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Interview
by SashaS
18-12-2003
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| Alica Keys uncovers more on 2nd CD |
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Velvet voiced sis
Alicia Keys: second course of delicacy
Despite selling 6 million copies of the debut ‘Songs In A Minor’ and being feted as one of the biggest pop stars to emerge in recent years, Alicia Keys insists she’s not got all starry, has yet to develop a diva persona, and still prefers to hang out with old friends. But, having blasted on to the scene in 2001 and having garnered five Grammies, others will not be able to view her in the same way.
She has it all - beauty, an amazing voice, virtuoso piano skills, a songwriting talent who bears comparison with Stevie Wonder and personality to match. She’s grown musically on her new album, she says, and matured emotionally a hundred times. She’s managed to translate more than a fraction of it on the new disc, ‘The Diary Of Alicia Keys’, that on few listens already feels like another classic.
One of the disc’s tracks is a collaboration with two Hip-hop giants: ‘Streets of New York’ rap-guests a legend and a contemporary rhymist, Rakim and Nas. Keys has worked with Nas before, though, featuring on ‘Warrior Song’ from his last album, ‘God’s Son’. [This is a bonus track, the record co. ensures us, although our copy is without it.] Another rapster, Mos Def, portrays her love-interest (see small pix) a video for the lead single ‘You Don’t Know My Name’.
With ‘The Diary…’ you get what she feels.
“The album is called ‘The Diary Of Alicia Keys’ for two reasons: one is because I’ve always been big on writing in journals and I always carry a book and write everything that’s happening, what I’ve seen, my thoughts… I really feel that when I write my journals I’m the most honest with myself, totally open and can express my innermost thoughts and ideas.”
An inner sanctum
At the press conference she assured a journo, “Don’t worry, I talk a lot,“ and she proves it effortlessly again.
“My feeling is that this album is like that, my musical diary; I’m alone and letting my mind go, the truth coming out, nothing held back. The other obvious reason for me is that each day is different and each song as well, marking certain moments in time, in my life, different sides, different facets of myself.”
“Inspiration-wise, I’d say the reference points pretty much the same as on the first album. That comes from the way I write, which is taking pieces of my life, major things that happen to me or affect me in a profound way… What was different this time was that I wrote most of this album on the road. So, the major difference is that I was exposed to much more and that’s made it more informed, more general, broader…”
The political echo on this disc…?
“Yes, you get a taste of my political thoughts and social thoughts on happenings in the world… I think that it may feature more in the future but I find it a very delicate subject. I’m affected deeply by… we are all affected deeply with what is happening, just look at the state of the world… I can see myself doing an album that has strong political statements in the future. When, that I don’t know; it will happen when it is due to happen.”
Rappers and a lover
You’ve already had some powerful guests on this album, Rakim and Nas: how did it come about and what was their reaction upon finding out about appearing on the same cut?
“To have Nas and Rakim on one record is very thrilling for me because they are my all-time favourite MCs; Rakim really changed the game, he really has influenced Nas… Both are very mental artist, they are very like emotional, they are poetical in their lyrics and I really appreciate what they bring to the game. I’ve really admired them for a long time and to have them both on one record, you can imagine, it was like a dream-cum-true.”
“When I had them in a studio, I was really excited. When they found out they’d be on the same track, they were excited. I think it really made them step-up their rhymes. Unfortunately we couldn’t all be in a studio at the same time but when I worked with each of them, I didn’t play them what the other did, I mean I didn‘t play Nas’ part to Rakim, just to give them an even ground. But, I truly feel it made them step up knowing the other was on the track. They came up with some incredible lyrics.”
A certain boyfriend, who turned out to be a love-rat, inspired several songs on the previous album and then you reconciled; is he still in the picture and has he inspired some more songs?
“Yeah, he’s still in the picture and, would you believe that I hung onto this guy after all that stuff?! Well, no - he is a great guy and in the picture; as he shares my life he obviously inspired some songs on this album…”
More positively intoned, one hopes?
“I do hope so… no, it is a mixture, you guys can never get it right…”
That’s our lot, in the eyes of femmes, soulful with velvet fog like voices or not.
SashaS
18-12-2003
Alicia Keys’ album ‘The Diary Of …’ is released 01 December 2003 on J-Records
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