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WORLD | Jan 25, 2022

Happy Birthday, Alicia Keys! – Top 8 Keys songs to add to your playlist

Ategie Edwards

Ategie Edwards / Our Today

Reading Time: 5 minutes
Alicia Keys (Photo: Allure)

Singer, songwriter, actress, classical pianist, composer, humanitarian, philanthropist, activist Alicia Augello Cook, professionally known as Alicia Keys, today (January 25), celebrates her 41st birthday.

The New York native first stepped onto the music scene in 2001. Now, with a two-decade long career, the multi-Grammy award winner and outstanding vocalist has become a household name. Are you an Alicia Keys fan? Here are a few songs to add to your playlist by this multi-faceted artiste.

8. Superwoman (2007)

Superwoman Music Video

Released on her third studio album, As I am, Superwoman, according to Keys, “is a woman who has incredible dreams, incredible ambitions, all the things she wants to do, but she also knows how to take care of herself”.

Written by Keys, Linda Perry and Steve Mostyn, coming as the fourth single from the album, the singer further shared that the song is “a reminder, to herself, that “even when I’m out, and I’m just a mess, and I’m not perfect, and everything’s not great, and I’m struggling to figure out what is what, I’m still a superwoman”.

So, for you ladies who feel overwhelmed, overworked, stressed and you need a reminder that you are IT, this track is for you!

7. Like You’ll Never See Me Again (2007)

Like You’ll Never See Me Again Music Video

This 2007 track, featured on the star’s As I Am album, is perhaps one of the most cutting and heart wrenching, especially, when the accompanying music video is viewed.

Released as the album’s second single, the track speaks to cherishing every moment you have, and living your life the best you can, as you never know what tomorrow holds.

Written and produced by the singer and Kerry Brothers Jr. ,this song is the perfect one to listen to, in an effort to remind of yourself to cherish those who you love.

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6. Girl On Fire (2012)

This 2012 released R&B track speaks to “really letting go of anything that’s holding you back. Following your light. Following your passion. That puts you on fire,” Keys said to her Manchester audience in 2012.

Released from her fifth studio album, which shares the same title as the track, the song was inspired by an Essence article written by Jeannine Amber, who described Alicia Keys as a “girl on fire”.

There is also a remix to the song featuring rapper Nicki Minaj.

This inspiring, uplifting and nudging song is one worth listening, especially for women and age, race, doesn’t matter.

5. A Woman’s Worth (2001)

A Woman’s Worth Music Video

This single encapsulates the title of song, telling a man that if he does not treat his woman right she will not stand by and put up with his behaviour, because she is worth much more than that.

The song was released as part of the singer’s debut album in 2001, Songs On A Minor.. The track was written by Keys, and Erica Rose. Keys even went on to produce the track herself.

For the very die heard Alicia Keys fans, they might realise that the songs accompanying music video picks up from the video of her debut single released earlier in 2001, Fallin‘.

For those of you women whose significant other continues to mistreat them, this is the song to rinse around the house, so they know they are on the verge of losing you, and they need to step up their game. .

4. No One (2007)

No One Music Video

This was an immediate bop upon its release, with the old, middle aged and even young singing along to the lyrics. No One was released in 2007 as part of the singer’s As I Am album.

The catchy and very infectious tune zooms sheds light on, no matter what happens in life the person you love will always be there for you.

“This is one song that just wrote itself. A lot of the songs didn’t happen like that. It was one of the last songs I wrote. I needed to say this. It’s full force, classical yet vintage, desperate yet triumphant. I want people to feel my soul,” the pianist shared in an interview with Billboard.

This is a great tune for you and the love of your life to just vibe and dance to.

3. You Don’t Know My Name (2004)

You Don’t Know My Name Music Video

This 2003 contemporary/soul classic comes from the star’s second studio album, The Diary of Alicia Keys. Released as the album’s lead track in November, it samples 1975 song Let Me Prove My Love to You.

The Grammy award winning track was produced and co-written by Kanye West and according to Keys is about trying to figure out the best way to approach someone you really like,

“It’s about that feeling you have when you see somebody that you really, really like, or at least you think you do. And you’re trying to figure out, ‘how am I supposed to say anything to this person? How am I supposed to introduce myself and get the story started?’ It’s not an easy thing to do. So maybe you could say something like this,” Keys said.

2, Fallin’ (2001)

If you know just one song by singer Alicia Keys, chances are, this is the song you know, Written and produced by Keys, the song is said to be her signature track.

The debut song, and lead single from her first album Songs In A Minor, opens with a classical piece by polish composer Frédéric Chopin.

Keys turbulent relationship at the time, inspired her to pen the song. The lyrics talk about the different emotions experienced when you really love someone.

“Your first one affects you even more so because you don’t have the experience to know how to play it. “You’re tripping your way through it, and those hardships and good times and just growing is how Fallin’ developed,” Keys said.

The track helped her to mend things in her relationship at the time. Maybe if your relationship needs mending this is track to have you and your significant other listen to.

1. If I Ain’t Got You (2004)

If I Ain’t Got You Music Video

Yet again, another classic that shows the talent that is Alicia Keys. If I Ain’t Got You, from the singer’s second studio album, was inspired by the death of fellow superstar Aaliyah, other worldly events and Keys’ life at the time.

The singer wrote the track as soon as she heard of Aaliyah’s passing. “I think being on a plane and knowing she passed away after a plane crash, there was just this sentiment of being present in the moment and really nothing else mattering but those that you love. I think that feeling was really present in my life at that time and really right in my face,” Keys said.

The track focuses on the fact that material things don’t feed the soul.

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