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Biography for Alicia Keys

Alicia Augello Cook (born Jan. 25, 1981 (29 years ago)), better known by her stage name Alicia Keys, is an American recording artist, musician and actress. She was raised in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan in New York by her single mother, where Keys made a television appearance on The Cosby Show at the age of four. She attended Professional Performing Arts School and graduated at 16. She later attended Columbia University before dropping out to pursue her music career. Keys released her debut album with J Records, having had previous record deals first with Columbia and then Arista Records.

Keys' debut album, Songs in A Minor, was a commercial success, selling over 12 million copies worldwide. She became the best-selling new artist and best-selling R&B artist of 2001 (9 years ago). The album earned Keys five Grammy Awards in 2002 (8 years ago), including Best New Artist and Song of the Year for "Fallin'". Her second studio album, The Diary of Alicia Keys, was released in 2003 (7 years ago) and was also another success worldwide, selling eight million copies. The album garnered her an additional four Grammy Awards in 2005 (5 years ago). Later that year, she released her first live album, Unplugged, which debuted at number one in the United States. She became the first female to have an MTV Unplugged album to debut at number one and the highest since Nirvana (4 walls) in 1994 (16 years ago).

Keys made guest appearances in several television series in the following years. She made her movie debut in Smokin' Aces and went on to appear in The Nanny Diaries in 2007 (3 years ago). Her third studio album, As I Am, was released in the same year and sold six million copies worldwide, earning Keys an additional three Grammy Awards. The following year, she appeared in The Secret Life of Bees, which earned her a nomination at the NAACP Image Awards. Throughout her career, Keys has won numerous awards and has sold over 30 million albums worldwide, establishing herself as one of the best-selling artists of her time.

Career

1981–2000: Early life and career beginnings

Keys was born Alicia Augello Cook on Jan. 25, 1981 (29 years ago), in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan, in New York City, New York. She is the daughter and only child of Irish-Italian mother Teresa Augello, a paralegal and part-time actress, and Jamaican father Craig Cook, a flight attendant. She expressed that she was comfortable with her biracial heritage because she felt she was able to "relate to different cultures". Her parents separated when she was two and she was subsequently raised by her mother during her formative years in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan. In 1985 (25 years ago), Keys made an appearance on The Cosby Show at the age of four, where she and a group of girls played the parts of Rudy Huxtable's sleepover guests in the episode "Slumber Party". Throughout her childhood, Keys was sent to music and dance classes by her mother. She began playing the piano when she was seven and learned classical music by composers such as Beethoven, Mozart and Chopin. She enrolled in the Professional Performing Arts School at the age of 12, where she majored in choir and began writing songs at the age of 14. She graduated in three years as valedictorian at the age of 16. She was accepted to Columbia University and had a recording contract with Columbia Records; she attempted to manage both, but dropped out of college after four weeks to pursue her musical career.

Keys signed a demo deal with Jermaine Dupri and So So Def Recordings, where she appeared on the label's Christmas album performing "The Little Drummer Girl". She also co-wrote and recorded a song entitled "Dah Dee Dah (Sexy Thing)", which appeared on the soundtrack to the 1997 (13 years ago) film, Men in Black. The song was Keys' first professional recording; however, it was never released as a single and her record contract with Columbia ended after a dispute with the label. Keys called Clive Davis, who sensed a "special, unique" artist from her performance and signed her to Arista Records, which later disbanded. Keys almost chose Wilde as her stage name until her manager suggested the name Keys after a dream he had. Keys felt that name represented her both as a performer and person. Following Davis to his newly formed J Records label, she recorded the songs "Rock wit U" and "Rear View Mirror", which were featured on the soundtracks to the movies Shaft (2000, 10 years ago) and Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001, 9 years ago), respectively.

Keys released her first studio album, Songs in A Minor, in Jun. 2001 (9 years ago). It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and sold 236,000 copies in its first week. The album sold over 6.2 million copies in the United States, where it was certified six times Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It went on to sell over 12 million copies worldwide, establishing Keys' popularity both inside and outside the United States, where she became the best-selling new artist and best-selling R&B artist of 2001 (9 years ago). The album's lead single, "Fallin'", spent six weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The album's second single, "A Woman's Worth", peaked at number three on the same chart. The following year, the album was reissued as Remixed & Unplugged in A Minor, which included eight remixes and seven unplugged versions of the songs from the original.

Songs in A Minor led Keys to win five awards at the 2002 (8 years ago) Grammy Awards: Song of the Year, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, and Best R&B Song for "Fallin'", Best New Artist, and Best R&B Album; "Fallin'" was also nominated for Record of the Year. Keys became the second female solo artist to win five Grammy Awards in a single night, following Lauryn Hill at the 41st Grammy Awards. That same year, she collaborated with Christina Aguilera (82 walls) for the latter's upcoming album Stripped on a song entitled "Impossible", which Keys wrote, co-produced, and provided with background vocals. During the early 2000s, Keys also made small cameos in television series Charmed and American Dreams.

2003–2005: The Diary of Alicia Keys and Unplugged

Keys followed up her debut with The Diary of Alicia Keys, which was released in Dec. 2003 (7 years ago). The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling over 618,000 copies its first week of release, becoming the largest first week sales for a female artist in 2003 (7 years ago). It sold 4.4 million copies in the United States and was certified four times Platinum by the RIAA. It sold eight million copies worldwide, becoming the sixth biggest-selling album by a female artist and the second biggest-selling album by a female R&B artist. The singles "You Don't Know My Name" and "If I Ain't Got You" both reached the top five of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and the third single, "Diary", entered the top ten. The fourth single, "Karma", was less successful on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 20. "If I Ain't Got You" became the first single by a female artist to remain on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for over a year.

Keys won Best R&B Video for "If I Ain't Got You" at the 2004 (6 years ago) MTV Video Music Awards; she performed the song and "Higher Ground" with Lenny Kravitz and Stevie Wonder. Later that year, Keys released her novel Tears for Water: Songbook of Poems and Lyrics, a collection of unreleased poems from her journals and lyrics. The title derived from one of her poems, "Love and Chains" from the line: "I don't mind drinking my tears for water." She said the title is the foundation of her writing because "everything I have ever written has stemmed from my tears of joy, of pain, of sorrow, of depression, even of question". The book sold over $500,000 and Keys made The New York Times bestseller list in 2005 (5 years ago). The following year, she won a second consecutive award for Best R&B Video at the MTV Video Music Awards for the video "Karma". Keys performed "If I Ain't Got You" and then joined Jamie Foxx and Quincy Jones in a rendition of "Georgia on My Mind", the Hoagy Carmichael song made famous by Ray Charles in 1960 (50 years ago) at the 2005 (5 years ago) Grammy Awards. That evening, she won four Grammy Awards: Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for "If I Ain't Got You", Best R&B Song for "You Don't Know My Name", Best R&B Album for The Diary of Alicia Keys, and Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals" for "My Boo" with Usher (4 walls).

Keys performed and taped her installment of the MTV Unplugged series in Jul. 2005 (5 years ago) at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. During this session, Keys added new arrangements to her original songs and performed a few choice covers. The session was released on CD and DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) in Oct. 2005 (5 years ago). Simply titled Unplugged, the album debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart with 196,000 units sold in its first week of release. The album sold one million copies in the United States, where it was certified Platinum by the RIAA, and two million copies worldwide. The debut of Keys' Unplugged was the highest for an MTV Unplugged album since Nirvana's 1994 (16 years ago) MTV Unplugged in New York and the first Unplugged by a female artist to debut at number one. The album's first single, "Unbreakable", peaked at number 34 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number four on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. It remained at number one on the Billboard Hot Adult R&B Airplay for 11 weeks.

Keys opened a recording studio in Long Island, New York, called The Oven Studios, which she co-owns with her production and songwriting partner Kerry "Krucial" Brothers. The studio was designed by renowned studio architect John Storyk of WSDG, designer of Jimi Hendrix' Electric Lady Studios. Keys and Brothers are the co-founders of KrucialKeys Enterprises, a production and songwriting team who assisted Keys in creating her albums as well as create music for other artists.

2006–2008: Film debut and As I Am

In 2006 (4 years ago), Keys won three NAACP Image Awards, including Outstanding Female Artist and Outstanding Song for "Unbreakable". She also received the Starlight Award by the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In Oct. 2006 (4 years ago), she played the voice of Mommy Martian in the "Mission to Mars" episode of the children's television series The Backyardigans, in which she sang an original song, "Almost Everything Is Boinga Here". That same year, Keys nearly suffered a breakdown. Her grandmother had died and her family was heavily dependent on her. She felt she needed to "escape" and went to Egypt for three weeks. She explained: "That trip was definitely the most crucial thing I've ever done for myself in my life to date. It was a very difficult time that I was dealing with, and it just came to the point where I really needed to—basically, I just needed to run away, honestly. And I needed to get as far away as possible."

Keys made her movie debut in early 2007 (3 years ago) in the crime movie Smokin' Aces, co-starring as an assassin named Georgia Sykes opposite Ben Affleck (7 walls) and Andy García. Keys received much praise from her co-stars in the film; Reynolds said that Keys was "so natural" and that she would "blow everybody away". In the same year, Keys earned further praise for her second film, The Nanny Diaries, based on the 2002 (8 years ago) novel of the same name, where she co-starred alongside Scarlett Johansson (36 walls) and Chris Evans. She also guest starred as herself in the "One Man Is an Island" episode of the drama series Cane.

Keys released her third studio album, As I Am, in Nov. 2007; it debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 742,000 copies in its first week. It gained Keys her largest first week sales of her career and became her fourth consecutive number one album, tying her with Britney Spears (80 walls) for the most consecutive number-one debuts on the Billboard 200 by a female artist. The week became the second largest sales week of 2007 (3 years ago) and the largest sales week for a female solo artist since singer Norah Jones' album Feels like Home in 2004 (6 years ago). The album has sold nearly four million copies in the United States and has been certified three times Platinum by the RIAA. It has sold nearly six million copies worldwide. Keys received five nominations for As I Am at the 2008 (2 years ago) American Music Award and ultimately won two. The album's lead single, "No One", peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, becoming Keys' third and fifth number-one single on each chart, respectively. The album's second single, "Like You'll Never See Me Again", was released in late 2007 (3 years ago) and peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. The album's third single, "Teenage Love Affair", peaked at number three on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. She released the fourth single, "Superwoman", which peaked at number 82 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 12 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.

"No One" earned Keys the awards for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song at the 2008 (2 years ago) Grammy Awards. Keys opened the ceremony singing Frank Sinatra's 1950 (60 years ago) song "Learnin' the Blues" as a "duet" with archival footage of Sinatra in video and "No One" with John Mayer later in the show. Keys also won Best Female R&B Artist during the show. She starred in "Fresh Takes", a commercial micro-series created by Dove Go Fresh, which premiered during The Hills on MTV from Mar. to Apr. 2008 (2 years ago). The premiere celebrated the launch of new Dove Go Fresh. She also signed a deal as spokesperson with Glacéau's VitaminWater to endorse the product, and was in an American Express commercial for the "Are you a Cardmember?" campaign. Keys, along with The White Stripes' guitarist and lead vocalist Jack White, recorded a theme song to Quantum of Solace (4 walls), the first duet in Bond soundtrack history. In 2008 (2 years ago), Keys was ranked in at number 80 the Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists. She also starred in The Secret Life of Bees, a movie adaptation of Sue Monk Kidd's acclaimed 2003 (7 years ago) bestseller novel of the same name alongside Jennifer Hudson and Queen Latifah, released in Oct. 2008 (2 years ago) via Fox Searchlight. Her role earned her a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture at the NAACP Image Awards. She also received three nominations at the 2009 (last year) Grammy Awards and won Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for "Superwoman".

In an interview with Blender magazine, Keys allegedly said "'Gangsta rap' was a ploy to convince black people to kill each other, 'gangsta rap' didn't exist" and went on to say that it was created by "the government". The magazine also claimed she said that Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. were "essentially assassinated, their beefs stoked by the government and the media, to stop another great black leader from existing". Keys later wrote a statement clarifying the issues and saying her words were misinterpreted. Later that year, Keys was criticized by anti-smoking campaigners after billboard posters for her forthcoming concerts in Indonesia featured a logo for the A Mild cigarette brand sponsored by tobacco firm Philip Morris. She apologized after discovering that the concert was sponsored by the firm and asked for "corrective actions". In response, the company withdrew its sponsorship. Keys also was involved in an extramarital affair with rapper/producer Swizz Beats who was married to wife Mashonda Tifrere at the time for four years.

2009–present: Upcoming projects

Keys and manager Jeff Robinson signed a movie production deal to develop live-action and animated projects with Disney. Their first movie will be a remake of the 1958 (52 years ago) comedy Bell, Book and Candle and will star Keys as a witch who casts a love spell to lure a rival's fiancé. Keys and Robinson also formed a television production company called Big Pita. Keys and Robinson will develop live-action and animated projects from their company, Big Pita and Little Pita, with Keys as producer, thespian, banner spearheading soundtrack and music supervision.

Keys is expected to play a 1940 (70 years ago) biracial piano child prodigy, Philippa Schuyler, in an upcoming movie entitled Compositions in Black and White. It is based on a 1995 (15 years ago) biographical book of the same name by Kathryn Talalay. "The challenge, in order to actually be able to play classical piano as a woman of mixed race, was by far more than I could ever imagine", Keys said, "That's what intrigued me about that role." The biopic will tell the difficult tale of Schuyler's controversial career, love-hate relationship with her mother, and the black community, her second career as a writer, and her eventual death in a helicopter accident. "Her story is very deep, even up to the point where the relationship between her and her mother gets very strained and she chooses to go to Europe and pass as a Spanish woman in order to be able to play, in order to be able to live a more normal life", Keys said, adding that she and Halle Berry (12 walls) hoped to start shooting in early 2008 (2 years ago), but has not been filmed to date. "As of right now, we're still in the first, second draft of the script", she said, "So a little bit of time—at least a year."

Keys collaborated with record producer Swizz Beatz to write and produce "Million Dollar Bill" for Whitney Houston's seventh studio album, I Look to You. It was reported that Keys approached Clive Davis for permission to submit a song for the album. She also collaborated with Jay-Z on "Empire State of Mind", a track off his upcoming album, The Blueprint 3. Keys will release her fourth studio album in late 2009 (last year). As part of the promotional drive for the album, she will be performing at the Cayman Island Jazz Festival on Dec. 5, the final night of the three day festival which will be broadcast on Black Entertainment TV (BET). In Jun. 2009 (last year), the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers honored Keys with the Golden Note Award, an award given to artists "who have achieved extraordinary career milestones".

Philanthropy

Keys is the co-founder and Global Ambassador of Keep a Child Alive, a non-profit organization that provides medicine to families with HIV and AIDS in Africa. Keys and U2 lead singer Bono recorded a cover version of Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush's "Don't Give Up", in recognition of World AIDS Day 2005 (5 years ago). Keys and Bono's version of the song was retitled "Don't Give Up (Africa)" to reflect the nature of the charity it was benefiting. She visited African countries such as Uganda, Kenya and South Africa to promote care for children affected by AIDS. Her work in Africa was documented in the documentary Alicia in Africa: Journey to the Motherland and was available in Apr. 2008 (2 years ago).

Keys has also donated to Frum tha Ground Up, a non-profit organization that aids children and teenagers with scholarships. She performed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as part of the worldwide Live 8 concerts to raise awareness of the poverty in Africa and to pressure the G8 leaders to take action. In 2005 (5 years ago), Keys performed on ReAct Now: Music & Relief and Shelter from the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast, two benefit programs that raised money for those affected by Hurricane Katrina. In Jul. 2007 (3 years ago), Keys and Keith Urban performed The Rolling Stones' 1969 (41 years ago) song "Gimme Shelter" at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey at the American leg of the Live Earth concerts.

Keys performed Donny Hathaway's 1973 (37 years ago) song "Someday We'll All Be Free" at the America: A Tribute to Heroes televised benefit concert following the Sep. 11 attacks. She participated in the Nobel Peace Prize Concert which took place at the Oslo Spektrum in Oslo, Norway, on Dec. 11, 2007 (3 years ago), along with other various artists. She recorded a theme song for Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama. She joined Joss Stone (12 walls) and Jay-Z on the effort, which served as a theme song for Obama's campaign. For her work, Keys was honored at the 2009 (last year) BET Awards with the Humanitarian Award.

Filmography

• 2007 (3 years ago): Smokin' Aces
• 2007 (3 years ago): The Nanny Diaries
• 2008 (2 years ago): The Secret Life of Bees

TV-shows (series)

• 1985 (25 years ago): The Cosby Show
• 2001 (9 years ago): Charmed
• 2003 (7 years ago): American Dreams
• 2003 (7 years ago): The Proud Family
• 2005 (5 years ago): Sesame Street
• 2006 (4 years ago): The Backyardigans
• 2007 (3 years ago): Cane
• 2007 (3 years ago): Elmo's Christmas Countdown
• 2008 (2 years ago): Dove "Fresh Takes"

Discography

• Studio albums:
• Songs in A Minor (2001, 9 years ago)
• The Diary of Alicia Keys (2003, 7 years ago)
• As I Am (2007, 3 years ago)
• Live albums:
• Unplugged (2005, 5 years ago)

Source: en.wikipedia.org

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Linked to Alicia Keys

• Female Celebrities / Beyonce Knowles
• Female Celebrities / Christina Aguilera
• Female Celebrities / Thalia
• Female Celebrities / Vanessa Hudgens
• Movies / Quantum of Solace

Songs by Alicia Keys

• Alicia Keys - Like You'll Never See Me Again [Radio Edit]

Latest news about Alicia Keys

Alicia's 'Garden' Party Latest News on omg! - Yesterday at 19:55
Alicia Keys performs alongside some of her famous friends at Madison Square Garden.

Dakota Fanning, Alicia Keys Remember Fanning's First-Ever Concert MTV News - 2 days ago
The two met when they starred in 'The Secret Life of Bees' together.By Jocelyn Vena Alicia Keys and Dakota Fanning at "The Secret Life Of Bees" premiere on September 5, 2008 Photo: Alexandra Wyman/ WireImage In 2008, Dakota Fanning and Alicia Keys starred in the movie "The Secret Life of Bees" together. And meeting Keys gave Fanning an opportunity to do something she had never done before: go to a concert. "I never went to concerts until very recently, and I was doing a movie with Alicia Keys so I went to her concert," Fanning, who hits the big screen this week playing rocker Cherie Currie in "The Runaways," told MTV News about her first concertgoing experience. And Keys was happy to oblige. "Yes, that's true. She came to my L.A. show for my last tour and it was her first concert," she recalled on Wednesday night in New York City, where she was playing a show at Madison Square Garden. "We had just finished a movie, 'Secret Life of Bees,' together ... and I was so happy to be her first concert." Keys added that the actress, now 16, certainly has the chops to be working in Hollywood for many years to come. "She's an amazing person, an incredibly talented lady. She's gonna be someone we watch flourish for many years. And I'm glad she will always say her first concert was me." Also on Wednesday night, Fanning spoke about how very obedient to the rules she still is in her own life, even though she plays a wild child in her new movie. "Cherie kind of grew up with no restrictions or rules, kind of figuring it out for herself. It's kind of different for me," she shared. "I will never get to have that experience, so I kind of got to have it through the film." Check out everything we've got on "The Runaways." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Artists Alicia Keys

Jack White Says He Recorded 'Incredible' Song With Jay-Z MTV News - 3 days ago
'I played him something I've been kicking around for a while and he immediately came out with words for it,' White tells British GQ.By Kyle Anderson Jay-Z Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images Jack White is a busy man. At the moment, he's involved in at least one full-time outfit (the Dead Weather) while two other groups wait in the wings (the Raconteurs and the long-dormant White Stripes). Though each of his musical projects is unique, they all feature White's swamp-monster guitar sounds and his signature voice. According to a recent interview in the British version of GQ magazine, he may now be expanding his palette to include hip-hop. "I just did a record with Jay-Z," White told the magazine. "We did a song together a few weeks ago. It was incredible." White didn't tell the magazine when the song might be released or on whose album it could appear, but he was blown away by Jigga's legendary knack for improvisation. "I played him something that I've been kicking around for a while and he immediately came out with words for it," White said. "It's unbelievable-sounding." This would mark White's first proper foray into hip-hop, though he has already teamed up with a mutual friend of his and Jay's. In 2008, he recorded "Another Way to Die" — the official theme song of the 2008 James Bond film "Quantum of Solace" — with Alicia Keys, churning out a ruggedly sexy track that split the difference between White's visceral garage and Keys' funky R&B. White can currently be seen in the new White Stripes concert documentary "Under Great White Northern Lights," while Jay is busy helping get a basketball arena built in Brooklyn. Related Photos MTV News' 2009 Men Of The Year: #2 Jay-Z Related Artists Jay-Z Jack White

Black Eyed Peas, Shakira to front World Cup concert (Reuters) Yahoo! News: Entertainment News - 3 days ago
Reuters - The Black Eyed Peas, Shakira and Alicia Keys will be among scores of music stars performing at a concert on the eve of the soccer World Cup in South Africa, organizers said Wednesday.

Kevin James To Host Make-A-Wish Foundation Fun Day Look To The Stars - 8 days ago
Comedian Kevin James will host a special charity day of fun for the Make-A-Wish Foundation on Sunday, March 14, and he has enlisted the help of a whole bunch of his celebrity friends. The event will take place at the Santa Monica Pier for Make-A-Wish children and their families from Los Angeles and surrounding cities. The Santa Monica Pier will be closed down for the event as celebrity friends of Kevin and his wife come out to meet the children, and host rides and booths at the Pier. Although they are not granting specific wishes on Sunday, they will give these courageous children a day they will never forget. Stars slated to attend include Mischa Barton, Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon, Sophia Bush, Rosario Dawson, Vanessa Hudgens, Ali Landry, Juliette Lewis, Christian Slater and many more. The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Founded in 1983, the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles has brightened the lives of more than 6,300 children with life-threatening medical conditions by granting their fondest wishes. The chapter continues to strive towards its ultimate mission of fulfilling a wish for every child diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition in Los Angeles County. The event takes place from 11am-2pm. Related past articles Celebrities Play Hollywood Dominoes for Peace and Justice Exclusive Photo Feature: Olympians' Hearts of Gold Shakira, Alicia Keys, Usher Join Up For NBA Charity Michael Jordan's Celebrity Golf Helps Charity Stars Join Larry King To Talk Charity For Haiti Want to write for us, or help with our research? Find out more about contributing. Copyright © 2010 Look To The Stars. This article may not be reproduced without explicit written permission; if you are not reading this in your news reader, the site you are viewing is illegally infringing our copyright, and we would be grateful if you would contact us.

Glam Slam: Get Lean Now Latest News on omg! - 9 days ago
By Ryan PattersonLOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Seeing all the toned ladies on the Oscars red carpet has given me the inspiration I needed to kick start healthier eating habits after indulging in far too many cupcakes, pies and fries lately! Celebrity fitness trainer Harley Pasternak, who works with Alicia Keys, John Mayer, Katy Perry, and Lady Gaga, has created a program to live healthier.

Michelle Delamor 'Questioned' Singing Creed On 'American Idol' MTV News - 13 days ago
'I feel that I still did give my own style to it, but I maybe should have chosen a different song,' she says.By Katie Byrne Michelle Delamor Photo: Fox While she didn't get a lot of screen time before the semifinals, Michelle Delamor established herself as season nine's resident diva with her first live "American Idol" performance of Alicia Keys' "Fallin'." Unfortunately, she made an oddball song choice (an R&B version of Creed's "With Arms Wide Open"?) that sent her packing Thursday, along with Jermaine Sellers, John Park and Haeley Vaughn. Does she think lack of screen time did her in? We caught up with the 22-year-old from Miami on Friday (March 5) to talk about that and much more. Q: On Wednesday, Kara said "With Arms Wide Open" was your best performance yet. Then during the results show, she took that comment back. Was that difficult? A: You know what? It was a little bit disappointing, but knowing myself, I'm really a perfectionist, and I know that I didn't do my best. I know that Wednesday was not close to my best performance. I understood where she was coming from. I was a bit disappointed that she had those things to say, but I couldn't say that she was wrong for it. Q: What was your thought process behind choosing the Creed song? A: After my first performance, I had done Alicia Keys, and the judges all thought I needed to take a risk and try something they wouldn't expect me to do, so that's why I chose to do Creed, because I knew they wouldn't expect that. It's kind of like a rock ballad, and I'm not a rock singer. I thought I was taking a risk, and I tried too much to go by what the judges said. I wanted to make sure I did the right thing, and I was too caught up in my mind. I feel that I still did give my own style to it, but I maybe should have chosen a different song. Q: At any point, did you question your decision to go with the Creed song? A: I did. I really did question it. As a matter of fact, I think part of what messed me up a little bit is that I questioned it before I got up on that stage. When you're not sure of the song that you're performing, it's gonna be noticed and people can feel that. I definitely would have done my next song. I would have reversed [the order]. Q: What were you planning to sing next? A: I wanted to do "Come Together" by the Beatles, but Michael Jackson style. I feel like it has so much drive, so much intensity. It's a song that I feel. I love it. My idol, my inspiration Michael Jackson, he covered it. And he did an amazing job, and I've just always loved that song. Q: Do you think your lack of screen time in the early rounds led to your exit? A: Actually, in the very beginning, they had made a whole commercial that said "Meet Michelle," and I thought that was amazing. I was like, "Oh my God, I can't believe it!" And then I saw that they didn't really show me much, but I figured, "They know what they're doing." I knew that I didn't really have a story. I kind of have a normal lifestyle back at home, not so much tragedy or anything like that. I don't think that makes for good TV. [Laughs.] So I understood. Were you sad to see Michelle go? Do you think her Creed song choice got her voted off? Let us know below! Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Videos 'American Idol' In 60 Seconds Related Photos 'American Idol' Season Nine Performances The 'American Idol' Season 9 Top 24

Fashion Face-Off: Blake Lively vs. Alicia Keys The Hollywood Gossip - 13 days ago
Who would win a fashion face-off between two gorgeous stars like Blake Lively and Alicia Keys? There's only one way to find out, if you know what we mean. We mean vote in the survey below. It's a tough call! The sexy Gossip Girl star showed off her legs in Balmain's sharp-shouldered sequin mini at a post-Emmy party last August. Meanwhile, the talented singer rocked the sparkling, plunging number for the Brit Awards last month. Who do you think looked better in it? You decide ... Who looked better in their black mini-dress?

Alicia Keys' Upbringing Kept Her Away From Drugs Starpulse Entertainment News - 19 days ago
Tough New Yorker Alicia Keys avoided the temptations of drugs after becoming famous, because she saw so many lives ruined by addiction while she was growing up in the Big Apple. The Fallin' super...

Ashley Rodriguez Says 'American Idol' Judges Were 'Throwing Punches' MTV News - 22 days ago
'A lot of people thought they would be a little lenient, considering it was our first live show,' eliminated contestant says.By Katie Byrne Ashley Rodriguez and Didi Benami on "American Idol" Photo: Micelotta/ Getty Images Before the live "American Idol" episodes kicked off this week, Ashley Rodriguez was shaping up to be the season-nine diva. She tackled songs by Alicia Keys, Beyoncé and Jordin Sparks during her audition and Hollywood Week, and pulled them off with flying colors. Her cover of Leona Lewis' "Happy" wasn't quite as successful, and the 22-year-old Berklee College of Music student got the boot Thursday night, along with Tyler Grady, Janell Wheeler and Joe Muñoz. So what's next for Ashley? We caught up with her to talk about that and her experience on "Idol." Q: It was a pretty tough week on "American Idol." Were you surprised by the judges' primarily negative feedback? A: A lot of people thought they would be a little lenient, considering it was our first live show. Turns out that they were coming in throwing punches. [Laughs.] I wouldn't say that they were too hard, but we definitely could've used a little bit of love from them, that's for sure. I think they were quick to give a lot of criticism and not back it up by anything positive, which is unfortunate, because you can always find something good from a performance, even if it falls apart. Q: Was everyone expecting a free pass for their first week? A: We've all kind of agreed that Simon and the rest of the judges were a little harsh with both the girls and the guys this year. There was definitely no leniency with it being our first live show, which is unfortunate, because there are a lot of jitters and nerves that go on for our first live performance, you know? But they're doing their job, and their job is to critique and their job is to give criticism. They're the judges. It's unfortunate that it came about that way, but at the end of the day, I love them all. They've all played such a huge role in this experience for me. Hopefully, we'll be crossing paths again. Q: Having been eliminated in the first week, is there anything you wish you would have done differently? A: I feel like I went into this competition giving 100 percent all the time. I think it's actually a really, really awesome thing for me that I can walk out of it saying that I have no regrets. I gave my all in every performance and in every situation. I wouldn't change a thing. I'm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason and that one opportunity that may not have been for me is just gonna lead me and bring me to the next best thing for me. Q: What's next? A: "Idol" has really shown me that, now more than ever, I have to fight for what I want. It was giving me a little taste of the dream, and I'm willing to work hard for it, especially now that I've gotten a little glimpse of what this life is like. Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos 'American Idol' Season Nine Performances

Beyonce Says She 'Killed' Sasha Fierce MTV News - 22 days ago
'I don't need Sasha Fierce anymore,' B says of the alter ego she created.By Hillary Crosley Beyoncé Photo: Frederick M. Brown/ Getty Images Beyoncé is killing the game again, but this time it's herself — or at least her alter ego. "Sasha Fierce is done. I killed her," B said in a recent interview with Allure magazine. Of course, the singer created her alter ego Sasha Fierce in an effort to separate her own shy personality from her stage persona and give herself the courage to be free and sexy while performing. Beyoncé even went so far as to name-check the alter ego on her last album, I Am ... Sasha Fierce. The LP was split into two physical CDs and two genres. The I Am ... side held pop songs like "If I Were a Boy" while Sasha Fierce boasted urban chic like "Video Phone," B's first duet with Lady Gaga. Now the singer says that she's comfortable enough with herself to be all of those things without an alias. "I don't need Sasha Fierce anymore, because I've grown and now I'm able to merge the two," she explained. In fact, the singer/songwriter/actress admitted that she's currently taking a career break after the conclusion of her world tour in Trinidad this month,adding she'd like "to paint and cook and to do Broadway shows and museums.And learn just to be at home and just watch television." Though Mrs. Carter is eyeing a vacation, she's still got two new videos on the way — one with pop powerhouse Lady Gaga for "Video Phone" and one for Alicia Keys' "Put It in a Love Song," so we won't miss her for long. Related Photos What Beyonce Might Be Like At Home Related Artists Beyoncé

Guess Who's Wearing Very Tight Pants? PopSugar - 23 days ago
Let's play! Question 1 of 4Guess who's wearing tight pants? Alicia Keys Jennifer Love Hewitt Kourtney Kardashian Eva Mendes

The Things They Say Hollywood.com - 24 days ago
"JAY-Z and ALICIA KEYS' EMPIRE STATE OF MIND (is) my favourite right now because my daughter can sing Alicia's whole part - I don't even know how she knows the words!" Actress COURTENEY COX admits she and her five-year-old daughter Coco are big fans of the New York anthem.

Lilly Scott and Michelle Delamor Lead Night of Wobbly Women on American Idol The Hollywood Gossip - 24 days ago
Before we break down each American Idol performance from the first night of live auditions, we must say: The judges seem confused. They chose a slew of Taylor Swift-like guitar players, laid back contestants (Didi Benami, Crystal Bowersox, Janell Wheeler, etc.) with a quiet sound, and then complained last night when the women played to their strengths. Simon continually said he didn't have any "Wow!" moments, but, in many ways, he didn't select any "Wow!" contestants for the semifinals. Below, in descending order, we rank our favorite performers from the evening: Lilly Scott: Played with the arrangement on “Fixin’ A Hole” by the Beatles and stood out with her original sound/look. Comes across as a "real, indie artist," as Randy said. Michelle Delamor: Almost seems like a professional singer already. We wouldn't have chosen an Alicia Keys song because it sets the bar too high, but Delamor can wail. If this is an actual singing competition, based on the best voice, she's the best woman. Siobhan Magnus: Different, dark, we liked her version of "Wicked Game" a lot. Falls somewhere between the acoustic players mentioned above and Delamor. Crystal Bowersox: We can't get enough of the harmonica, but that alone won't be enough to carry her to the title. Katelyn Epperly: Didn't like the look. As Ellen said, she was trying too hard. But nice, blues-like version of a Beatles song. Didi Benami: The perfect song choice (“The Way I Am” by Ingrid Michaelson), but what will her range be like? Seems like this is the exact performance she'll put on every week. Paige Miles: The biggest surprise of the night, only because we scarcely saw her on previous weeks. A great voice. Janell Wheeler: Attempted to go outside of her comfort zone and rock out to Heart's "What About Love." Points for trying, at least. Katie Stevens: We agree with the judges. You're adorable. Choose songs that are younger and more fun. But amazing pipes. Ashley Rodriguez: Shockingly in danger already. But unless fans want nothing but Swift wannabes, will give this potential rocker another chance. Haeley Vaughn: Just awkward all around, from her look to her version of "I Want to Hold Your Hand." Lacey Brown: Atrocious. WHO WAS YOUR FAVORITE PERFORMER ON THE NIGHT?

Beyonce Gets 'Crazy' With Lady Gaga In 'Telephone' Video MTV News - 26 days ago
'It's gonna be so crazy,' B tells Tyra Banks of the stars' second video together.By Jocelyn Vena Lady Gaga in her video for "Telephone" Photo: Interscope Records Though Lady Gaga and Beyoncé's "Telephone" video still doesn't have an official premiere date, info about the clip is slowly but surely making its way to the fans. Last week, Gaga gave fans a glimpse of what she will look like in the video, and B recently dished about the clip when she stopped by "The Tyra Banks Show." "I am such a huge fan of hers. We just filmed her video two weeks ago in Los Angeles, and it's gonna be so crazy," said Beyoncé, who also worked with Gaga on her clip for "Video Phone." "I don't want to give too much away because I don't want her to be upset, but it's a part two of 'Paparazzi.' She's just so smart and she's becoming an icon in her own right." Beyoncé also said she was going to Brazil to shoot the video for Alicia Keys' "Put It in a Love Song." She told Tyra that she loves working with other powerful women. "I actually leave today and go to Brazil. ... I'm going there to work — I am finishing my last leg of my tour. I'm filming a video with Alicia Keys there," she said. "I'm so excited to work with women. I'm a girl's girl, so to show that women who are successful can support each other and have a good time, I'm just so happy to bring that message across with Gaga and Alicia Keys. ... I learn something from all these ladies." Gaga recently revealed the cover art for the "Telephone" single, which is due out on March 2, on her Web site. It features a photo of Gaga wearing a hat made from a telephone and a picture of a Sasha Fierce-mode Beyoncé. There still very few details about the "Telephone" video available. We know that part of it will take place at a diner and that at some point Beyoncé breaks Gaga out of jail. "We die in [the video]," Semi Precious Weapons lead singer Justin Tranter said of his band's cameo. "And I think that's probably all I'm allowed to tell. ... And, I think, what people have already talked about: It's very Tarantino-inspired, sort of like violent melodrama glamour." Related Artists Lady Gaga Beyoncé

Alicia Keys' 'Freedom' Tour Hits U.S. This Month MTV News - 29 days ago
'The concept of the tour is really amazing,' singer says.By Hillary Crosley, with reporting by Shaheem Reid Alicia Keys Photo: Michael Loccisano/ WireImage After performing her hit "Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart" for 108,000 fans during NBA All-Star Weekend, Alicia Keys is looking north to begin her next tour. "The tour is starting on February 26. We start in Canada, then we bring it down to America," said the singer. "I'm really excited about it. I can't believe that it's that soon. It's going to be amazing and the concept of the tour is really amazing, and putting it together, I feel so excited. So I hope you make it." Toronto native Melanie Fiona and R&B crooner Robin Thicke will open on Keys' tour, which she's calling the Freedom Tour after her album The Element of Freedom. Keys and company will perform for two days in Canada before coming stateside, to Chicago. The international leg of Keys' run then begins on April 29. Alicia and Beyoncé recently filmed the video for their duet "Put It in a Love Song" in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Sporting fashions that draw upon ethnic prints and playful skirts, the two divas played up the colorful energy of the South American city. "Put It in a Love Song" is set to premiere on March 8. Here are dates for the North American leg of the Freedom Tour: » 2/26 - Ottawa, ON @ ScotiaBank Place » 2/28 - Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre » 3/3 - Chicago, IL @ Allstate Arena » 3/5 - Detroit, MI @ Fox Theatre » 3/6 - Detroit, MI @ Fox Theatre » 3/8 - London, ON @ John Labatt Centre » 3/10 - Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre » 3/11 - Verona, NY @ Turning Stone » 3/13 - Mashantucket, CT @ Foxwoods Casino » 3/14 - Mashantucket, CT @ Foxwoods Casino » 3/17 - New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden » 3/19 - Newark, NJ @ Prudential Centre » 3/20 - Atlantic City, NJ @ Mark Etess Arena » 3/22 - Boston, MA @ Agganis Arena » 3/24 - Baltimore, MD @ 1st Mariner Arena » 3/25 - Washington, DC @ Verizon Center » 3/27 - Miami, FL @ American Airlines Arena » 3/28 - Tampa, FL @ St. Pete Times-Forum » 3/30 - Atlanta, GA @ Philips Arena » 4/2 - Dallas, TX @ Nokia Theater (Grand Prairie) » 4/3 - Houston, TX @ Toyota Center » 4/6 - Los Angeles, CA @ Staples Center » 4/7 - Santa Barbara, CA @ Santa Barbara Bowl » 4/9 - Las Vegas, NV @ Mandalay Bay » 4/10 - Oakland, CA @ Oracle Coliseum Related Artists Alicia Keys

'American Idol' Castoff Angela Martin Gets Big Surprise From Ellen DeGeneres MTV News - 29 days ago
DeGeneres surprises Martin by promising her a Kara DioGuardi song, aims for label deal.By Hillary Crosley Angela Martin on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" on Friday Photo: Warner Bros. "American Idol" contestant Angela Martin may have lost the competition, 1632111 but her resilience earned her a helping hand from talk show host and fourth "Idol" judge Ellen DeGeneres on Friday (February 19). Martin made it to the Hollywood round of the show, but wasn't selected to continue on to the final competition. "I was preparing myself to be strong and talk to you guys, but then I saw the pictures of my daughter and I just fell apart," Martin, 28, told DeGeneres. "Like, if I fail how am I gonna tell her mommy didn't make it?" However, after her dismissal, DeGeneres invited the young mother, whose daughter is 10, to appear and perform on her talk show. Martin sang a rendition of Alicia Keys' "Superwoman" with musical accompaniment by "American Idol" pianist and background musician Michael Orland and received a standing ovation from the audience. "Everybody knows your name now," said DeGeneres. "Everybody is on your side. People are calling me going, 'What happened? She was amazing!' " (MTV News' "American Idol" expert Jim Cantiello feels the same way.) For that reason, DeGeneres recruited the talent of "Idol" judge and hit songwriter Kara DioGuardi to surprise the vocalist. "I have a little surprise for you: Kara DioGuardi is going to write you a song," DeGeneres told a surprised Martin. "You're going in a studio. She's going to produce a song for you and we're gonna get you a record label [deal]!! See how things turn out?" While today was a dream come true for the Chicago native, life has not always been so kind. During her first audition, the singer's father was murdered by her stepmother and her daughter suffers from Rett Syndrome, which causes seizures. Finally, her mother, Viola Brown Martin, has been missing since December 26. Still, Martin is upbeat and says she relies on prayer to raise her spirits. "You have had your share of really bad luck and some sad things happening in your life, but your attitude is so amazing because you keep getting back up," DeGeneres told Martin. "You represent something to a lot of people out there. They're going to look at you and say 'if she can do it I can do it.' You don't let anything get you down, I love that about you. Don't ever give up! Never!" Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Artists Angela Martin

Beyonce Knowles Does Her Best to Cover Her Bikini Body PopSugar - 30 days ago
Beyonce has moved on from Rio to Buenos Aires where yesterday she was spotted relaxing in her bikini and cover-up by the Hotel Faena's pool. We just saw her in Brazil filming a music video with Alicia Keys, but Beyonce also had time to do some sight-seeing with her mother Tina. Alicia didn't stick around South America as she was off to join Beyonce's husband Jay-Z at Tuesday's Brit Awards. Beyonce won't be lingering long herself, since she's scheduled to perform this evening in Trinidad. View 2 Photos ›

Alicia Keys without make up Celeb Pulp - 31 days ago
Here’s Alicia Keys as she had just landed in London for the Brit Awards. Wow... Proactive Solution, anyone?  Plus if you become their spoke person you get their ish for free, too!

Alicia Keys Reveals Her 'Chemistry' With Beyonce On Brazil Video Set MTV News - 32 days ago
'The energy of the city matches the energy of the song,' Keys says of shooting 'Put It in a Love Song' clip in Rio de Janeiro.By Shaheem Reid Alicia Keys at the NBA All-Star Game Photo: MTV News DALLAS — Alicia Keys recently teamed with fellow female powerhouse Beyoncé to film the video for "Put It in a Love Song" in Brazil. Some local fans posted video footage online, in which we see Keys giving a performance in the streets. A plethora of photos were also put on AliciaKeysDaily.com, showing A.Keys and B dressed up in festive dresses, also in the streets. On Sunday, during the NBA All-Star Game at Cowboys Stadium, Alicia talked about the latest release from her The Element of Freedom LP. "Shooting 'Put It in a Love Song' in Rio, in Brazil, was very incredible," Keys said. "I feel that the energy of the city matches the energy of the song. It's sensual, it's exciting, it's so rich with color. I loved it. The people came out so heavy and so hard. I think it was exciting, especially to participate and experience it with them like that. Me and B have a great relationship. And to be able to have the chemistry we have and do it in a city that's so unique like that is unforgettable. The pictures speak a thousand words. So you saw the energy out there. It was great." On Sunday, Keys performed for more than 108,000 people at the stadium, a new attendance record for any NBA game. The singer did a medley of her hits: "Empire State of Mind," "Sleeping With a Broken Heart" and "No One." "It is a grand stage," Keys said of the mini-set. "It's really exciting. I'm a personal fan of championship-style games where the best are playing. It's exciting, and I love that. Also to be able to perform on a stage like this and a venue like this, people are excited. They're here to have a great time, and so I'm glad that on Valentine's Day, I'm able to bring a little love in the building. So it's gonna be beautiful." Related Artists Alicia Keys Beyoncé