Alicia Keys

Alicia Augello Cook (born January 25, 1981 in Hell's Kitchen, New York), better known as Alicia Keys, is a Grammy award winning American soul and R&B singer-songwriter, composer, pianist, poet and actress. Keys is a world renowned artist who has sold over 35 million albums worldwide and won numerous awards, including twelve Grammy Awards, seventeen Billboard Music Awards, and five American Music Awards since releasing her debut album, Songs in A Minor, in 2001. Since then she has released 2003's The Diary of Alicia Keys, 2007's As I Am and 2009's The Element of Freedom. She grew up in Harlem, New York City, New York and started playing piano aged seven. After leaving Columbia Records, Keys met Clive Davis who headed Arista at the time (2000). When he established his new label J Records, Alicia was signed. Her big break came after appearing on Oprah Winfrey and in June 2001 her debut album, Songs in A Minor, charted at #1. She has sinced released the albums The Diary of Alicia Keys in 2003 and As I Am in 2007. Her fourth studio album The Element of Freedom was released December 2009. For more information, go to her website at http://www.aliciakeys.com/us/alicia-keys-biography