For the fourth time since her breakout in 2001, Alicia Keys storms the charts with her new set As I Am. Released on Nov. 13, 2007, her album debuted as number one on the Billboard 200 with 742,000 records sold. Unlike many popular artists, Keys plays an active role in the making of all fourteen tracks, which is a reflection of the album’s title.
The brilliance within the album comes from the new found strength in Keys’ voice. Growing up in Harlem, New York, Keys was raised by her single mother. She developed an interest in the piano at the age of seven in an effort to avoid trouble and to familiarize herself with the arts.
While Keys represented her class as the valedictorian at her performing arts school, she declined her acceptance letter to Columbia University to pursue a music career. Since then, Keys, a nine-time Grammy award winner, has sold over 22 million albums worldwide.
She is the first female since Britney Spears to have four consecutive number one entries on the Billboard 200. In her song, “Where Do We Go From Here,” the question of which road to take in a dying relationship captures her listeners because of her piercing vocals.
In her CD, As I Am, she proves herself a writer as well. “The Thing About Love”, a beautiful ballad illuminating all the perks of a relationship, showcases Keys’ maturity with her penmanship.
Although Keys arranges, writes and produces her music, she receives some assistance on As I Am. The Kerry Brothers, Linda Perry, Marsha Ambrosius from Floetry and John Mayer all helped Keys assemble her album.
The art of creating a timeless song is difficult for many in the music industry. However, for Keys, the talent comes naturally. “No One”, the first single for the set, is an infectious song, which will last for generations to come. Even when songs like, “Teenage Love Affair,” and, “I Need You,” fall short from the rest, every track contains substance and effort.
Keys’ ability to produce relatable songs contributes to her success. Whether the songs deals with forgetting to appreciate the little things in life or the people you care most about, Keys reminds her listeners to never take things for granted. In her second single, “Like You’ll Never See Me Again,” and the insightful “Tell You Something (Nana’s Reprise)” which feels like page out of everyone life story.
As I Am clearly is Keys’ best work and has the potential to be the best album of the year. If anything, Keys’ proves one thing with her latest album, As I Am: no one comes close to perfection like she does.
