Alicia Keys and I are the
same age and a world apart. I have a vague remembrance of when she first popped
onto the music scene with the first single that I still know the words to
“Fallin”. That was back in 2001. It seems like a lifetime ago.
Back then she was this new
singer with braids in her hair and was one of the few writing her own songs.
She played the piano and could sing songs that would silence any crowd. The
strength and glory of her voice always brings the audience to its knees.
It is weird to me now
thinking about that time, considering how I feel about her now and what I am
going to share with you. At some point I went from fan to patron to disciple
who worships hole heartily at the church of Alicia Keys and her lyrics. Her
music has literally been the “key” to my salvation and I didn’t notice that
irony until last week.
But first let me back
track. Just about five years ago (oh that magic number five), one of my best
and closest friends was diagnosed with a rare and terminal case of cancer. We
had gone to college together and had at that point in time drifted apart. When
I learned of her illness I of course reconnected. As she fought for her life, I
fought for her soul. What is the good of surviving if you have no quality of
life? No one to love you and remember the gift of having you in their world?
“No one” would indeed be
the only words I would need.
When Alicia Keys released
her album “As I am” in November 2007, her single “No One” would become the most
listened to song in 2007 in America. Lord knows I have done my share. I don’t
remember the first time I heard it but I remember the first time I told my
friend about it. She had a particularly hard day and I was trying to find the
right words to lift her spirits. The song came on the radio I was listening to
at work. It all seemed like fate. I began franticly typing the lyrics into an
email to send to her. But nothing compares to hearing it from Alicia.
After that this song
became our anthem. I would listen to it when I couldn’t sleep. I would sing it
to her as a prayer in my mind. It made us feel strong we when felt helpless and
weak. We did not live near each other so visiting was not an option at first.
Having this bond and knowing that no matter what we had each other and that our
friendship was a gift, the depths of which most people couldn’t understand, was
all so clear in this song despite that it sounds like a love song at first.
Well I guess it is a love song any way you look at it.
I had sent my friend this
album because it was as if Alicia knew my friend was also a “Superwoman” yet
another single from this album. There were too many coincidences.
As I sit here and recount
those moments I am practically dry heaving. I have no idea how I was not a
basket case hysterically crying louder than she was singing that night. But
somehow I was able to sit there looking at my beautiful and brave friend and
enjoy it. We held each other, looking at Alicia, and sang at the top of our
lungs!!! It was the most amazing night. My pictures from that night are high on
my list of the most precious in my collection. The memory they created are
priceless.
We have gone on with our
lives and our friendship I am happy to report. We of course are still Alicia
Keys fans. Her follow up album, “The Element of Freedom” produced N.Y.C.’s
anthem “Empire State of Mind” and many other songs I love. There is really
nothing she can write or sing that I will hate. The woman is just too talented
and in concert she will blow you away. I went to see her when she was on tour
for her latest album and got the bonus of seeing Beyonce and Jay-Z when they
came on stage for their respective songs with Alicia. N.Y.C. really is the
greatest on earth.
I am so looking forward to
her new album “Girl on Fire” which is coming out at the end of November this
year. In promotion of that album and tour which will start next year, I got to
see Alicia in a new format. Last week I was lucky enough to see her at 92Y
being interviewed by the one and only Jonathan Tish. Talk about two birds and
one stone.
When she walked on to that
stage I got chills. Of course I was in the orchestra section of that great hall
and even though I was far back her presence was large enough to fill that room.
I was so excited but calm. Usually when I see an idol of mine at events like
this I am anxious or nervous but I didn’t feel any of that. I felt calm, like I
was with a friend. I felt like I knew her (not like in a creepy stalker way). I
have read a lot about her and the interviews about the meaning behind her songs
so I knew a lot about what she might say. But nothing compares to what I
learned.
For instance it never EVER
occurred to me that her real last name is not Keys. I have no idea why but it
never dawned on me. She was telling us (swear to God almost wrote me) about how
she came to that name, it turns out a mentor of hers had a dream about it; she
wanted to go with Wilde. I had to wait until I came home to look it up. I won’t
hold you in that suspense. She was born Alicia Augello Cook. So glad she
changed it. Her real name sounds fake to me.
She talked about how she
got into the business at sixteen, how her success started so fast, about her
husband, and how she loves being a mother to her two year old son Egypt who was
named for her special connection to the trip she took there.
She was lovely and
natural. She seemed genuinely happy to be there. Happy and proud to be in her
hometown, apparently blocks from where she grew up, and now back there on top.
I have a feeling if I didn’t know who she was and I bumped into her on the
street she would be just as nice. I like someone who stays true to themselves.
Besides being a mother and
world famous recording star, she talked about her upcoming black ball for her
foundation “Keep a Child Alive" which raises money for medication for children
who have AIDS (see link below). She also has designed a new sneaker collection
for Rebok (see link below).
My favorite part of this
evening was when she was asked by Mr. Tish about the song “No One”. Who was it
written for? Did she know it was going to be a big success? She said that song was
the perfect example of the magic of music. That the song just came to her and
out of her. She began to hum and sing the chorus “everything’s going to be
alright”. She said those words just came to her one day. I was instantly a
puddle of tears. I wanted her to keep going and stop at the same time. I
couldn’t breathe. She sounded just as good as she does on stage and the
proximity of her at this moment was unreal. I felt like we were alone. She
didn’t sing any other lines from that song but it was perfect the way it was.
She said that song could be for anyone: family members, friends, etc. She said
she now knows she wrote it for her husband.
When asked what she sings
to her son she said one of her favorites is the lullaby from Cinderella and
hummed a few bars of that “so this is love…..” What a lucky boy he is.
Although there was no meet
and greet afterwards I was ok with that. I had my cds and camera on me just in
case. But I had not really thought ahead of what I would have said to her. I
had not braced myself. I don’t know if I could have handled it. I hope to have
the opportunity to thank her some day. She deserves to know how special and
powerful her music is.
Alicia Keys is one of the
few artists who makes amazing and life changing music. While the music is fun
to sing along to, it is also uplifting especially with such strong messages for
fellow women. That is one of the parts I always have connected with.
She has shown me “A
Woman’s Worth” and to love my “Empire State of Mind”. Now with her new single,
Alicia Keys has encouraged me to be a “Girl on Fire”.
But the KEY to my
gratitude and soft spot in my heart for Alicia Keys will always be “No One”.
Every time I hear it I smile, tear up, and give thanks.
I can’t wait to see what I
learn next.
For Alicia Keys, her new
music, and many projects:
For 92Y:
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