Born and raised in Harlem, New York, as Alicia Augello Cook, Keys was introduced to the piano at the age of 7, a healthy escape to the hard inner-city street life that existed right outside her door. She majored in choir at the Performing Arts School Of Manhattan while committing to piano lessons throughout her childhood and into her teens, studying Beethoven, Mozart, and Chopin (her favorite composer) as well as jazz greats like Marian McPartland, Fats Waller, Miles Davis, and Oscar Peterson. She also grew up listening to the likes of Donny Hathaway, Roberta Flack, Mary J. Blige, Biggie Smalls, Tupac, and Nina Simone. At 14, she wrote her first song, "Butterflyz," which is featured on her debut album.

Since her chart-topping success, Keys has won numerous awards, including an MTV VMA, two Billboard Awards, two American Music Awards, two NAACP Image Awards, three Soul Train Awards, two World Music Awards, one ECCHO Award, and an astounding five Grammys for Best New Artist, Song Of The Year, Best R&B Vocal Performance, Best R&B Song, and Best R&B Album, tying Lauryn Hill's record for the most Grammys won by a female artist in one year.