Long before taking up residency in a quaint little cottage in The Land Outside Her Natural Vocal Range, Alicia Keys was a breath of fresh air for the world of R&B. Her debut, Songs In A Minor, seamlessly meshing contemporary soul and classical music sensibilities, catered equally to the younger soul and R&B listeners and older, more mature ears. With one album, the piano-playing, 20-year-old with the rough edges and reverse cornrows enjoyed lofty critical praise and commercial success that many veteran artists can only hope to achieve over the course of an entire career.
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After the bounce
Alicia was the husky-voiced, classically-trained, gorgeous tomboy -- not quite Eve's "pitbull in a skirt," but close -- who lived in the fancy, lush unit above India.Arie's incense-heavy bohemian basement apartment. Being compared to the likes of Lauryn, Aretha, Jill, Prince, and Stevie,
her introduction to the world was often heralded as "genius." Peers
jumped to work with and laud her, legendary artists celebrated her
arrival and predicted a long and wonderful career. And while her musical
talents and vocal performance were absolutely more refined than her
songwriting skills, she achieved an early goal of hers: making
everyone -- except, of course, India.Arie, her forgotten former
contemporary -- love her.
That was 10 years ago. Since then, she's ditched the braids, scooped up 14 GRAMMYs, become a mother, broken up marriages
records, and continues to produce hits. Sure, we don't hear
"groundbreaking" used as frequently to describe her output, but her
longevity is still commendable. With this week officially marking a
decade since her debut, Alicia released an extended preview of her 10th
Anniversary Songs In A Minor documentary, giving us a look behind
the scenes of the making and aftermath of the album that eventually
sold 11 million copies worldwide. The film, set to be packaged with the collector's edition of the re-release, features new interviews with
Alicia and various collaborators and supporters from her past. Both the Deluxe and Collector's
editions drop June 28th, just two days before her "Piano & I: A One
Night Only Event With Alicia Keys" concert at the Beacon Theater in New
York.
Alicia Keys Songs In A Minor 10th Anniversary Deluxe Edition [Amazon pre-order][iTunes pre-order]
Alicia Keys Songs In A Minor 10th Anniversary Collector's Edition
[Amazon pre-order][iTunes pre-order]
