# Alicia Keys **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 21, 2002, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alicia-keys/99392 "2002-03-21T20:26:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MagicalSilverKey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@MagicalSilverKey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicalSilverKey)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alicia-keys/99392/1 "2002-03-21T20:26:54Z")
I just don’t get what all the buzz is over this young lady. Yeah, she can sing. Yeah, she won a grammy. Yeah, maybe she is talented. …yawn… It’s not like she is the modern female equivalent of Elvis Presley. Has she revolutionized the modern music industry? Don’t think so. Why all the fuss? Not a rant, not dissing her either; I’m just confused, and tired of hearing Alicia this, Alicia that… [Jan Brady] Alicia, Alicia, Alicia!!![/Jan Brady] ---
**Author:** ![roadrunner70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@roadrunner70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roadrunner70)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alicia-keys/99392/2 "2002-03-21T20:34:39Z")
I thought it was just me… And while we’re at it, would somebody PLEASE stop playing Drops of Jupiter every 5 f\*cking minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alicia-keys/99392/3 "2002-03-21T21:16:52Z")
I think the buzz is mostly about her _potential._ She took classical piano for many years, until her teacher said, basically, you’re through, you have nothing left to learn. Seeking further challenges, she moved on to jazz, R&B, etc. And then, by the age of 20, she comes out of nowhere and writes, co-produces, and performs a major album, one that draws at least a little bit on all of her skills. I like her album quite a bit, but it’s more than a little unfocused, undisciplined. The opening piano bit is interesting – a rare dip into classical tradition on an R&B album – but the specific piece she chose is a grating cliche. The lyrics, both in subject and in construction, betray her youth and lack of worldly experience. Give her a few years, let her mature some, and I think she has the _potential_ to be amazing. Just my $.02 on the subject. ---
**Author:** ![Tenebras](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@Tenebras](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tenebras)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alicia-keys/99392/4 "2002-03-22T04:57:15Z")
Slight nitpick here, but I find it a little hard to believe that, unless she was causing orgasms in the audience and the classical music community forced her to stop playing classical music to cut down on the rising dry cleaning bills, Alicia Keyes (Keys? I thought two e’s) had learned all there was to learn about playing classical piano. But then, I could be wrong. And monkeys could fly out of my butt! 🙂 Tenebras ---
**Author:** ![Badtz\_Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Badtz\_Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badtz_Maru)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alicia-keys/99392/5 "2002-03-22T05:00:41Z")
I’ve only heard about her, I don’t think I’ve heard her. ---
**Author:** ![Jervoise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@Jervoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jervoise)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alicia-keys/99392/6 "2002-03-22T07:17:49Z")
The music media needs _something_ to rave about. It just so happens that Ms Keys strikes with the right combination of talent, achievement and, of course, sex appeal to warrant in the eyes of the media a prolonged ‘buzz’. It just so happens that this time round, the chosen object of the ‘buzz’ is somewhat deserving of it: > [@](#): > > Yeah, she can sing. Yeah, she won a grammy. Yeah, maybe she is talented. It could be (and has been) a lot worse. It’s not as though masses of ordinary people in everyday conversation are raving about Alicia Keys. Personally, I’ve never heard anyone (except on TV or radio) speak her name aloud, nor have I discussed her with anyone. Many of my friends; my father; and my pet dog doubtless remain blissfully ignorant of her lauded talents. It’s just the media, who need _something_ to talk about. If you’re tired of hearing about it, well, the solution need not be spelt out by me. ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alicia-keys/99392/7 "2002-03-22T08:02:29Z")
Her playing is fine, it’s her composing skills that suck. She just plays the same few chords over and over and over, at least in the two songs I’ve heard. She should get together with Lenny Kravitz and do a Mega Classical-Electric Repeato-matic song. Or maybe they just both need to find some damn composers. ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alicia-keys/99392/8 "2002-03-22T16:42:10Z")
I bought her CD for my wife’s birthday. I had pretty low expectations. I was totally wrong. The piano intro was kind of lame but then ‘Girlfriend’ started with that sort of backwards beat and the harmonies kicked in and I was like “whoa”. There’s a song towards the end called Butterflyz that just blew me away. People her age don’t write stuff like that. Lots of good songs in there. I agree with others that her lyrics are a bit on the immature side and her song forms aren’t terribly sophisticated, but the album’s a very pleasant surprise, a lot of fun, she sings great, and her arrangements are interesting. It’s actually kind of refreshing to see a truly talented musician being hyped instead of the usual Britney J-Lo dance and can barely sing stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alicia-keys/99392/9 "2002-03-22T22:05:36Z")
We got this CD a little while ago, after liking what we heard on the radio, and I’m pretty impressed with the album. It is a little diffuse, like she’s trying out all sorts of stuff to find her voice, but I wouldn’t call that a complaint. The only complaint I have with her album is the gratuitious vulgarity; she makes some beautiful songs and music, then has to toss in the occasional “shit” - it just seems inappropriate and jarring to me. As debut albums go, I have to say this is pretty strong. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2002, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alicia-keys/99392/10 "2002-04-10T02:04:33Z")
It sounds like the fuss over Fiona Apple a few years back. Mmmm… Fiona Apple. ---
**Author:** ![dreamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@dreamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dreamer)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2002, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alicia-keys/99392/11 "2002-04-10T04:31:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cervaise \* > \*\*I think the buzz is mostly about her _potential._ > > \*\* I agree with you there. I generally like the CD, the songs are catchy and upbeat. She’s young so she’s got time to grow 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2002, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alicia-keys/99392/12 "2002-04-10T15:23:38Z")
IMHO - More important than her singing and playing skills, certainly more important than her composing and writing skills, the one overriding factor as to why the music industry has embraced her and promoted her so heavily is quite simply her physical attractiveness. She is a hottie. Almost as much as TV and the movies, in this MTV age, the commercial music establishment cares about looks as much as talent. You don’t have to be good looking (although that is a major bonus) but you do have to have “a look”. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2002, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alicia-keys/99392/13 "2002-04-10T15:44:38Z")
For me, the irony in trumpeting performers because of their potential is that you’re announcing to them, “Enjoy the attention now, because when you’re playing at full ability, we’re going to start ignoring you so we can pay attention to the next young kid who has _potential_.” ---
**Author:** ![shelbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@shelbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shelbo)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2002, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alicia-keys/99392/14 "2002-04-10T22:00:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by KneadToKnow \* > \*\*For me, the irony in trumpeting performers because of their potential is that you’re announcing to them, “Enjoy the attention now, because when you’re playing at full ability, we’re going to start ignoring you so we can pay attention to the next young kid who has _potential_.” \*\* That’s the music business today, and it sucks. There is almost no mechanism left to “nurture” young talent over a few years and a few albums. If you don’t get picked as the flavor of the month by Clear Channel, you’re out. (If you’ve noticed, last month was Ryan Adams, this month it’s John Mayer).