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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.
The MTV Video Music Awards is an award show presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in the music video medium. Originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards, the annual MTV Video Music Awards ceremony has often been called the "Super Bowl for youth", an acknowledgment of the VMA ceremony's ability to draw millions of youth from teens to 20-somethings each year. By 2001, the VMA had become a coveted award.
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".
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.
"If I Ain't Got You" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys for her second studio album The Diary of Alicia Keys (2003). Inspired by the 2001 death of singer Aaliyah, the September 11 attacks, and other events in the world and in Keys' life, the song is about "how material things don't feed the soul". It was released as the second single from The Diary of Alicia Keys on February 17, 2004, by J Records. The single cover depicts Keys similarly to the subject of Man Ray's 1924 photograph Le Violon d'Ingres.
"Sleep to Dream" is a song written and recorded by American alternative singer-songwriter Fiona Apple. It was released on February 25, 1997 by Work Records and Columbia Records as the second single from her debut studio album, Tidal.
The 2007 MTV Video Music Awards, honoring the best music videos from the previous year between June 2006 to June 2007, took place on September 9, in Las Vegas at The Palms. The 2007 VMAs were the smallest VMAs to ever take place, eliminating 13 awards, and renaming many of the remaining awards. The 2008 awards restored most of the categories.
"Empire State of Mind" is a song performed by American rapper Jay-Z featuring American singer Alicia Keys from the former's 11th studio album, The Blueprint 3 (2009). It was released 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 Jay-Z's label Roc Nation, whose reviews were discouraging. They later took the suggestion of an associate of EMI Music Publishing 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" and could also be a reference to the Empire State Building in Manhattan.
"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.
American recording artist Alicia Keys has appeared in numerous music videos. Her videography includes more than thirty music videos and three video albums. In 2000, Keys signed a recording contract with J Records and released her debut single "Fallin'", taken from her first studio album Songs in A minor (2001). The plot of its music video had Keys traveling to a prison to visit her incarcerated boyfriend and was continued in the video for her next single, "A Woman's Worth;" both videos marked Keys' first collaboration with director Chris Robinson, who would become a regular collaborator later. In 2004, another regular, American director Diane Martel, directed the accompanying music video for the second single from the singer's second album The Diary of Alicia Keys, "If I Ain't Got You", which featured rapper Method Man as Keys' love interest. It won the Best R&B Video accolade at the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards.
Khalif Malik Ibn Shaman Brown, known professionally as Swae Lee, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. Known for his wide vocal range and genre-bending, Lee first saw mainstream recognition as one half of the Mississippi-based hip hop duo Rae Sremmurd, which he formed with his brother Slim Jxmmi. They signed with Mike Will Made It's EarDrummer Records, an imprint of Interscope Records in 2013 to release four albums which contained hit singles including "No Flex Zone," "No Type," and "Black Beatles" —the latter topped the Billboard Hot 100. He guest featured on French Montana's 2017 single "Unforgettable," which became his first song to reach the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 as a soloist and received diamond certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Later that year, he received a Grammy Award nomination for co-writing Beyoncé's single "Formation."
"Crave" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna and American rapper Swae Lee, from the former's fourteenth studio Madame X (2019). The song was written by the two artists and Starrah, while production was handled by Madonna, Mike Dean, and Billboard. It was released by Interscope Records for digital download and streaming as the album's second single on May 10, 2019. The song has been noted as a pop, trap, and hip hop ballad inspired by Fado music, with the lyrics talking about desire and craving for someone who's running away. It was one of the first songs Madonna wrote for Madame X, but she put the work on hold when she began working with other musicians in Lisbon. When she revisited the song, Madonna came to the conclusion that a male voice was needed for inclusion and approached Swae Lee to sing with her, as she was a fan of his voice.
American rapper Swae Lee has released one studio album, 24 singles and four music videos.
"Sicko Mode" is a song by American rapper Travis Scott. It features vocals from Canadian rapper Drake, who was credited on Apple Music but not on the Billboard Hot 100 or Spotify. It was originally released by Epic Records on August 3, 2018, as the third track from Astroworld (2018), before being released as the second single on August 21. It features additional uncredited vocals by fellow American rappers Swae Lee and the late Big Hawk.
"Show Me Love" is a song by American singers and songwriters Alicia Keys and Miguel. It was written by Keys, Miguel, Tory Lanez, and guitarist-producer Morgan Matthews, while production was handled by Keys and Matthews. The song was released on September 17, 2019 through RCA Records with UMPG as the lead single from Keys' seventh studio album Alicia. It is an R&B ballad involving feelings of desire. A remix version of the song featuring rapper 21 Savage was released on November 4, 2019.
The 2021 MTV Video Music Awards were held on September 12, 2021, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York City. This marked the first time in eight years that the venue hosted the show. The show was hosted by hip-hop rapper and singer Doja Cat. It was the first time in history a Video of the Year nominee hosted the ceremony the same year.
"Love Looks Better" is a song by American recording artist Alicia Keys. It was written by Keys, Ryan Tedder, Larrance Dopson, Noel Zancanella, Christopher "Brody" Brown and produced by Keys, Tedder, Zancanella and Dopson. The song was released through RCA Records as the seventh single from Keys' seventh studio album Alicia (2020) on September 10, 2020.
"Wild Side" is a song by American singer Normani featuring American rapper Cardi B. It was released on July 16, 2021, through Keep Cool and RCA Records as the lead single from the album. The song marks Normani's first radio release since 2019's "Motivation". It was written by the two artists alongside Keynon Moore, Pardison Fontaine, Starrah, Dave Cappa, Jonah Christian, June Nawakii, Taylor Ross, and Tyler Rohn, and was produced by the latter six and Normani.
Keys is the eighth studio album by American singer and songwriter Alicia Keys, released through RCA Records on December 10, 2021; her last album released under the label as they parted ways in the summer of 2022. It was primarily produced by Keys. It was preceded by the release of two singles: "Lala" featuring Swae Lee and "Best of Me". The album was announced on October 27 and includes two discs, with two versions of 10 tracks, along with six other tracks.
"Best of Me" is a song by American singer and songwriter Alicia Keys. It was written by Keys, Andrew Hale, Sade, Raphael Saadiq, and Stuart Matthewman. Keys released two versions of the song, "Originals", produced solely by her, and "Unlocked", produced alongside Mike Will Made It, through RCA Records on October 28, 2021. The song serves as the second single from Keys' eighth studio album Keys.
References
- 1 2 Bowenbank, Starr (2021-09-01). "Alicia Keys Uses Her Midas Touch to Announce New Song Featuring Swae Lee". Billboard . Retrieved 2021-09-16.
- ↑ "LALA Teaser - Alicia Keys Ft. Swae Lee". YouTube . Retrieved 2021-09-09.
- ↑ "Alicia Keys Tells Apple Music About New Song 'LALA (Unlocked)' Featuring Swae Lee And Previews Forthcoming New Music". Grungecake. 9 September 2021. Retrieved 2021-10-02.
- ↑ "LALA (Unlocked) (feat. Swae Lee) - Single by Alicia Keys". Apple Music . Retrieved 2021-10-02.
- ↑ Powell, Jon (2021-09-09). "Alicia Keys Teams Up with Swae Lee and Mike WiLL Made-It for "LALA (Unlocked)"". Revolt . Retrieved 2021-10-02.
- 1 2 Legaspi, Althea (2021-09-09). "Hear Alicia Keys, Swae Lee's Sultry New Duet 'LaLa'". Rolling Stone . Retrieved 2021-10-02.
- ↑ "Alicia Keys And Swae Lee Team Up On 'LALA (Unlocked)'". Rap-Up . 2021-09-09. Retrieved 2021-10-02.
- ↑ Inscoe-Jones, Liam (2021-12-08). "Alicia Keys Continues to Settle Into a Fruitful Groove on the Unique Double Album KEYS". The Line of Best Fit . Retrieved 2021-12-27.
- ↑ Hussey, Allison (2021-09-12). "MTV VMAs 2021: Watch Alicia Keys Perform "Lala" and "Empire State of Mind"". Pitchfork . Retrieved 2021-09-16.
- 1 2 Ruggieri, Melissa (2021-09-12). "Brutally Honest Reviews of Every VMAs 2021 Performance, Including Lil Nas X and Ed Sheeran". USA Today . Retrieved 2021-09-16.
- ↑ Kreps, Daniel (2021-09-12). "Alicia Keys, Swae Lee Debut New Single 'LaLa' at 2021 VMAs". Rolling Stone . Retrieved 2021-09-16.
- ↑ Brown, Breezy (2021-09-13). "Alicia Keys And Swae Lee Perform "LALA (Unlocked)" At MTV Video Music Awards". Vibe . Retrieved 2021-09-16.
- ↑ Russell, Scott (2021-09-13). "The 10 Best 2021 VMAs Performances". Paste . Retrieved 2021-09-16.
- ↑ "Alicia Keys Chart History (Hot R&B Songs)". Billboard . Retrieved September 22, 2021.
- ↑ "Alicia Keys Chart History (Adult R&B Songs)". Billboard . Retrieved December 12, 2021.
