Alicia Keys is one of the most successful and influential singers, songwriters, and producers of her generation. She has won 15 Grammy Awards, sold over 65 million records and 30 million albums worldwide, and appeared in several films and TV shows. She is also a best-selling author, a philanthropist, and a social activist. But how much is the multi-talented star worth? And how did she earn her wealth?
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Alicia Keys was born as Alicia Augello Cook on January 25, 1981, in Manhattan, New York City. She is the only child of her mother Teresa Augello, a paralegal and part-time actress, and one of three children of her father Craig Cook, a flight attendant. Her parents separated when she was two years old, and she was raised by her mother in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood.
Keys showed an interest in music from an early age. She started playing the piano at seven and received classical training for 11 years. She also attended the Professional Performing Arts School, where she studied music, dance, theater, and choir. She graduated as valedictorian at 16.
Keys began writing songs and performing in public when she was a teenager. She met her manager Jeff Robinson through a youth organization called Teens in Motion. He introduced her to A&R executive Peter Edge, who helped her sign a record deal with Columbia Records. However, Keys felt unhappy with the label’s creative control and left after recording a few demos.
She then signed with Clive Davis’ newly formed J Records in 1998. She worked on her debut album Songs in A Minor for three years, writing, producing, and arranging most of the songs herself. The album was released in 2001 and became a huge success, selling over 12 million copies worldwide and earning her five Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist and Song of the Year for “Fallin’”.
Music Career and Achievements
Keys followed up her debut album with The Diary of Alicia Keys in 2003, which sold over eight million copies worldwide and won her four more Grammy Awards. She also collaborated with other artists such as Usher, Kanye West, Jay-Z, Eminem, Jack White, and Kendrick Lamar.
She released her third album As I Am in 2007, which featured the hit singles “No One” and “Like You’ll Never See Me Again”. The album sold over six million copies worldwide and earned her three more Grammy Awards. She also performed at several major events, such as the Live Earth concert, the Nobel Peace Prize Concert, and President Barack Obama’s inauguration.
Keys continued to release critically acclaimed and commercially successful albums throughout the 2010s, such as The Element of Freedom (2009), Girl on Fire (2012), Here (2016), and Alicia (2020). She also became the first female R&B artist to have three consecutive number-one albums on the Billboard 200 chart.
Keys has received numerous accolades for her music career, including 15 Grammy Awards out of 29 nominations, 17 NAACP Image Awards out of 28 nominations, nine Billboard Music Awards out of 29 nominations, and seven BET Awards out of 18 nominations. She has also been ranked among the best-selling artists of all time by various sources.
Other Ventures and Philanthropy
Besides her music career, Keys has also ventured into other fields such as acting, writing, producing, and activism. She made her film debut in Smokin’ Aces (2007) and later appeared in The Nanny Diaries (2007), The Secret Life of Bees (2008), The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete (2013), and Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (2020). She also produced several films and TV shows, such as The Backyardigans (2004-2010), Stick Fly (2011-2012), Let Me In (2016), Queen of Katwe (2016), Work It (2020), and More Than a Woman (2021).
Keys has also written two books: Tears for Water: Songbook of Poems and Lyrics (2004), a collection of her poems and lyrics; and More Myself: A Journey (2020), a memoir that became a New York Times bestseller.
Keys is also known for her philanthropic work and social activism. She co-founded Keep a Child Alive in 2003, a non-profit organization that provides HIV/AIDS treatment, care, nutrition, support services, and love to children and families affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa and India. She has also supported various causes such as education, women’s rights, racial justice, climate change, poverty alleviation, and human rights.
Personal Life and Net Worth
Keys married rapper and producer Swizz Beatz in 2010. They have two sons: Egypt Daoud Dean (born in 2010) and Genesis Ali Dean (born in 2014). Keys is also a stepmother to Beatz’s three other children from previous relationships: Prince Nasir Dean (born in 2000), Kasseem Dean Jr. (born in 2006), and Nicole Dean (born in 2008).
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Keys has a net worth of $150 million as of 2021. This is a combined net worth that she shares with her husband, who is also worth $150 million. Their net worth is almost equally divided.
Keys and Beatz own several properties around the world, including a penthouse in New York City, a mansion in New Jersey, a villa in La Jolla, California, and an island in the Bahamas. They also have an impressive collection of cars, art, and jewelry.
Keys is one of the most influential and inspiring women in the world. She has achieved remarkable success in her music career and beyond, while also giving back to the society and the planet. She is truly a girl on fire.
