Alicia Keys, Olivia, Clive Davis, Erik-Michael Estrada, O-Town’s Trevor Penick and Jimmy Cozier, photographed at the annual Billboard/Airplay Monitor Radio Seminar & Awards in New York by Chuck Pulin on October 5-7, 2000.

The Billboard/Airplay Monitor Radio Seminar & Awards attracted a crowd of 1,500 radio programmers and personalities, consultants, record industry executives, Internet programmers and executives, independent promoters, and publicists. And included a number of live performances during the three day event by artists like Virgin Records’ Crystal Sierra, Tommy Boy Records’ Amber, AFRT’s Eartha, European pop songstress French Affair, and a showcase of Clive Davis’ J Records’ signed acts like Alicia.

With the promise of the label’s rise in excellence, a number of programmers asked Davis if J Records could begin breaking out their acts. Davis rolled out his first signings to his newly formed label as he welcomed Luther Vandross to the stage. 

As featured in the October 21st issue of Billboard magazine, rhythmic top 40 KUBE Seattle operations manager Shellie Hart expressed her anxious wait for Alicia’s debut: “I was stricken with her voice and presence. She has absolute star power.”