence. Originally titled "Murderer", the single speaks about a woman who regrets cheating on her partner.
"My Boo" is a duet between American R&B singers Usher and Alicia Keys, written by the artists alongside Adonis Shropshire, Manuel Seal, and Jermaine Dupri, the latter of whom produced it with No I.D.—who is uncredited. It was included on the re-release of Usher's fourth studio album, Confessions (2004). The song was released as the album's fourth single on August 29, 2004.
Good Girl Gone Bad is the third studio album by Barbadian singer Rihanna. It was released on May 31, 2007, by Def Jam Recordings and SRP Records. Rihanna worked with various producers on the album, including Tricky Stewart, The-Dream, Neo da Matrix, Timbaland, Carl Sturken, Evan Rogers and Stargate. Inspired by Brandy's fourth studio album Afrodisiac (2004), Good Girl Gone Bad is a pop, dance-pop and R&B record with 1980s music influences. Described as a turning point in Rihanna's career, it represents a departure from the Caribbean sound of her previous releases, Music of the Sun (2005) and A Girl like Me (2006). Apart from the sound, she also endorsed a new image for the release going from an innocent young woman to an edgier, more mature look.
As I Am is the third studio album by American singer and songwriter Alicia Keys, released on November 9, 2007, by J Records. Recording sessions for the album took place at various recording studios from 2005 until 2007. Production was handled primarily by Keys, Kerry Brothers Jr., Jack Splash, and Linda Perry, with a guest contribution from musician John Mayer.
One of the Boys is the second studio album by American singer Katy Perry. It was released on June 17, 2008, by Capitol Records. She collaborated on the album with producers Greg Wells, Dr. Luke, Dave Stewart, Max Martin, and Ted Bruner among others, and wrote most of the songs in collaboration with other producers and writers. However, the title track, "Thinking of You", and "Mannequin" were all written by Perry alone. The EP Ur So Gay, containing the song of the same name, was released in 2007 to generate interest in the singer and the album.
I Am... Sasha Fierce is the third solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Beyoncé. It was released on November 12, 2008, by Columbia Records and Music World Entertainment.
"Empire State of Mind" is a song performed by American rapper Jay-Z featuring American singer Alicia Keys from the former's eleventh studio album, The Blueprint 3 (2009). It was released by his then-newfound record label Roc Nation and Atlantic Records on October 20, 2009. Produced by Al Shux, the song features a music sample of "Love on a Two-Way Street" performed by The Moments. Angela Hunte and Janet Sewell-Ulepic originally wrote it as a tribute to their hometown, New York City. The following month, they submitted it to Roc Nation, whose reviews were discouraging. They later took the suggestion of an EMI Music Publishing associate and resubmitted it to Jay-Z, who kept the "New York" singing part on the hook, changed the verses, and recorded it. The song's title, similar to "New York State of Mind" by Billy Joel and "N.Y. State of Mind" by Nas, is a wordplay and tribute to New York's nickname "Empire State".
The Element of Freedom is the fourth studio album by American singer and songwriter Alicia Keys, released on December 11, 2009, by J Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during May to September 2009 at the Oven Studios in Long Island, New York. Production was primarily handled by Keys, Kerry Brothers Jr., and Jeff Bhasker. Departing from the classicist soul music of Keys' previous albums, The Element of Freedom has a mid-tempo, low-key sound and features mostly love songs.
"Empire State of Mind Broken Down" is a song by American singer Alicia Keys from her fourth studio album, The Element of Freedom (2009). It is an answer song to the Billboard Hot 100 number-one single "Empire State of Mind" performed by Jay-Z featuring Keys. Produced by Al Shux and Keys, the song gained international airplay and download sales although it was only officially released in the United Kingdom as the second single from The Element of Freedom.
Loud is the fifth studio album by Barbadian singer Rihanna. It was released on November 12, 2010, by Def Jam Recordings and SRP Records. The album was recorded between February and August 2010, during the singer's Last Girl on Earth tour (2010-2011) and the filming of her first feature film Battleship (2012). Rihanna and L.A. Reid were the executive producers of Loud and worked with various record producers, including Stargate, Sandy Vee, The Runners, Tricky Stewart and Alex da Kid. The album features several guest vocalists, including rappers Drake, Nicki Minaj, and Eminem, who is featured on the sequel to "Love the Way You Lie", titled "Love the Way You Lie ".
"Girl on Fire" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys for her fifth studio album of the same name. Keys co-wrote and co-produced the R&B ballad with Jeff Bhasker and Salaam Remi. The song contains an interpolation of the drums from the 1980 song "The Big Beat" by American rock guitarist Billy Squier, who received a writing credit on "Girl on Fire". Released on September 4, 2012, as the lead single from the album, "Girl on Fire" is Keys' first release under RCA Records following the closure of J Records, after a reorganization at Sony Music Entertainment.
"Fire We Make" is a song by American recording artists Alicia Keys and Maxwell, taken from Keys' fifth studio album Girl on Fire (2012). It was written and produced by Keys along with Gary Clark, Jr. and Warren "Oak" Felder and Andrew "Pop" Wansel from production duo Pop & Oak. "Fire We Make" is a downbeat neo soul ballad with adult contemporary R&B influences, in which Keys and Maxwell adopt sensual falsetto vocals. The instrumental elements used on it include echoing electric guitar riffs and clapping synthesizers. In "Fire We Make", Keys and Maxwell, as the protagonists, confess their love and speak of the chemistry they have with each other which they compare to fire that is "getting hotter and hotter."
Here is the sixth studio album by American singer and songwriter Alicia Keys. It was released on November 4, 2016, by RCA Records. Keys recorded the album in 2014 at the New York–based Jungle City Studios and Oven Studios with producers Mark Batson, Swizz Beatz, Illangelo, Jimmy Napes, and Pharrell Williams. The singer had finished writing and recording material for the album before she found out she was pregnant, which put the record's release on hold.
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