“Alicia Keys: Tickling the Ivories”

Alicia Keys, as photographed for her debut Songs in A Minor by Tony Duran in 2001.

This photograph was featured in the June 2001 issue of Vibe magazine for their ‘Next’ segment, which profiled up-and-coming artists.

Larry Flick writes for Vibe. Flick grew up in the Bronx and is one of the most influential popular music journalists in the States. He has been a journalist, Senior Editor at Billboard Magazine, a feature writer for publications like Vibe and spent 18 years as Producer and Host at Sirius XM. Here he writes about Keys: “The 20-year-old, who often opens her show by playing Tchaikovsky, smoothly croons the first verse, revealing herself as more than just another ingenue,” “she exudes the impassioned depth of an old-school soul veteran.”

Alicia speaks on her inspirations: “I feel an emotional connection with artists like Marvin Gaye, Roberta Flack, and Nina Simone,” she says. “I study them. My dream is to be that good someday.”

Flick features legendary musician Roberta Flack’s comments on Alicia while attending Clive Davis’s pre-Grammy party in February: “Alicia has a remarkable gift,” says Flack. “There’s something unique and special that sets her apart.”