7.7/10
Favorite Track: "Show Me Love (feat. Miguel)" Least Favorite Track: "Authors Of Forever"
In terms of nostalgia-inducing artists from the early 2000’s, few can compare to 10x Grammy Winner Alicia Keys. She is one of the greatest singer/songwriter/pianist/performers in the contemporary R&B/Pop category, and stands as an icon to many young up and coming female artists such as H.E.R. and Billie Eilish. Some of her most notable works, including “Fallin’” from Songs in A Minor, “No One” from As I Am and “If I Ain’t Got You” from The Diary of Alicia Keys, have debuted on the top of the Billboard charts, proving time and time again her musical prowess and success. Alicia is also a very notable civil rights activist and feminist figure in today’s society, increasing her influence on popular culture to go beyond music. 2020 saw that influence blossom further, as she inspired eligible people to vote, marched for the Black Lives Matter and Women’s Rights movements, and released her seventh album titled Alicia, a piece of art that delivers uplifting messages of self-love and hope.
Unlike her previous albums, I think Alicia was meant to emphasize Alicia’s hopes, frustrations, and desires for the future rather than her outstanding musicianship. This increase in narrative focus is apparent in songs like "Truth Without Love" and "Perfect Way To Die, where she takes a very dramatic tone to portray the ever-longing, frustrated feeling for something real, whether it’s love or value in today’s society, in these end-of-the-world times of 2020. Subsequently, she contradicts these sorrowful moods with tracks that contain messages of hope; moreover, songs that inspire and reassure listeners that they can do whatever they set their minds too. “Underdog” is a fine example of that, as Alicia highlights the “hustlers, single mothers, young teachers, student doctors” and their abilities to rise up and succeed in this fierce, obstacle-ridden world. “Good Job” is another prime example of that uplifting message, as she comforts listeners with her grounding piano anthem and incorrigible lyrics that basically assert that “you matter.” While musicianship comes naturally to Alicia, her desires for a better future sung throughout this album create a piece of art not only amazing in instrumentation and style variances (reggae, R&B, disco, gospel, soul, folk), but also in its ability to inspire all those who listen to embrace change and push for greater things.
I also can’t review this album without talking about the unbelievable artist features. I always love to hear artist collaborations, and for Alicia to team up with the likes of Snoh Aalegra, Khalid, and Tierra Whack is nothing short of an absolute blessing to the ears. I will say that the one collaboration track that speaks volume to how amazing this album is has to be “Show Me Love” with the R&B king Miguel. Released as a single back in 2019, and then later remixed by 21 Savage, you cannot deny the timbre and harmonic sweetness between their two unique, angelic voices. Miguel’s effortless, tenor voice perfectly supports Alicia’s powerful yet sensual vocals, creating this electrifying chemistry as they create a sound meant to imitate the whisper of midnight love. This is the kind of track where you can close your eyes and allow these two to create an atmospheric soundscape guaranteed to leave you with butterflies in your stomach.
Alicia, while relatively new and will take time for people to mature to understand it’s message, is personally everything I want in an Alicia Keys album. Her progression in musicality from her first couple albums hasn’t been lost in any way; but instead, reformed, evolving her into a passion-driven artist with an ability to illustrate the complex, juxtaposing feelings of society in just 15 tracks. I think it’s important for those who latch on to that nostalgic Alicia Keys that we all know and love to remember that artists are people too, and will change their style and delivery with new projects as they mature and go through life. This album does not fail to describe Alicia’s feelings towards the troublesome times that many people around the world find themselves in; however, Alicia would not want to directly sympathize with them, but actually motivate them to knock down any barriers restricting them from being the authentic person that they want to be.
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