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Section: News Archive

From January 2005 to April 2005.

April 29, 2005
:: Whether or not Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie truly are linked romantically, the pair will always share this: People magazine on Wednesday named them 2005's most beautiful man and woman. This year's best actor and actress Oscar winners, Jamie Foxx and Hilary Swank hit the list, as did singers Jennifer Lopez, Alicia Keys and Usher. People magazine about Alicia: 'Her braids have become Alicia Keys's trademark, but when she began feeling like she was in a hair rut by constantly wearing them, the 25-year-old singer-musician "started turning into a butterfly and making changes" with her tresses. "Mystery – this is the theme. Mysterious." Who knows what she'll do next'. The list was compiled from an online poll with some 500,000 votes. Click on the thumb above to view it in bigger size. Read the whole article here.
:: I've uploaded more images from Alicia's concert in New York. Click here to view them.

April 28, 2005
:: I just wanna show you one weird forum site. They hot link many images from my site, didn't give any credit, didn't ask me if they can put animations, cut wallpapers or avatars and add into their site. This is very good example for people who don't follow www rules. You CAN NOT hot link! This site is already taking up so much server bandwidth! I know they are Alicia fans, and that's cool, but they don't respect other people's work! I'm mad! I saw also on one site that they take lot of my fan corner stuff to their site. Why people do that? I hope every person who has a site can feel me. Damn. ~~Visit that board~~. No more comments.

April 26, 2005
:: Alicia is writing a new autobiography. She promises her forthcoming book is based on her diary and will cover her through childhood in New York's Hell's Kitchen neighbourhood, her musical education and early rise to stardom. Keys explains, "I'm just formulating which style I want to write it in, straight based off my life or a little more journal-style in nature."
:: Catch Alicia making an apperance on Sesame Street on May 9 on PBS.
:: I've got my own copy of Elle magazine, so I've made a new summer layout (with this amazing shoot) for Alicia Keys Online FanCentral. If you are not fan already whatcha waiting for? :)

April 25, 2005
:: High voltage performances by rockers Alicia Keys, matchbox twenty frontman Rob Thomas, and Joss Stone highlight the VH1 Save the Music Concert in at New York's Beacon Theater. Watch coverage on the red carpet, and show footage, from Reuters.
'Extra' caught up with Alicia Keys at VH-1's 'Save the Music Concert', benefiting music programs in America's public schools, where she talked about 'American Idol'. "Sometimes I catch it, and we have a good time just watching and checking it out," Keys admitted. "It's always fun to see something that's a little competitive in spirit." Watch a video clip here.
:: I've added new round of guess the video.

April 24, 2005
:: AKO is site of the moment at Corner of Beyonce site. Thanks to Ewe for that award. You should know she added new amazing layout and some new content. Be sure to check COB now!

April 24, 2005
:: I've updated guess the video and guess the celebrity sections.
:: Larissa sent me scans from German 'Bounce' Magazine, view them all by clicking here.

April 24, 2005
:: Equal parts history lesson and concert, the Alicia Keys Revue rolled into Radio City Music Hall Wednesday night. Keys is proud of her artistic ancestry and not afraid to clang her audience over the head with her affection for music history. The concept behind the show is that it's October 1931, and it's at Uptown Saturday Night - a reference to Harlem nightspots like Small's Paradise and The Cotton Club, not to Sidney Poitier's 1974 film - and the featured singer couldn't make the gig. A barker announces that they had tried to land Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Lena Horne as replacements (overlooking the nettlesome fact that none of these great singers had begun their professional careers in 1931) but could only find a newcomer - a singer named Alicia Keys. Read whole article in here.
:: I've added hq pictures from Alicia's concert in New York City, click on thumbnails.

April 23, 2005
:: Having won nine Grammys in three years, Alicia Keys is the linchpin of today's hip-hop soul. But Keys isn't satisfied just being a modern diva. At Radio City Music Hall Wednesday, the New York City singer tried to conquer the past as well. The notion that we'd be traveling in time was signaled by her Zoot-suited emcee, who introduced his boss as if he were standing on the stage of the Cotton Club in 1931. With a carnival barker's flair, he told the crowd not to be disappointed because Ella Fitzgerald, Lena Horne and Billie Holiday were unavailable for this modern-day edition of "Uptown Saturday Night." In their place, he had found a girl backstage "who can sing a little - and is real pretty." After the announcement Keys stepped up to deliver a combination of '30s torch songs and sizzling originals from her 2001 debut and last year's "Diary of Alicia Keys." Keys looked Jazz Age chic in a revealing black-spangled pantsuit, a heap of flashy bling and a flower tucked behind her ear in homage to Lady Day. Read more.
:: New videos added. This time I've uploaded two performances (Karma and If I Ain't Got You) from the concert at the Quart Festival in Norway. You have to see these, it's really cool stuff! Credit goes to Ivana and Janne Mathisen, thx girls! Proceed to videos section.
:: I've put more photos from concert in New York City, view them all in here.

April 22, 2005
:: I've updated guess the video and guess the celebrity sections.
:: New site affiliates added.
:: I've added hq photos from Wrap Party for Keys' "Diary Tour" in New York City on April 21.

April 22, 2005
:: Alicia Keys took the stage at Radio City Music Hall on Wednesday night beneath a sparkling chandelier and two giant black-and-white posters - one of herself, with a flower in her hair a la Lady Day, and another of legend Cab Calloway. With her band in a smooth white supper club landscape, the venue looked like a modern version of an old-time Harlem nightclub. It also set the stage, so to speak, for Keys' time-traveling future, which will include a leading role in a biopic depicting a young piano prodigy in the '50s. She's also planning her second book, an unplugged album and, potentially, more acting roles. At the moment, she's in the midst of what has turned out to be a very long tour in support of 2003's The Diary of Alicia Keys. Most performers would be ready to stop touring after a year and a half, but Keys seems thrilled to give the audience what it wants. Her campaign was supposed to wrap up in a few days but has been extended until June. Read the whole article on Mtv.com, you can also view a short interview with Miss Keys, where she talks about her upcoming projects.
:: Scans from Elle Girl added. Big thx to Tanja, Larissa and Aylin for sending me those!

April 21, 2005
:: I've updated tour section and added 4 more dates. Thx to Lenny for info!
:: I've added new round of guess the video and guess the celebrity.
:: I've added new high quality photos from DAR Constitution in Washington concert on April 17.

April 21, 2005
:: Normally, Alicia Keys sets the '70s as her standard for soul greatness. Last night at Radio City Music Hall, the comely singer erected a higher - or at least earlier - standard: The '30s. In her staging, arrangements and musical motifs, Keys giddily referenced the Cotton Club of the Harlem Renaissance. Posters of Cab Calloway graced the backdrop, the band wore supper club white suits, and Keys sported a flower in her hair, a la Lady Day. Modest, it wasn't. But no one ever accused Keys of lacking ambition. And, if nothing else, Keys' show proved that her material, singing and presence leaves most every other R&B singer of her generation sounding thin and wanting. Her opening number, "Karma," fit into its new big band arrangement with surprising ease. A ballad like "Woman's Worth" soared on a bebop flourish. Over the years, Alicia Keys has established herself as a triple threat - a killer singer, an ace songwriter and a performer of rare panache. Read the whole article here.
:: I've put several hq photos from that concert at the Radio City Music Hall in New York, view them by clicking on thumbnails. To see more photos click here.

April 21, 2005
:: New video of the moment added. It's Alicia Keys And Rob Thomas "Use Me" Live VH1 Save The Music Concert. Here you can find captures from that performance.
:: I've put another photoshoot, this time from Seventeen magazine. You may know these pictures, but I guess not all of them. Alicia looks so young and sweet! View them here.

April 20, 2005
:: It was a dream come true for Alicia Keys to sing a duet with Stevie Wonder, and there are a few other artists she wouldn't mind collaborating with in the future. In an interview with Connecticut newspaper The Day, Keys describes her duet with Wonder as "a dream come true." Says Keys, "The entire experience was amazing, to talk on the phone with him and develop a relationship where we could just call each other and be like 'What's goin' on?' It was like the highest high I've ever felt." Keys hopes to collaborate with more artists in the future. "There are definitely other people I'd like to work with," she says. Like who? "Lauren Hill, Prince, Gwen Stefani. I'd also like to do something really different, like work with Queens of the Stone Age or The Strokes. That would be really fun."
:: Guillaume sent me two scans from french tv magazine called Tele 7 Jours. Click on thumbs.

April 20, 2005
:: I've uploaded new mpg video, it's Karma live at VH1 Save The Music Concert, download it from here. I've also added caps from that performance, click on thumbnails.

April 18, 2005
:: In today's vainglorious pop universe, rife as it is with bimbos, himbos and ego freaks, young R&B marvels Alicia Keys and John Legend are unique, humble throwbacks. The sweet-singing, piano-playing soulsters have managed to move millions of albums and thrill just as many fans all by emphasizing talent over titillation, class over crass. Keys and Legend, together on an inspired double bill at Constitution Hall Saturday, also proved during their two-hour-plus event that along with keeping it clean and stressing showmanship, they're also two of the lava-hot sexiest people burning up the boards today. So remember this lesson, impressionable young people: Less is more. And, well, more is Britney. And you don't want to turn out like Britney, do you? Oh Lord, are Keys and Legend hot in all sorts of ways. Read yhe whole article here.
:: "Totally Hits 2005" the ninth volume in a series of Warner & BMG compilations, pulls together twenty tracks by Alicia Keys ("Karma"), Cassidy, Tweet, Ciara, Fat Joe, Simple Plan, Mario, Fabolous, Fantasia, among others. The set is due May 17. Read more.
:: I've updated Piano Lover and also added Kerry Brothers info section. I hope you like it!
:: I've put photo shoot for People magazine, many thanks to Imp for these pics.

April 18, 2005
:: It's called her "Diary" tour, but instead of revealing innermost secrets, multiple Grammy winner Alicia Keys offered a sweeping panorama of soul, blues and jazz - coupled with her own hits, of course - during her weekend engagement at DAR Constitution Hall. Saturday's lengthy show, delayed by more than 20 minutes by street closures that kept hundreds of concertgoers stranded outside, offered two star attractions: Miss Keys and rising singer-songwriter John Legend. But make no mistake. The New York-born songstress, now 24, clearly ruled the night, showcasing shades of Billie Holliday, a chorus of "Hi-de-hi-de-hey" from Cab Calloway's "Minnie the Moocher" and even Screamin' Jay Hawkins' 1956 novelty hit "I Put A Spell On You" during her 90-minute performance. Setting a scene reminiscent of a 1930s Harlem ballroom (complete with a velvet chaise lounge and a crystal chandelier that dangled at center stage from a beam), the beautiful Queen Keys dazzled early with a big-band-inspired arrangement of "Karma" (from her 2003 sophomore album "The Diary of Alicia Keys"). A catchy James Brown hook provided a slick segue into "Crazy" (also from "Diary") as Miss Keys sang and rhythmically moved nonstop. Read yhe whole article here.
:: I've added new-old exclusive 'Songs In A Minor' promotional shoots of Alicia. They are so amazing, don't you think? I'd like to thank Martijn for these! Click on thumbs.

April 17, 2005
:: The compilation 'Hot' from Sony BMG is a must- have. It features 18 tracks from award-winning artists such as Usher, Alicia Keys, Destiny's Child, Duran Duran, Britney Spears, Kelly Clarkson and many more. Maroon 5 starts the compilation with This Love followed by My Happy Ending by Avril Lavigne. Jamelia's infectious Superstar, Usher and Alicia Keys' My Boo, Destiny's Child's Lose My Breath and the radio friendly, Pieces of Me by Ashlee Simpson are songs that will keep listeners tapping their feet. Read more.
:: Don't forget to watch Save The Music concert today on VH1 on 9pm!
:: I've added better quality photos from Rolling Stone shoot. Big thx to Martijn for these!

April 16, 2005
:: Fan Corner is open. You will find here old sections also with new ones.I'd like to thank a lot to Ewe for contributing! I'm waiting for your help! Visit it and email me what you think and if you would like to help or maybe you have your own ideas for this segment. If you are looking for stuff like Alicia's family, crew, hats, etc check Aliciaholics section.
:: Denise sent me beautiful picture of Alicia, click on thumb near to see it.
:: I've uploaded new video, this time it is Fallin Live Victoires DeLa Musique in Paris.

April 16, 2005
:: Some students in northwest Washington got the surprise of a lifetime Friday. Alicia Keys dropped in on a class of eighth-grade students at Terrell Junior High School. Keys spent the morning there teaching students about long- and short-term goal setting. "When someone says 'can't' to you, they don't know you and they will never know you," Keys told the students. "So prove them wrong." FromTheGroundUp organized the visit. That organization was created by Keys' road manger, D.J. Walton. Here you can read more extensive article regarding this topic and here the coverage. I've also added some photos and caps.

April 15, 2005
:: Alicia Keys is a sellout artist. Not sellout as in, "Dude, she sold out to the Man." Sellout as in, when she comes to Foxwoods Resort Casino, she's got to book an extra night because her first show sells out in a matter of seconds. It may have helped that Keys was joined on the bill by up-and-coming artists John Legend and Sasha. When the three performers graced the Fox Theatre stage Wednesday night, Sasha was the first to wow the crowd with her amazing vocal abilities. The theater had yet to fill, but those present seemed impressed and surprised. John Legend, whose piano skills have been heard behind Keys, Kanye West, Lauryn Hill, and others, was next. Legend has definitely come into his own as an artist. He had a backup band who used their jazz chops for urban music, mixing synthesizers, record scratching, live bass, drums and guitar, along with two backup singers to perform music from Legend's first studio record, "Get Lifted." Legend's soulful and sexy songs had the audience members on their feet more than once. But most in the crowd had paid to see Keys, and she quickly made it apparent why. At 24-years-old, Keys is a seasoned, confident, experienced performer. Keys appeared in black, her band almost completely in white. The theme of Keys's performance was "Uptown Saturday Night," a 1931 speak easy idea that worked most of the time - except for when her saxophone player gave a hokey introduction and farewell to the crowd. The set itself was beautiful and well-tuned to the players, with white risers for everyone, including a hydraulic-fitted white baby-grand for Keys. Read the whole article here.
:: I've added another requested video, it's Fallin' live at Oprah Show in 2001. I really hope you like it, because it was really good and important performance. Download it.
:: I've put few new affiliates.

April 13, 2005
:: Believe or not but I'm working hard on AKO Gallery and Fan Corner sections. I need your help. I tell you what I'm looking for: New York Daily Column scans, fan photos, look-a-like photos, cd collection pics and pictures of your room decorated with Alicia's posters and stuff. Fan Corner will be open very soon, give me day or two :) When I finish that I will try to make new layout, I know some people are waiting for that. Contact me if you would like to help.

April 13, 2005
:: Alicia Keys partly owes her success to the prostitutes she grew up checking out in New York's Times Square - because she swore early on she'd never become one of them. She admits seeing the low life in the middle of the Big Apple when she was a child made her promise herself she'd do everything she could to avoid a life on the street. She recalls, "There were all these women on the street with very little clothing on. I asked (my mother) who they were and she explained. "I'll never forget that night because it was so cold, and they were so skinny and sick-looking. "I remember promising myself that nothing would ever trap me or force me into a life like that." But Keys misses the seedy underbelly of New York - she insists the clean up of Times Square has killed the area's creativity. She adds, "There was a gritty side, but there was a magical side, too. There was a certain energy - people being creative to survive."
:: I've added many more photos from VH1 Save The Music A Concert To Benefit Music Foundation arrivals and performance. Thx to Katie for some of them!

April 13, 2005
:: Miss Keys is one of the celebrities who are on 'Get Caught Reading' posters. You can read about this campagin here. Click on the photo near to view it.
:: Alicia Keys has had her heart broken one too many times, and she wants to tell you all about it. On Sunday night at Temple University's Liacouras Center, the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter and pianist alternately mourned and railed against the bad, bad men she has loved and lost, much to the delight of the female half of the sold-out crowd. "Ladies, if he's not calling you back,... him!" she declared at the end of a leisurely ragtime take on Prince's "How Come You Don't Call Me," and a chorus of squeals ascended to the rafters. Earlier, when she put out a call for "all my real, strong, beautiful independent women," the response was deafening. Such moments of self-assertion were balanced by plenty of self-doubt during Keys' hour-and-a-half performance, from the jealous suspicions of "Girlfriend" to the codependent longing of the set-closing "If I Ain't Got You." Even when she gyrated lasciviously on a chair during the feverish come-on "Heartburn," it was with an air of desperation. Her brassy voice grew coarser as the evening wore on, granting her tales of woe a lived-in feel. By the time she tackled "Good Morning, Heartache," she sounded like a weary chanteuse with a lifetime of smoky nightclubs behind her, rather than a 24-year-old pop star. That might have been on purpose. On a stage designed to resemble a 1931 Harlem speakeasy, with an eight-piece band decked out in vintage formalwear, Keys strove to prove herself an inheritor of the legacies of such greats as Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald. Her voice is impressive, but she still has many more heartbreaks to go before she reaches those levels. Opener John Legend spent his seven-song set attempting to stick up for the fellows on the other side of the romantic equation, but it was a lost cause. His midtempo neo-soul ruminations on cheating ("She Don't Have to Know"), cleaning up ("I Can Change"), and domestic difficulties ("Ordinary People") blended into watery mush, and the backup singers radiated more stage presence than Legend himself. You couldn't help but think that if he was Alicia Keys' man, she'd walk right over him and out the door.
:: I've updated Alicia Keys Fancentral. We have over 2100 members. Wow!
:: Icy sent me two scans from Essence magazine. I will add all pics with Alicia very soon.

April 12, 2005
:: Alicia Keys hit the Hampton Coliseum stage Saturday night like a hungry young artist with something to prove. The multi-Grammy winner brought along a Broadway-caliber set - which conjured images of Harlem's Cotton Club in the 1930s - and performed a show that mixed her own soulful hits with classics from Billie Holiday and Cab Calloway. Keys sang, danced, played piano, entertaining on par with Cher, Bette Midler or Patti LaBelle. Her show was a tour de force, one made even more impressive by the fact that Keys is such a young performer. She's released just two albums, most recently 2003's "The Diary of Alicia Keys. Read more.
:: The movie of the musical "Dreamgirls" is a go, with Bill Condon writing and directing. Here's the potential cast: Alicia Keys, Beyoncé Knowles, Eddie Murphy and Jamie Foxx.
:: I've added new picture and site of the moment, which is Brooke Valentine Fan.
:: I've added beautiful scans from may issue of Elle magazine, they all are in great quality. Big thanks to Denise for sharing with AKO! Click on thumbnails.

April 12, 2005
:: Last night, VH1 hosted a "Save the Music" concert - an interesting title considering the network has done a good job of murdering the music for some time now. With its endless run of comedy programs, pop culture serials and downright freak shows, VH1 can hardly be considered a great preserve of music these days. But lately the network has vowed to bring back more sonic content. And at last night's concert - convened at the Beacon - VH1 did its best to showcase actual singers and players, including Alicia Keys, John Legend, Rob Thomas, Josh Groban, Donna Summer and Joss Stone. Proceeds from the event will help fund musical education in city schools. The show, which was taped, airs on VH1 Sunday night at 9.
:: I've added photos from VH1 Save The Music A Concert To Benefit Music Foundation held at the Bacon Theater in New York. Click on thumbnails. More soon.

April 11, 2005
:: Jay-Z and Alicia Keys have been named among Time Magazine's list of the world's 100 most influential people. Both performers join the likes of US president George Bush, Michael Moore, Martha Stewart, Ukrainian president Viktor Yushchenko, Clint Eastwood, Rupert Murdoch and author Dan Brown on the eclectic roll call. The magazine's managing editor, Jim Kelly, stated that the list highlighted how wide the term 'influence' could be defined. As part of the feature, Def Jam founder Russell Simmons hails Jay-Z for his "trailblazing contributions to hip-hop culture across America and throughout the world [that] have helped raise the aspirations of millions of people". Alicia Keys is praised for her "refreshing contrast to many other 20-something performers who are churned out as depressingly artificial finished products". The full list will be published in tomorrow's edition.
:: I've added some new affiliates.

April 10, 2005
:: You probably want to know what's going on with unplugged album, so here is Alicia's answer: "I am working on an unplugged album...it's almost 100 percent officially confirmed. We're going to be working on it in July. I'm excited to do it because that's really getting back down to my essence. We used to do these hotel tours and these small clubs. To be able to really strip down my music and to bring it down to where it begins, and rearrange it, that will be really nice. It will be a mixture of new stuff and acoustic versions of songs from my other records". Read all the other questions and Miss Keys' replies.
:: I've added outtakes from Rolling Stone magazine and another shoot from Self Assignment magazine, where Alicia wore cool t-shirt with Ray Charles :)

April 10, 2005
:: I've uploaded two requested videos, Fallin' live on Saturday Night Live and If I Ain't Got You live on Nur Die Liebe Zehlt. Download them from here. If you want to request video, you can contact me, but I can't promise you I will add it for sure.
:: I've put two more photos from Elle magazine shoot, check them here.
:: Finally I've got my own copy of Seventeen magazine (ebay rocks! lol) so here are the scans.

April 9, 2005
:: Given all the awards her music has won, maybe Alicia Keys should set aside some space on the mantel in case her film career takes off the same way. Keys, 24, recently won her sixth through ninth Grammys, including best R&B album for her 2003 release, "The Diary of Alicia Keys." Her first five Grammys came for "Songs in A Minor," the singer's 2001 debut. Now she's on a tour that stops Wednesday and April 14 at Foxwoods Resort Casino, before she steps onto a movie set later this year to star in "Compositions in Black and White." The movie, produced by Halle Berry and adapted from Kathryn Talalay's book, recounts the life of child piano prodigy Philippa Schuyler. The biracial musician, daughter of African American author George Schuyler and white Texas artist Josephine Cogdell, began composing music at age 4 in the 1930s and struggled with prejudice in this country before achieving international fame in the '50s. It's a story that has obvious parallels to Keys, who began developing her own musical talent at a young age. She started playing piano at age 7, wrote songs as a teenager, majored in choir at the Professional Performance Arts School in Manhattan and enrolled in Columbia University at age 16 before dropping out to focus on music. Read the whole article here.
:: I've made some changes in tour section. Big thanks to Lenny for info!
:: AKO is spotlight site at Strictly Sole! Thank you Prinza for great award!
:: I've added many photos of Alicia from the concert in Atlanta on April 7. Click on thumbs.

April 9, 2005
:: Alicia Keys is teaming up with Sesame Street character Cookie Monster to tackle the country's obesity epidemic. In his new song, "A Cookie is Sometimes Food", furry blue creature Cookie Monster learns there are "anytime" foods and "sometimes" foods, and cookies are decidedly "sometimes". Dr. Rosemarie T. Truglio, the long running TV show's vice president of research and education, says the "Street" also will introduce new characters, such as talking eggplants and carrots, and guest stars will address healthy activities - such as singer Alicia Keys talking and singing about physical activity.
:: Cecilia sent me very nice scans from Elle Girl French edition, please enjoy!

April 8, 2005
:: Alicia Keys and Jewel will be front and center in a new World Gold Council campaign to promote Italian gold jewelry in the U.S. market. Keys will be featured in a four-page consumer advertising campaign entitled "Gold Expressions" while Jewel will perform for U.S. retailers at the June launch event of Gold Expressions: the Language of Italian Design. Read more.
:: I've added totally amazing photos from Elle magazine found on AKMB. For now it's only a preview, because I will try and get better scans asap and show them to you.

April 8, 2005
:: I've added new hq photos from The Bright Futures School Atlanta. In an effort to provoke young people to be self motivated and have an internal sense of self worth and direction, nine time Grammy Award winner Alicia Keys has teamed up with Jacksonville based non-for profit Frum Tha Ground Up for the organization's "Rise Initiative," an in school, goal-achievement workshop targeted to 8th graders. Click on thumbnails.

April 6, 2005
:: When Philip and Gail Ross quit their jobs and devoted their lives to helping some of Atlanta's inner city children, they knew it would be tough. But they weren't in it for the glory, and they certainly weren't in it for the money. Still, they embrace the few really good days they have and they had one Tuesday. Bright Futures Atlanta is the faith-based after-school program and summer day camp for inner-city children that they have founded. Philip Ross got the idea after spending a week as a counselor for underprivileged children. Making sweet music is only part of what Alicia Keys wants to do with her life and says she is as committed to reaching out to children as she is to composing and singing. "Helping to reach kids and people who really need someone to say, hey, this is possible. and show them different ways that it can actually, actually become realistic" Keys said. In every city her concert tour takes her, Keys meets with inner-city children to talk about setting and meeting realistic life goals. "We just got a phone call out of the blue about 10 days ago", Philip Ross aid. "One of their people just called and asked if we were interested in Alicia coming here". After the children got over their surprise, they got into her message. This was a good day indeed - for the children, for Philip and Gail Ross, and, for Alicia Keys, too.
:: I've added six scans from The Music Observer Monthly magazine. I hope you like them.

April 5, 2005
:: Miss Keys is on the cover of Elle magazine, May issue. She looks totally beautiful. I can't wait to see the whole session for that magazine. For now you can see small picture of the cover, click here.
:: Alicia Keys always has been a theatrical performer. She peppers her songs with monologues to prospective lovers, interrupts them to scold wayward men, and sustains notes to create suspense. No surprise then that Keys' Diary Tour, which began a three-night stand at the Chicago Theatre on Friday, played up her dramatic leanings. Modeled after Harlem's Cotton Club in its 1930s heyday, Keys' show was high concept - all feathered boas, tuxedoed musicians and an intimate atmosphere that evoked for the sold-out crowd a rich musical heritage. The 90-minute set was consistently entertaining, if not sometimes overwrought. But give Keys points for (mostly) sticking to a challenging and artistically intriguing concept. Before Keys' entrance, an emcee transported the crowd back to 1931. He warned that Cab Calloway had canceled and Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald were unable to perform - never mind that they would have been teens in 1931. But the emcee declared, "We found a young girl in the back who can sing. And she's pretty, too." Read more.
:: I've added new affiliates.

April 2, 2005
:: I don't know what to say, how to say this. Pope is dead. He was a great man, he was Polish. I'm Polish. My whole country is in mourning. It is so painfull and hard. I loved him so much. There are no good words to say about this. He was cheerful, so are we. RIP John Paul II. ["]

April 2, 2005
:: Alicia Keys, Fantasia and Mo'Nique are among the women gracing the cover of the May issue of Essence magazine, which is celebrating its 35th anniversary. The cover girls are part of a celebration of the "35 Most Remarkable Women in the World," which also includes Beyoncé, India.Arie and Queen Latifah. During the cover shoot, Keys said, "We were all kind of looking at each other and pinching ourselves". Click on thumbs to view pictures from that shoot.

April 2, 2005
:: A program to motivate city kids got a jolt of star power when Grammy Award winner Alicia Keys stopped by. Keys, scheduled to perform in three sold-out shows through the weekend in Chicago, was at the Betty Shabazz International Charter School to take part in "Frum Tha Ground Up" on Thursday. "I am honored to be here today with you celebrating me as I am celebrating you," Keys said. Shabazz, a public school that features an Afrocentric curriculum, was one of five schools Keys was to visit in various cities around the country, including Washington, Atlanta and New York, to promote her album "The Diary of Alicia Keys." Keys was clearly touched by seeing more than 300 children, many dressed in kente cloth, sang a song in Swahili for her. "To see a place that's really connected to something, holds onto traditions, I've never seen that anywhere", she said. I've added five hq photos from that event. Here you can read more about it and here view short video and more pictures.

April 2, 2005
:: Yesterday was the Dutch TMF Awards and Miss Keys won Best Urban Award! Click here to see the little movie. She competed against: Usher and Black Eyed Peas. Thx to Sambo for info.
:: I've put nice scans from Russian edition of Seventeen magazine sent by Electra. Thank you!

April 1, 2005
:: Hot News!! Mtv reports Alicia Keys is pregnant! She said in her last interview she was 8 weeks pregnant and baby will be born October this year. Alicia will finish her 'The Diary' tour and after that she'll go for long holidays. You have to click here to see photo from that interview.

March 31, 2005
:: Here is short Alicia Keys' concert at the Kodak Theater description by Ben Quinones: On a Cotton Club-style set, Alicia Keys looked like Billie Holiday in white heels, white pants, and a white top that showed more flesh than fabric and feathers. The hot, hot "Heartburn" had her dancing and shaking her behind "like a Polaroid" before she played a nice medley of "If I Was Your Woman" and "Walk On By." "I usually don't sing this song," she said, and delivered the R&B-flavored relationship statement "Wake Up" from under a white fedora. "It's time, it's definitely time" - time, she meant, for the sultry "Diary": "Your secrets are safe with me." Keys turned into Gypsy Rose Lee - glittery headgear, silky white dress, long matching gloves - for "Fallin'," and then got the couples slow-dancing with her "Baby, baby, baby" on "You Don't Know My Name." During "If I Ain't Got You," Keys and piano rose high into the air above the crowd, all white, like a cloud. Entertainment or dream?
:: AKO is site of the month at the Uma Online, thank you Gioia! View my award here.
:: I've added new photo of the moment choosen by Keshia.
:: I've put six amazing wallpapers, all made by Iskra, thanks girl!

March 31, 2005
:: Alicia Keys will receive the Starlight Award, which honors gifted songwriters in the early years of their careers, at the 2005 Songwriters Hall of Fame Awards gala. Keys' selection was announced Wednesday by Hal David, chairman and chief executive officer of the Songwriters Hall of Fame. The awards dinner will be held June 9 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel. Inductees at this year's event include Steve Cropper, John Fogerty, Isaac Hayes and David Porter, Richard and Robert Sherman and Bill Withers.
:: Actress and activist Angelina Jolie has been voted the sexiest woman in the world by readers of FHM, a men's magazine. Britney Spears, who topped the "100 Sexiest Women" list last year, did not even make the cut for 2005. Alicia Keys is in first 100 at the number 95 right before Milla Jovovich, Rebecca Romijn Stamos or Roselyn Sanchez.
:: AKO is Featured Site on Fantasia Is It. You can check my award here, thanks Ayana!

March 29, 2005
:: The forthcoming compilation CD "Superstars Remixed", offers a new spin on songs by some of today's hottest pop artists including Kelly Clarkson, Britney Spears and Alicia Keys. These stars, along with Maroon 5, Jennifer Lopez, Fantasia and Sarah McLachlan, will have their songs remixed by famed DJs such as Junior Vasquez, Victor Calderone. Read more.
:: Alicia is nominated for two TMF Awards (a dutch award show which will be held April 1st). She is nominated in two categories: Best Urban and Best Video (My Boo). You can vote by clicking here. You can vote once a day. Thx to Leonie for info!
:: Miss Keys finally posted new entry at her official diary, you can read it here.

March 28, 2005
:: There is a new Ciara site online, well more like revamped and we want you all to visit it. It is the very first media site for Ciara that has been brought into the web. You get the lastest audio, video, and pictures. Plus so much more. So click here to check it out.
:: I've added five old pictures from concert in Dusseldorf, Germany on September 2002.

March 25, 2005
:: From the time I heard her hit that first note on her first single in 2001, I knew there was something electric about Alicia Keys. There was fire in her vocals, and her stellar pipes and classical music background were intriguing. There hadn't been much of that lately, not in popular urban music anyway. Was Keys the first in a new group of entertainers to go beyond the cookie-cutter sound and claim the spotlight? Absolutely. This weekend, the young, classic and soulful sound of Keys and her opening act, John Legend, comes to Detroit and Mount Pleasant. Their brand of music -- an interesting mixture of hip-hop, soul and classical -- has found its place alongside the more commercial R&B songs on popular radio. Even more impressive: They've captured the young ear, which for the last few years has been tuned to raunchy, tell-all R&B music. She picked up four Grammys last month and just won NAACP Image awards for outstanding song and video of the year for "If I Ain't Got You." If you don't have tickets to the concert, you can see Keys pick up her awards on a taped broadcast at 8 tonight on WJBK-TV (Channel 2, Fox). Read the whole article here.
:: I've updated fanlistings and timeline sections.

March 24, 2005
:: Mariah Carey and Donna Summer will join previously announced performers Alicia Keys, Rod Stewart, Joss Stone, Rob Thomas, and John Legend when "Save The Music: A Concert To Benefit The VH1 Save The Music Foundation" will air on VH1 Sunday, April 17 at 9pm. Continuing in the tradition of events to benefit VH1's Save The Music Foundation, the star-studded concert will tape at New York City's famed Beacon Theatre on Monday, April 11.
:: Micmouse sent me nice scans from Performing Songwriter magazine, click on thumbnails to view the gallery. You can also order your own copy of that issue by clicking here.

March 23, 2005
:: Organizers had the right idea when they decided to pair John Legend, an artist on the "come up" with the accomplished Alicia Keys for a tour. The two artists certainly seem to operate with the same spirit of raw, from-the-soul artistry. However, since today’s artists typically need a host of choreographed dancers, pyrotechnics, props, etc. to make a show compelling enough to woo potential concertgoers, would Keys and Legend be enough, considering they rely mainly on charisma and heart-felt vocals to get their points across? To avoid unnecessary suspense, absolutely! They successfully held their own at the Kodak Theater, performing to an enthused melting pot of fans. Read the whole article here.
:: The date and venue for the Hub's upcoming Alicia Keys concert has been changed. The Grammy Award-winning singer will perform at Boston University's Agganis Arena on May 4. She was previously set to appear at the Orpheum at the end of April. Tickets for the Agganis date, $45-$75, are available at the box office, Agganis Arena, Ticketmaster, all Ticketmaster outlets and 617-931-2000. Check tour dates section for more dates.

March 22, 2005
:: Sony Pictures Entertainment has set "The Motorcycle Diaries" scribe Jose Rivera to adapt "Compositions in Black and White," the Kathryn Talalay book that's being developed as a star vehicle for singer Alicia Keys. Marc Platt is producing with Halle Berry and Vincent Cirrincione. Keys is attached to play Philippa Schuyler, a woman who grew up a child prodigy, the first child of color to become a nationally prominent musician. Schuyler was composing music by the age of 5, but racial and gender bias prevalent in the 1930s proved a crushing burden for her. Berry and Cirrincione, who produced "Lackawanna Blues," brought the book to "Legally Blonde" producer Platt. Columbia Pictures execs Doug Belgrad and Ange Gianetti will steer the pic. Halle Berry is not slated to act in the film.
:: I've added new video - Proactiv tv commercial with Miss Keys, if you wanna see it just download it from here. I also put some captures from it, view them by clicking on thumbs.

March 22, 2005
:: This is just a reminder: Who do you think was the most attractive woman on Hello site last month? Your votes for the monthly winners determine who will be entered in a Grand Finale at the end of the year. Voting will end on March 31st. Vote for Alicia by clicking here!
:: I've uploaded new mp3 of the moment, it's really cool song of Keyshia Cole 'I Just Want It To Be Over' produced by Krucial Keys. You can download it now from here.

March 21, 2005
:: Alicia Keys continues to win big at awards shows after taking home two awards at taping of the 36th annual NAACP Image Awards. The singer won for outstanding song and music video for "If I Ain't Got You." 'Ray' continued its winning tradition, nabbing four of its leading seven nominations, including outstanding actor in a motion picture for star Jamie Foxx. Read more.
:: Check out Alicia Keys on the cover of Rap-Up's Spring 05 issue, on sale now! This issue is a double cover with Alicia on the back and Chingy on the front. You can pick up a copy at newsstands or purchase one online at www.rap-up.com.

March 20, 2005
:: Though she boasts the kind of stunning good looks that have become a standard job requirement for young R&B singers, Alicia Keys stands out as one of the few performers in the genre who has the musical chops and songwriting talent to match her beauty. Keys took the music world by storm after industry svengali Clive Davis signed the songwriter and put out her stunning 2001 debut 'Songs In A Minor' on his J Records imprint. Though the Keys' monster hit tune "Fallin'" caught her a little flack for its sly reworking of the classic James Brown ballad "It's A Man's Man's Man's World," most of 'Songs In A Minor' showed off a remarkably accomplished blend of soul, jazz, hip hop and pop influences to be emerging from a woman barely in her twenties (though she admits to starting as a songwriter in her early teens). The album became a commercial and critical smash, paving the way for her anticipated 2003 follow-up 'The Diary of Alicia Keys,' a slow-burning, sensuous effort that quickly became a Grammy-winning makeout favorite for soul fans young and old. Keys stole the show from headliner Beyonce in the middle slot of last year's triple-threat tour with hip hop star Missy Elliot, but this time around Keys comes to Oakland's Paramount Theatre on her own for what are sure to be two transcendend nights of sultry songs, exquisite singing and expert piano playing. Rising neo-soul star John Legend opens the show. A rare R&B diva who not only is an accomplished piano player but also a gifted songwriter, Keys just might trump the energy of her tourmates with the soulful substance of her performance. Next concert: Paramount Theatre, East Bay, Oakland on March 20 at 8 p.m. Check more tour dates here.
:: I've added new site of the moment, which is great site Kanye-West.org. Congratz B.J.!
:: I've put more pictures from Alicia's concert in Los Angeles on March 16, view them all.
:: I've got 2 new photos from my friend Ewe when Alicia leaving Mr Chow Restaurant in LA.

March 19, 2005
:: Fawaz Gruosi, the president of the de Grisogono line of luxury jewelry and timepieces, set out to launch his brand in New York on September 11, 2001. "Unfortunately, we woke up that morning and the tragedies happened and we cancelled everything for that day," said Gruosi. For him, it was, "an act of destiny" and his commitment to New York grew stronger for it and he just opened a flagship store on the corner of 69th and Madison. Now, de Grisogono is sponsoring the Wall Street Concert Series to benefit Wall Street Rising, a downtown Manhattan revitalization effort. The series, opened on Tuesday night by Rod Stewart will include Sheryl Crow, Alicia Keys, Lionel Richie and Marc Anthony. Read more.
:: Alicia Keys was so moved by Jamie Foxx's portrayal of Ray Charles in biopic Ray, she left the cinema in floods of tears. She found the depiction of the Georgia on my mind singer's battle with heroin addiction an overwhelming experience. The 24-year-old says, "At the end (of the film) I was crying, and I was like, 'Why am I so sad?'. "I realised what made me sad was that this man, who I admire and love, was such a genius and so blessed, yet he sunk so deeply into this world of drugs. "Why do we (artists) always have to be the ones who are so messed up and end up just wanting to self-destruct? If you're not drunk and a drug addict and bulimic and suicidal and depressed... That made me sad - that that's the only way we can be creative."
:: I've added new affiliates and new link-me buttons.
:: I've made new msn icons, you can use them if you want.

March 17, 2005
:: Tropicana Casino and Resort proudly announces an engagement of three shows with Grammy Award-winning artist Alicia Keys. The multi-platinum artist makes her Tropicana Showroom debut on Friday, May 6 at 9 pm, followed by a second show on Saturday, May 7 at 8 pm and a finale on Sunday, May 8 at 7 pm. Tickets for all shows, which go on sale Saturday, March 26 at 10 am, are priced from $75-$250, and can be purchased through TicketMaster.
:: I've put new pictures from Miss Keys' concert at the Kodak Theatre in LA on March 16.

March 16, 2005
:: You should read about this great project: "In 2004, Duran Duran attended the MTV EMA in Rome and began collecting celebrity signatures on a soccer ball. Duran Duran founding member, Nick Rhodes, led the celebrity signature drive, believing the soccer ball would make a great auction item – with proceeds to benefit charity. After seeing the devastation created by the Tsunami in South Asia, the band agreed to redouble their efforts and eventually auction the ball to benefit a charity involved in Tsunami relief. Net proceeds from the celebrity signed soccer ball will benefit GlobalGiving, a charitable organization which focuses on grassroots and project-based relief efforts in areas affected by the Tsunami". That soccer ball was signed by Miss Keys, Destiny's Child, Kanye West, Fat Joe, Joss Stone, Gwen Stefani and many others. Please check ebay auction and support this idea.

March 16, 2005
:: Alicia believes she's finally put gay rumours to rest after adopting a more "girlie" style. The Fallin' singer's sexuality was a constant source of speculation when she grabbed public attention in 2001, and she accepts her original style was responsible. The 24-year-old says, "The whole gay thing was like, forever! I was like, 'Please, give me a break with the gay thing!'. "The tabloids started that rumour early on in my career. I was much less refined at that time, I guess. Not to say that I'm totally refined now, but the way I spoke was a little different and the way that I dressed. I've never been a super-girlie kind of girl, and they wanted to make up something." Of her current style, she adds, "I guess I can be very girlie. I really notice that a lot lately. I am just evolving and not being afraid to try new things for myself... I think it's good to try things out and feel yourself in different places".
:: Alicia Keys has finally decided to patch up her relationship with her father, following years of estrangement. Keys grew up without her father, Craig Cook, having much of a presence in her life. And after years of distance, Keys has decided it's time to build a relationship with her dad. She says: "The healing process between a father and a daughter is delicate and takes time. For me it is a process that is still underway, but it began because I was tired of always being upset when I thought about my father. "I was tired of holding onto this big cloud of pain and unanswered questions inside. I was tired of holding a grudge that was only causing me to be bitter and sarcastic. I came to the realisation that people can't and will not always be how you want them to be, or how you expect them to be. I had to come to a place where I could begin to let go. That doesn't mean that you forget it. It just means you begin to let it go".
:: I've added few new affiliates, check them!
:: I've added scans from latest issue of Maximal magazine, french edition of Maxim. All scanned by VinZ, thanks for sharing. Like you see pictures are pretty old, but still good!

March 16, 2005
:: Alicia Keys is a musical rarity: a popular artist with classical training and widespread appeal. The 24-year-old soul star has only two albums to her credit, but she can already boast a staggering nine Grammy Awards. Here are five reasons why she's among music's top talents. 1. The piano: With legions of cute-but-empty singers dominating young music, it's refreshing to see a classically trained artist score so highly. 2. The songs: "Fallin'" is a classic. "If I Ain't Got You," "You Don't Know My Name" and her cover of "How Come You Don't Call Me" are close behind. 3. Poetry: The ambitious Alicia put her words out for all to see when she released Tears for Water: Songbook of Poems and Lyrics late last year. "Very personal and very scary," Keys told the Associated Press of the diary. 4. Respect for her elders: Keys clearly adores those who came before her, including Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone and Gladys Knight. She inducted Prince into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last year. 5. Humor: Would a supercool soul star admit to liking New Kids on the Block back in the day? Alicia would. "I had a New Kids on the Block washcloth that when submerged in hot water turned different colors," she recently told Rolling Stone. "How sad is that?".
:: I've made some changes in tour section, thx to Lenny for info.
:: Alexis sent me photos from Alicia's concert in Phoenix on March 11. Click on thumbnails.

March 15, 2005
:: Organizers of the 2005 Essence Music Festival have booked some of urban music's brightest new stars for Essence magazine's 11th annual "party with a purpose," set for July 1-3 in the Louisiana Superdome. Joining Aretha Franklin on the main stage the first night will be contemporary R&B singer, songwriter and pianist, Alicia Keys; John Legend, the nouveau soul singer whose 2004 debut was among the most acclaimed R&B albums of the year; and "American Idol" crooner Ruben Studdard. Franklin returns for the first time since the festival's inaugural year in 1995. The 2005 festival will kick off a yearlong celebration of the 35th anniversary of Essence magazine, a lifestyle publication aimed at black women. Read more.
:: I've put more photos from concert in Las Vegas, click here to view them all.

March 14, 2005
:: Alicia Keys can tell you how to get to Sesame Street. Rolling Stone reports that the soulful singer is scheduled to appear during the thirty-sixth season of the educational children's show. Alison Krauss and Union Station will also guest on the show sometime during the new season, which kicks off April 4 on PBS. Don't forget to watch it!
:: I've updated seciton with fanlistings. Be Alicia's real fan and join all of them! :D
:: I've added pretty nice quality caps from Grammy 'Across The Universe' performance.

March 13, 2005
:: In her short career, Alicia Keys has seen firsthand how creating an image is sometimes as important as the music she creates. "I have to say that's something I deal with every day,” she says. "And it's really important for me to keep integrity for what I do. My music is - I'm very, very, very passionate about it, and oftentimes, things do become less about the music and more about the image or more about kind of, I don't know, a certain political game, shall we say. Obviously that is something that comes with the territory, but I think it's a choice that one makes, and I choose to put my music first and to have a certain integrity that goes along with what I do, and it's something that challenges me constantly, but I think that's what life is about." Her two CDs - "Songs in A Minor” and "The Diary of Alicia Keys" - have given Keys the musical credibility that many young artists have a hard time establishing. The second disc features originals such as "Karma", "Dragon Days" and "Wake Up", on which Keys deftly blends her love of vintage soul/R&B and pop with a modern rhythmic sensibility that draws strongly from hip-hop and jazz. Ballads such as "If I Ain't Got You". "You Don't Know My Name" and "Diary" scale back on the rhythms and let Keys' piano playing and vocals carry the songs. The timeless sound she crafts on "The Diary of Alicia Keys" is very much in character with the musical identity she established on "Songs in A Minor" and the stylistic consistency between the CDs is no accident. "I have to say that honestly my theory is it’s not broke, so don't fix it", Keys says. "Another theory, when I do my music - my music is very, it's not contrived. I don't sit there and I don't think about how am I going to put this together that's going to make it (acceptable)." Read the whole article.
:: I've added new photos from concert in Las Vegas on March 12. Click on thumbnails.

March 11, 2005
:: You should respect your elders, and nobody knows it better than Alicia Keys. The theme of her show was Uptown Saturday Night, dated Oct. 19, 1931, on the banners flanking the stage. Keys mixed her own modern songs with classics from the Billie Holiday era and beyond, including a wonderfully updated take on 'Minnie the Moocher'. The elegant set - all drapes, chandelier and big band-era bandstand - perfectly complemented Keys' own understanding of how music is a continuum - even her most modern-sounding work has its roots in her musical forebears. She and her eight backing musicians deftly weaved those oldies in with work from her two albums 'Songs in A Minor' and 'The Diary of Alicia Keys'. Keys' admiration of Prince goes far beyond inducting him into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last year and covering his songs. Like many of his shows during the past 15 years, Keys made hers a stylized revue, full of crowd participation, songs flowing into one another and a seamless style of James Brown band-leading. Read the whole article here and view photos from the show here.
:: Alicia Keys, Duran Duran, Maroon 5, Gwen Stefani, Kanye West and Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne are among the celebrities that signed a soccer ball to benefit GlobalGiving, an organization for tsunami relief efforts, to be auctioned on eBay through March 18th.

March 10, 2005
:: Alicia Keys and Rod Stewart will join Joss Stone, Rob Thomas, Queen Latifah and John Legend when "Save The Music: A Concert To Benefit The VH1 Save The Music Foundation" will air on VH1 Sunday, April 17 at 9pm. Continuing in the tradition of events to benefit VH1's Save The Music Foundation, the star-studded concert will tape at New York City's famed Beacon Theatre on Monday, April 11. VH1's "Save the Music" concert raises funds for the VH1 Save the Music Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to restoring instrumental music programs in America's public schools, and to raising awareness of the positive impact that music participation has on students. Since VH1 Save the Music was created in 1997, nearly $30 million worth of musical instruments has been donated to nearly 1200 public schools in 80 cities, improving the lives of more than 500,000 children. More information on VH1.com.
:: I've put new pictures from concert in Denver Convention Center. View them all here.

March 10, 2005
:: Everyone who knows the Notorious B.I.G.'s music has a favorite verse, whether it's funny, dirty, aggressive or a great story. Yes, the records were incredible. It's been eight years since Biggie's untimely departure and his music still reigns supreme: Just ask all the rappers who use his lines in their verses. Alicia Keys pick: "Me & My Bitch" from "Ready to Die" album. Why? "I know that sounds crazy coming from me," Keys admitted, "but I love how he was talking about real feelings and real emotion. I like the way [early in the song] he was able to talk about how they got into fights and she would throw his clothes out the window. And still, he was always there for her: They had this love relationship that you would only understand when you are really with somebody. And how the verse took it all the way to the point when she paged him, he tried to call her back but no answer: The killers set her up, took her out, and now she's gone. 'You killed my best friend.' I love that song. Biggie is one of my all-time favorites. We still miss him. He was definitely the greatest." You can view all picks by Jay Z, 50Cent, Kanye West, LL Cool J and others on Mtv.com.
:: I've added five new photos from Alicia's performance at the Nokia Theatre in Dallas, Texas. Big thx to Diva for them! If any of you has photos from The Diary tour please contact me.

March 9, 2005
:: Alicia Keys has risen above hard times to achieve her musical dreams - and now she'll do whatever it takes to stay on top. Here are several Miss Keys' quotations from latest issue of Seventeen magazine:
1. Privacy, please: "I don't really talk about my private life. I deserve to be able to have a private life without somebody dissecting it or having somebody come up with 15 lies about it."
2. Lesbian rumors: "I was like, Please, give me a break with the gay thing! The tabloids started that rumor early on in my career. I was much less refined at that point ... the way I spoke was a little different - and the way that I dressed. I've never been a super-girly kind of girl, and they wanted to make up something."
3. The creative process: "With my music, I made it a rule to write what I feel, no matter what. If it's stupid or it's kind of awkward, I'll write it anyway. Afterward, when I listen to it, I'll have to decide if it was good enough for me but not good enough for what I want to do."
4. Reconcilingith dad: "I came to the realization that people can't and will not always be how you want them to be, or how you expect them to be. I had to come to a place where I could begin to let go. That doesn't mean that you forget. It just means you begin to let it go."
5. Getting along with mom: "She really is the only person in my whole life - her and my grandmother - who has always been there no matter what, even when I was selfish and stupid and nasty. Now we're really close. Of course we still get on each other's nerves, but now we're like, OK, I'll see you later because you're getting on my nerves!" Read more in here.
:: I've added scans from To & Owo Polish magazine, you can view them by clicking on thumbs.

March 8, 2005
:: I have something really exclusive for you. Mike from Ultimate Kelly Clarkson sent me short videos from Alicia's concert at Rodeo Houston, when Alicia sang 'Diary', 'If I Ain't Got You' and 'Karma'. I've made one video from these three and it's ready to download now! Be sure to check this out, it's great stuff! Thank you Mike!! <3
:: Alicia was a guest on 104 Krbe Radio in Houston before her Rodeo Houston performance on March 4. She sang 'If I Ain't Got You'. I've added several photos from that event.

March 8, 2005
:: Onstage and off, good taste prevailed Saturday at Nokia Theatre at Grand Prairie, at a sold-out concert starring young R&B singer Alicia Keys and opener John Legend. From the chandelier to the white-tuxedoed backup band to the all-white baby grand piano, Keys' show exuded an elegance perfectly mirrored by the eclectic but sophisticated crowd of more than 6,000. It was a big night for dates and girlfriends, who honored Keys' fondness for hats by sporting their own fedoras and tweed caps. Keys is riding a wave of critical success, including three recently announced Soul Train awards and four Grammys. She has staged the tour, labeled "Uptown Saturday Night," as a Harlem nightclub, with a poster of Cab Calloway and another of herself that evoked Billie Holiday. An emcee called on the audience to give a "1931 welcome," and out Keys came, wearing a black cutout jumpsuit and a sparkly maroon jersey tube top. Her eight-piece band, including three backup singers, wore white tuxedos and performed on raised platforms trimmed with white pleated fabric. Opening with 'Karma', she performed with style and confidence. After launching into Jane Doe, she pointed in the air and said "horns," and the saxophonist complied with a flurry of notes. If the moment required her to don a boa or shimmy, so be it: At the end of Heartburn, she dramatically feigned a faint on a red velvet settee. Moments such as those revealed a theatrical sense that bodes well for her aspirations as an actress. The dancing, the acting, even the book of poetry for sale at the merchandise stand might seem like typical pop marketing, but Keys is the real deal. She writes many of her own songs and on Saturday evening played the piano as deftly as she sang, whether on 'Girlfriend', 'How Come You Don't Call Me', 'Rock Wit U' or her compelling single, 'Fallin'. Keys even showed a generosity of spirit by leaving the stage and giving her backup singers the spotlight with a song of their own, Holiday's 'God Bless the Child'. She was one class act.

March 7, 2005
:: The Rodeo Houston performance featuring championship rodeo action and a concert by Alicia Keys, celebrating Black Heritage Day, Friday, March 4, broke the Show’s all-time rodeo attendance record with a paid attendance of 72,062. The paid attendance broke the previous record of 70,668 set in 2004 at Rodeo Houston with a performance by Kenny Chesney. Rodeo Houston is a division of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, a 501 charity benefiting youth and supporting education. Mike from Ultimate Kelly Clarkson took some pictures and sent them to me, so be sure to check them out! Thank you Mike! :) Click on thumbs.

March 5, 2005
:: I've added some older photos from Alicia's performance in Paris on November 21, 2004.

March 4, 2005
:: Even if you don't know her music, you know her name: Alicia Keys. She's a superstar of unrivaled beauty, a class act always sitting gracefully behind the piano and cooing a memorable coo. She's sly, smart and sassy - and she'll be the first musician to play the new Lecture Hall at the expanded Colorado Convention Center when she comes to Denver on Wednesday. Five things you should know about Alicia Keys and her upcoming Denver date: 1. The everyman's music: Alicia Keys is to soul music what Norah Jones is to folk - easily accessible, jazz-infused and made for the radio-minded public. Keys' music isn't overly simplistic, but it's not all that important or arty, either, and anybody pretending that it is - Keys included - is a tad delusional. (It is pop music, people.) My music doesn't have a beginning or end," Keys said in press materials. "It's continuous. I didn't stop writing after the first album came out, and everything I wrote since came from the experiences in my life, of being on the road, traveling and dealing with different situations. Once I got to the studio, I began to let those things out of me. By the time I did start thinking about how I wanted the new album to be, I had so many songs. You see, I don't put myself in any kind of box; I speak freely with my music. I knew that the second album would naturally be different from the first one because of all the growing I did during the past four years." Read the whole article here.
:: Tomas sent me link for his 'The Diary of Alicia Keys' review. You can read it here.
:: I've added new photo and site of the moment, which is M-Moore.net, congratz!
:: I've put some promotional photos of Alicia in high quality. Thx to Corné for most of them! :)

March 2, 2005
:: Alicia has slammed reports she disappointed fans by failing to perform at a gig on Friday - insisting she never confirmed she would take to the stage. Michael Ault, the owner of Los Angeles' Gryphon Club, complains he had to refund disappointed ticket holders because a friend of Alicia promised fans Keys would perform if he received a cut of the ticket sales. But when Keys arrived, she sat in the VIP area and didn't sing a note, reports website Pagesix.com. A spokesperson for the star says "Alicia's management knows nothing about this matter. She was never confirmed to perform at the Gryphon".
:: I've added several new sites into my affiliates.
:: Paulinha from Alicia Keys Brasil sent me Alicia's performance at Pre-Grammy Party, so I've uploaded three new mp3s. Click here and download them all! Thanks girl!

March 2, 2005
:: Who do you think was the most attractive woman on Hello site last month? Your votes for the monthly winners determine who will be entered in a Grand Finale at the end of the year. Voting will end on March 31st. Vote for Alicia by clicking here! You can vote once every 15 minutes. Help Alicia be number one! Thx to Mae for info.
:: I've updated timeline and videography sections.
:: Since there are no many new Alicia photos, I've added some older ones from NBA All Star Jam Session, 'Read to Achieve' event in 2002. Click on thumbnails.

March 1, 2005
:: Fresh off their Grammy success, Usher and Alicia Keys dominated the Soul Train Awards, with each winning two individual awards and sharing the prize for best R&B-soul single by a group or duo. Usher picked up the award for best male R&B-soul single for "Confessions Part II," as well as the prize for best R&B-soul album by a male artist. Keys got a nod for the best female R&B-soul single for her hit "If I Ain't Got You" and was honored for best female R&B-soul album for "The Diary of Alicia Keys." The two singers already shared a Grammy for their chart-topping duet "My Boo." Keys won four Grammys last month, while Usher had three. The ceremony was held yesterday at Paramount Studios in Hollywood.
:: Alicia Keys' musical resume reads more like that of a 20-year recording industry veteran than a 24-year-old singer-songwriter with only two studio albums. She's already won nine Grammy Awards, collaborated with many of the music legends she grew up listening to and garnered the kind of praise usually reserved for artists in the prime of their careers. She's also credited with raising the bar of musicianship in a pop-driven industry that makes stars out of mediocre performers and their forgettable, overproduced songs. Keys brought her blend of r&b, funk, jazz and classical music to Miami's James L. Knight Center on Friday night for a sold-out show itself deserving an award, with its Harlem Renaissance-inspired theme and flawless production. Keys called it Uptown New York Saturday Night, with the stage decorated to resemble a social club in 1930sHarlem, complete with vintage posters of Cab Calloway and Keys herself, beaded lamps, a crystal chandelier and white curtains. In her white feather boa and vintage costumes, Keys bore a striking resemblance to one of the era's prominent singers, Lena Horne. The audience, with people from every age and race demographic, seemed to have as much fun as Keys, who smiled and laughed throughout the 90-minute set. Many of the men in the crowd seemed to be competing with the pre-teen set for the loudest I-love-you-Alicia screams. She shimmied and sashayed her way through the first 45 minutes, effortlessly belting out hits such as Karma and Heartburn in a teal jumpsuit and a beaded feather ornament in her hair. The show took on Broadway-musical qualities during the second half as Keys changed into a baby blue dress and ditched the Yamaha for some acoustic time at microphone. Her voice was sweet and soothing one moment and as strong as a brick house the next as she sang "If I Was Your Woman/Walk On By". Read the whole article here.
:: Many people requested this one so I finally added Carlos Santana & Alicia Keys - Oyecomova Live at the Pre Grammy video. Download it. Enjoy!

February 28, 2005
:: I've added more hq photos from Miami concert, view them in here.
:: I've added small, but so cute pictures from Seventeen magazine photo shoot. If any of you have scans from it please contact me! Click on thumbnails.

February 27, 2005
:: Sienna sent me link for great interview with Alicia taped for show called So Fresh in Australia. You can watch it by clicking here.
:: I've got email with this rumor: "Alicia Keys will feature on Shelley's debut album. I don't have a title of the album and I don't have a release date either, but the first single featuring Cassidy, titled "Ride 2 Nite" will be in stores March 21st. Shelley is a soul singer from North Carolina. I think his album is only gonna be released in Europe and Australia, but I'm not sure about that".
:: I've updated tour section and put new affiliates, check them all!
:: I've added some new avatars, one of them made by Kevin, thanks!
:: Alicia Keys arrives at LAX to catch a flight. She was accompanied by her body guard and and spent a little time in the car readjusting her hair before getting out and entering the terminal. Under her arm she carried a cute fluffy toy lion. Click on thumbnails to view photos.

February 26, 2005
:: When Alicia Keys played the Freeman Center at Christopher Newport University almost four years ago, many people didn't know her name. Today, she's a Grammy-award winning princess of the pop and R&B charts. Sources announced Friday that Keys will bring her "Diary Tour" to Hampton Coliseum April 9. Up-and-coming singer John Legend will open the concert. Tickets for the show go on sale at noon Friday from Ticketmaster outlets. Ticket prices have not been announced. The Hampton show is part of a tour that will take Keys across the nation between now and the end of April. In the days since the Grammy broadcast, Keys has seen sales of her CDs take a leap. Amazon.com reported that "The Diary of Alicia Keys" jumped from No. 53 to No. 6 on the online store's list of top sellers.
:: I've added photos from concert at the James L Knight Center in Miami, Florida, click on thumbs. I've also put more hq pics from Def Jam Poetry event. Click here to view them all.

February 25, 2005
:: With four new Grammy Awards fresh on her shelf, Alicia Keys is looking forward to the start of her new North American tour. The tour will be Keys' most extensive so far in support of her album, 2003's "The Diary of Alicia Keys". "When I did tour America, it was very brief. I only did about 16 cities," says Keys, who was on the road in the spring of 2004 as part of the Ladies First Tour with Beyonce and Missy Elliott. "We have a lot more cities to touch that I would love to touch with this album. We're purposely gonna do really small, intimate little theaters and really just make it an experience, something that is just unforgettable and just personal."
:: I've added photos from HBO And Russell Simmons' "Def Poetry Jam" Event in NYC.

February 24, 2005
:: Hey guys. Sorry for not updating site day by day and not replying for your emails. I'm sick and I need lil break, sorry. In the meantime I've added new photos from first Alicia's 'Diary Tour' concert at the Township Auditorium in Columbia.

February 21, 2005
:: Alicia Keys' performance at the 47th annual Grammy Awards last Sunday went down as one of the brightest moments of the Grammy show. The man responsible for Keys' musical arrangement is Ray Chew, a respected musician, arranger, musical director and artiste whose credentials contain a long list of who's who from the entertainment world. Chew's involvement in music dates back 25 years ago. He has worked with Chaka Khan, the husband and wife duo of Ashford and Simpson, Stephanie Mills, Diana Ross, Roberta Flack, Teddy Pendergrast, Grover Washington, Missy Elliott, Brian McKnight, Deborah Cox and Yolanda Adams among others. Keys, who delivered a knockout set with her number one Rhythm and Blues hit If I Aint Got You, was joined by actor and singer Jamie Foxx who belted Ray Charles' Georgia On My Mind. "Alicia brought me in to arrange and co-ordinate the segment with her and Jamie Fox. It was originally supposed to be her performing alone," aid Chew. Asked if working with the talented singer, songwriter and musician was in any way challenging, Chew said: "It's not a challenge, it's a pleasure. It's like a labour of love". Read the whole article here.
:: Movie producer Prince Azim has secured Alicia Keys and Faye Dunaway to star in his first film. The Brunei royal became a Hollywood player at just 22-years-old after failing to win a place at Britain's prestigious Oxford University, but he is currently jetting around the globe to secure locations for his first big screen movie. Azim says, "I'm co-producing a movie which is going to star actress Faye Dunaway and Alicia Keys. "It's great fun, but it's keeping me pretty busy at the moment. I'm spending most of my time jumping around between Brunei, London and the United States".
:: Click here to enter BET's exclusive ticket sweepstakes and be one of the lucky fans to see Alicia Keys and John Legend live in concert. There will be a winner in every city of the tour, so enter now and enjoy the show. Good luck!

February 17, 2005
:: P.Diddy and Alicia have joined Britney Spears and Jessica Simpson in their tv war on acne. The four stars all appear in a new Proactiv Solution infomercial, presented by Vanessa Williams, which is currently being shown on American TV. Diddy and Keys actually discuss their acne nightmares with Williams in the ad, while Simpson, who starred in Proactiv ads that ran through 2004, discusses teen acne with a group of girls who have used the miracle spot cream to clear up their complexions. Diddy, who has used the spot cream for the past six years, insists his bad skin was a secret he tried to keep throughout his twenties, and he credits Proactive products with giving him the confidence to succeed as a rap mogul. He says, "The way you take care of your face reflects who you are." Meanwhile, Keys admits she started using the product two years ago when she found herself trying to hide her spotty face from the cameras. She explains, "I just looked in the mirror one day and I just virtually broke down... I remember going through airports with hats pulled down and people asked me all the time, 'Are you hiding?' and I think maybe I was".
:: Alicia finally posted new entry at her official diary, check her site now!

February 16, 2005
:: Alicia Keys wore one of the most glamorous outfits on the green carpet at Sunday night's Grammy Awards. "She looked amazing," Glamour Magazine editor-in-chief Cindi Leive said on The Early Show, offering her review. along with stylist to the stars David Evangelista. Keys wore a full-length white satin gown with thick gold straps and a bare back. The dress, paired with simple dangling earrings and sparkling gold eye makeup, made for a sophisticated look that was sexy in its demureness. Leive noted, "We are so used to seeing her with the braids and she often wears a hat. And she was wearing this white Roberto Cavalli dress with all of those golden sashes that went well with all the statues she won." Evangelista agreed, "It wasn't trying too hard. It was soft and pretty. It was Grammy. That was the right way to do it with a Cavalli gown."
:: Alicia insists on wearing dark glasses when she's on a longhaul flight because she hates the thought of fellow passengers watching her as she sleeps. She says wearing sunglasses indoors is a great perk to being a celebrity - because it saves her from constantly having to look bright eyed. She explains, "(I love) the big dark ones that cover your whole grille. Those are my favourite. Not because I'm trying to be fabulous, but I love those big crazy Jackie O shades. "Especially on planes - you have every right to not want Tom, Dick and Harry in your nasty, sleep-crusty eyes."
:: I've added some more pics from Grammy Awards press room and performance. Enjoy.

February 14, 2005
:: I've posted this before, but I wanna remind you about it. Alicia, Bono, Stevie Wonder, Brian Wilson and others performed The Beatles tune 'Across The Universe' at Grammy Awards to help raise more cash for the tsunami relief effort in south east Asia. The song is available now as a legal download on Apple's iTunes Music Store for 99 cents. Visit iTunes website now.
:: Two more videos added: Alicia & Jamie Foxx 'Georgia on my Mind' and Alicia with other artists 'Across the Universe' performances. Be sure to download them! I'd like to thank once again my angel Oyinkan for these videos! <3 You!
:: I've put more pictures from Pre Grammy party, click on thumbs. More from Grammy soon.

February 14, 2005
:: I know you are waiting for this! :) I've uploaded two videos - Keys' 'If I Ain't Got You' performance and her award acceptance speech. You have to wait for 'Georgia On My Mind' and 'Across The Universe' performances. Big thanks to Diva and Matt for recording vidz for us! Visit videos section now!
:: I've added many photos from Grammy press room, show and some other from performances.

February 13, 2005
:: Hot news from Mtv: Alicia Keys won four awards (!!) for Best R&B Album ("The Diary of Alicia Keys"), Best R&B Song ("You Don't Know My Name"), Best Female R&B Performance ("If I Ain't Got You") and for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals ("My Boo," her duet with Usher). I'm waiting for more, I hope that Alicia will win Song of the Year. Don't forget to check back AKO soon for photos and videos from ceremony!

February 13, 2005
:: Alicia Keys was chasing a record Grammy haul she could win more than any other woman in one evening as one of many subplots playing out at Sunday's ceremonies. Three years ago, Keys won five Grammys for her debut album, "Songs in A Minor," becoming only the second woman to win that many in one night. This year she was nominated for eight awards, including album and song of the year. Read more here.
:: I've added high quality photos from Clive Davis Pre Grammy Party at Beverly Hills Hotel on February 12. Click on thumbs to view two galleries from party and performance.