Born and raised in the heart of Clinton, New York, Alicia Augello Cook— professionally known as Alicia Keys, began her successful career with her inaugural album Songs in A-Minor in 2001, showcasing her mix of contemporary and classical R&B. Her first single, Fallin, peaked at number one immediately marking the beginning of a prosperous and successful music career. Now, 19 years later she debuts her seventh studio album, the self-titled ALICIA, containing seven previously released singles and nine brand new songs featuring eight collabs with artists from Khalid to Miguel.

The album focuses on a mix of diverse and classic instruments with the piano being Key’s specialty along with guitar and an underlying element of technopop. This theme appears in the album’s second track titled Time Machine (a single off the album) conveying the need for freedom and ease to the mind as time goes on :

“No, we can’t rewind, life ain’t no time machine

But once you free your mind, there’s beauty in everything”

Throughout the album, fans observe an emphasis on freedom and the attention to the hardships of today’s world such as the Black Lives Matter movement, the devastating effects of COVID-19 and issues facing women and under-appreciated members of society. Keys heavily underscores these concepts in the album’s Fifth track Underdog:

“So I sing a song for the hustlers trading at the bus stop

Single mothers waiting on a check to come…

This goes out to the underdog

Keep on Keeping at what you love”

In addition to freedom and global affairs, Keys implements her well-known use of classic ballads and romance to convey her love and admiration for her husband, music producer Swizz Beatz, and the ups and downs of their relationship as a couple in the public eye. Songs like the popular single Show me Love feat. Miguel and You Save Me feat Snoh Aleagara display Key’s deep emotional connection to her husband. In comparison to past albums such as her 2012 album Girl on Fire, ALICIA moves from the raw, barebones classic R&B to a more modern yet soulful sound.

Critics claim the album depicts Keys as a seasoned artist pushing the limits of her voice and imagination. Her first five albums according to Variety depicted her as a sleekly sophisticated singer-songwriter and pianist, crafting anthemic R&B both bold but just as often bland. Although keys shifted in her sound, her first five albums along with ALICIA showcase her talents and abilities in a contemporary fashion with a funkier sound. 

Chant Grade: A-