Alicia Keys
Known for: Acting
Alicia Augello Cook (born January 25, 1981), known professionally as Alicia Keys, is an American singer-songwriter. A classically-trained pianist, Keys was composing songs by age 12. She was signed at 15 years old by Columbia Records, and then, after disputes with the label, by Arista Records. Her debut album, Songs in A Minor, was released with J Records in 2001. Praised for Keys' musical talents and creative control, Songs in A Minor was critically and commercially successful, producing her first Billboard Hot 100 number-one single "Fallin'" and selling over 12 million copies worldwide. Songs in A Minor earned Keys five Grammy Awards in 2002. Her second album, The Diary of Alicia Keys (2003), was also a critical and commercial success, spawning successful singles "You Don't Know My Name", "If I Ain't Got You" and "Diary", and selling eight million copies worldwide. The album garnered her an additional four Grammy Awards. Her duet song "My Boo" with Usher became her second number-one single in 2004. Keys released her first live album, Unplugged (2005), and became the first female to have an MTV Unplugged album debut at number one. Her third album, As I Am (2007), produced the Hot 100 number-one single "No One", selling 5 million copies worldwide and earning an additional three Grammy Awards. In 2007, Keys made her film debut in the action-thriller film Smokin' Aces. Her fourth album,The Element of Freedom (2009), became her first chart-topping album in the UK, and sold 4 million copies worldwide. In 2009, Keys also collaborated with Jay Z on "Empire State of Mind", which became her fourth number-one single, and won the Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration in 2010. Girl on Fire (2012) was her fifth Billboard 200 topping album, spawning the successful title track, and won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album. In 2013, VH1 Storytellers was released as her second live album. Her sixth studio album, Here (2016), became her seventh US R&B/Hip-Hop chart topping album. Keys has received numerous accolades throughout her career, including 15 competitive Grammy Awards, 17 NAACP Image Awards, 12 ASCAP Awards, and awards from the Songwriters Hall of Fame and National Music Publishers Association. She has sold over 35 million albums and 30 million singles worldwide. Considered a musical icon, Keys was named by Billboard the top R&B artist of the 2000s decade and placed number 10 on their list of Top 50 R&B/Hip-Hop Artists of the Past 25 Years. VH1 also included her on their 100 Greatest Artists of All Time and 100 Greatest Women in Music lists, while Time have named her in their 100 list of most influential people in 2005 and 2017. Keys is also known for her humanitarian work, philanthropy and activism, and has received accolades for such work. Keys co-founded and is the Global Ambassador of the nonprofit HIV/AIDS-fighting organization Keep a Child Alive.
Filmography
Series
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Self
2014
Series
Late Night with Seth Meyers
Self - Guest
2014
Series
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Self - Musical Guest
2015
Series
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Self
2015
Series
The Daily Show
Self
1996
Series
Late Show with David Letterman
Self
1993
Series
Late Show with David Letterman
Self - Guest/Musical Guest
1993
Series
Late Show with David Letterman
Self - Musical Guest
1993
Series
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Self
2019
Series
Saturday Night Live
Self - Musical Guest
1975
Series
Sesame Street
Self
1969
Series
The View
Self
1997
Series
The Graham Norton Show
Self
2007
Series
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self - Guest
2003
Series
Charmed
P3 Patron
1998
Series
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
Self
1988
Series
The Voice
Self - Coach
2011
Series
RuPaul's Drag Race
Self - Guest Judge
2009
Series
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
Self
1992
Series
NPR Tiny Desk Concerts
Self
2008
Series
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Self
2003
Series
The Cosby Show
Maria
1984
Series
Vivement dimanche
Self
1998
Series
Empire
Skye Summers
2015
Series
The Tyra Banks Show
Self
2005
Series
MTV Video Music Awards
Self
1984
Series
America's Next Top Model
Self - Guest
2003
Series
Wetten, dass..?
Self
1981
Series
Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter
Self
2015
Series
American Dreams
Fontella Bass
2002
Series
Good Morning America
Self - Host “2002’s Year-End Female Albums Artists”
1975
Series
Later... with Jools Holland
1992
Series
Parkinson
Self
1998
Series
BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge
2010
Series
Carpool Karaoke: The Series
Self
2017
Series
Sanremo Music Festival
Self - Special Guest
1951
Series
American Idol
Self - Mentor/Performer
2018
Series
The Proud Family
Alicia Keys
2001
Series
Desus & Mero
Self - Illustrious Guest
2019
Series
On Air with Ryan Seacrest
Self
2004
Series
People's Choice Awards
Self - Performer
1975
Series
CMT Crossroads
Self
2002
Series
The Backyardigans
Mommy Martian (voice)
2004
Series
Last Call with Carson Daly
Self - Guest
2002
Series
Victoires de la musique
Self
1985
Series
Star Academy
Self
2001
Series
MTV Europe Music Awards
Self
1994
Series
MTV Europe Music Awards
Self - Performer
1994
Series
MTV Unplugged
Self
1989
Series
Entertainment Tonight
Self
1981
Series
TRL
Self
1998
Series
Red Table Talk
Self
2018
Series
The Saturday Show
Self
2001
ECHO-Verleihung
Self
1992
Series
History 101
Self (archive footage)
2020
Film
Smokin' Aces
Georgia Sykes
2006
Series
Cane
Self
2007
Series
Miley's New Year's Eve Party
Self - Musical Guest
2004
Series
La chanson de l'année
Self
2004
Series
Radio 1's Big Weekend
Self
2010
Series
ITV Exposure
2011
Series
106 & Park
Self
2000
Series
Iconoclasts
Self
2005
Film
The Nanny Diaries
Lynette
2007
Series
VERZUZ
Self
2020
Series
MTV World Stage
Self
2009
Pepsi Smash
Self
2003
Millionär gesucht! - Die SKL Show
Self
1998
Film
The Secret Life of Bees
June Boatwright
2008
Series
Schmidt & Pocher
Self
2007
Series
Taraji's White Hot Holidays
Self
2015
Series
Song Exploder
Self
2020
Series
America Beyond the Color Line
Self
2004
Film
2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Self
2021
Film
One World: Together at Home
Self
2020
Film
Jem and the Holograms
Alicia Keys
2015
Film
Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives
Self
2017
Film
12-12-12 | The Concert for Sandy Relief
Self
2012
Film
RAYE Live at Montreux Jazz Festival
Self
2026
Series
Regular Heroes
Self
2020
Film
America | A Tribute to Heroes
Self - Performer
2001
Film
Elmo's Christmas Countdown
Self
2007
Film
Dear Class of 2020
Self
2020
Film
Girl Rising
Narrator - Cambodia (voice)
2013
The Making of What's Going On: All-Star Tribute
2002
Film
12-12-12
2013
Film
Live 8
Self
2005
Film
The Night That Changed America: A Grammy Salute to the Beatles
Self
2014
Film
Mademoiselle C
Self
2013
Series
The Grammys
Self
1959
Series
The Grammys
Self - Host
1959
Film
Lewis Capaldi: How I'm Feeling Now
Self (archive footage)
2023
Film
Behind the Shield: The Power and Politics of the NFL
Self (archive footage)
2022
Film
Graduate Together: America Honors the High School Class of 2020
Self - Musical Guest
2020
Film
The Disappearance of Miss Scott
Self
2025
Film
Platinum Party at the Palace
Self
2022
Film
Nas: Time Is Illmatic
Self
2014
Film
Sesame Street: 40 Years of Sunny Days
Self (uncredited) (archive footage)
2010
Boris Becker meets
Self
2007
Film
Post Malone: Runaway
Self
2022
Film
Genius. A Night for Ray Charles
Self
2004
Film
FOX Presents the iHeart Living Room Concert for America
Self
2020
DJ Juice: The King is Back Mixtape Blend DVD Vol. 70
Self (archive footage)
2009
Film
Kanye West: DONDA Experience Performance 2 22 22
Self
2022
Film
The Best of Max
Self
2002
Film
The Re-Up
Self
2012
Film
Sesame Street: Singing with the Stars
Self
2012
Film
John Mayer: Someday I'll Fly
Self
2014
They All Came Out to Montreux
Self (archive footage)
2023
Film
A MusiCares Tribute to Carole King
Self
2015
Film
The Diary of Alicia Keys - Live from New York
2023
Film
Aretha! A Grammy Celebration for the Queen of Soul
Self
2019
Film
Prince and His Songs at the BBC
Self (archive footage)
2024
Film
A Celebration of Life for Kobe and Gianna Bryant
Self
2020
Film
Sinatra 100: An All-Star Grammy Concert
Self
2015
Film
A MusiCares Tribute To Paul McCartney
Self
2012
The Blackout - Fat Joe Vs Jay-Z At The Rucker
Self
2003
Film
Alicia Keys - VH1 Storytellers
Self
2013
Film
Let's Go Crazy: The Grammy Salute to Prince
Self
2020
Film
Q: The Man
Self
2009
Film
Alicia Keys: Unplugged
Self
2005
Film
Alicia Keys: iTunes Festival
Self
2012
Saving OurSelves: BET COVID-19 Relief Effort
Self - Performer
2020
Film
Every Vote Counts: A Celebration of Democracy
Self - Host
2020
Film
Alicia Keys - Here in Times Square
Self - Singer
2016
Film
Alicia Keys - Landmarks Live in Concert
Self
2017
Film
Alicia Keys: Baloise Session 2017
Self - Performing Artist
2017
Film
Alicia Keys: Rock In Rio
Self - Singer
2013
Film
Alicia Keys Rocks New Year's Eve
Self
2020
Alicia Keys: Girl From Hell’s Kitchen
Self
2026
Film
Apple Music Live: Alicia Keys
Cantora
2022
Film
Alicia Keys - Live at Capital's Jingle Bell Ball 2023
Self
2023
Film
Alicia Keys Live in Los Angeles
Self
2020
Film
Alicia Keys Taratata 2012
Self
2012
Film
The Gospel
Self
2016
Film
Alicia Keys - As I Am
Self
2008
Film
Alicia Keys - Citi Concert Series Today Show
Self
2021
Film
Alicia Keys at the BBC
Singer
2023
Film
Alicia Keys: From Start to Stardom
Self
2003
Film
Uncharted
Self
2023
Let Me In
Zara
2016
Film
Alicia Keys - Live in New York
Self
2009
Film
Alicia Keys - MTV Crashes Manchester
Self
2012
Alicia Keys – The Element Of Freedom: Deluxe Edition
Self
2009
Alicia Keys: Rock in Rio 2017
Self
2017
Film
Christina Aguilera: Stripped
Self
2002
Alicia Keys live North Sea Jazz
Self
2004