Every great artist, at some point in their career, has the desire to release a self-titled album, thereby placing it in an elite class of its own. Alicia Keys is no different. ALICIA, the music polymath’s first studio album in four years, has arrived via RCA Records. The new collection of material is the successor to 2016’s Here.
Keys told Zane Lowe of Apple Music ahead of the album coming out why she titled it after herself. “I feel like I have, for the first time, been most fully myself now. In the beginning, I was very myself. I really was,” Keys said about the titling of her new album. “Although I was unsure of this crazy world that I was in and I definitely didn’t know the rules or how to do it or exactly what I was doing, I was very sure of myself.”
Keys started the journey to her eponymous album with the November 2019 release of the Miguel-assisted hit “Show Me Love.” The track, which was co-produced by Morgan Matthews, was certified gold earlier this summer.
ALICIA includes six other advanced singles: the haunting “Time Machine,” the powerful “Underdog,” the courageous “Good Job,” the painfully honest “Perfect Way to Die,” the Khalid-assisted “So Gone,” and the yearnful “Love Looks Better.”
The album has additional collaborations with Tierra Whack, Sampha, Diamond Platnumz, Snoh Aalegra, and Jill Scott. The latter neo-soul queen appears on a track named after herself.
In promotion dubbed American Express UNSTAGED – Alicia, the Grammy winner is set to celebrate the release of her self-titled album with a special virtual performance of new songs and hits from over the years tonight (September 18). Like-minded fans and music lovers can get tickets for the show at AmexUnstagedALICIA.com.
Stream the new album by Alicia Keys down below.
