First of all hello everybody!

I'm a huge Prince fan and I've been lurking this board for a minute. I finally decided to join a few days ago and since I'm also a fan of Alicia Keys, I wanted my first post to be about her.

Ok, I read a lot of things on here about Alicia, and I see that the majority of people on here don't like her. Well if your one of the people that don't really care for Alicia can you please not post in here. I know that this thread won't be totally positive, but I would atleast like it if people that were able to give honest unbiased opinions posted rather than people that will say everything negative because they just can't stand the girl lol. I know that the media makes alot of people feel that way so in some ways it's understandable.

Now I would like for everybody to give their honest opinions on her. If Alicia needs to work on something, then what is it? What direction do you think Alicia should go with music? Do you see any kind of talent in her?

I'm sorta young so I like and appreciate my generation artists. Of course they don't hold a candle to artists like Prince and Stevie but I would like for people to say what artists like Alicia are missing rather that callin them talentedless and overrated.

What do you want to hear from Alicia that will get your respect?



THANKS IN ADVANCE GUYS! THIS IS THE COOLEST MESSAGEBOARD ON THE NET AND YOUR PRINCE FANS, SO OF COURSE YOUR OPINIONS MEAN THE MOST!!!

dragondayz said:

THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH Alicia! She's 1 of the most talented artist of her generation and will b around a long time. It's going 2b fun watching her grow over the next fewyears. She's fresh and old school at the same time! I love her 2 death! I would like 2 see her get a little more funky on her next cd, but whatever she chooses 2do will probably b good anyway.

Just to add one more lil' thing, like most have already said here, I would like to see Alicia really develop here own style, if that's possible. I'm sure she'll always try and keep some street in her music ( which is'nt always bad ) and have the traditional soul sound going too.

Hotlegs said:

What do you mean by stagecraft and presence? Does it mean that her live shows aren't that good?

Alicia has talent. She also has the ability to surround herself with other gifted musicians.The potential to make really cool original music is alive and well.
My advice would be this:
We've already heard James Brown. We've already heard Donny Hathaway. We've already heard Stevie. I wanna hear what Alicia has to say.
Simply do you and be you. Blaze your own trail.

So I'm hearing things about her voice. Alicia has a heavy voice that's kind of monotone in my opinion. Can work be done to those type of voices since it's heavy?

dragondayz said:

I believe what people mean is that Alicia seems to suffer from vocal strain when she sings. But it was nowhere near the debacle that was Chaka Kahn at the VMA's this year (I had to mention it).

Like we don't know what she looks like, but the lil' mixed heritage does'nt hurt.

dragondayz said:

I believe what people mean is that Alicia seems to suffer from vocal strain when she sings. She goes hoarse and her voice just seems all around strained sometimes. I think she can sing very well but she needs to pamper those vocal chords. But it was nowhere near the debacle that was Chaka Kahn at the VMA's this year (I had to mention it).

About Alicia Keys..... only one thing to say :


OVERRATED.

Alicia is talented no doubt but all in a all it is a skin game. Her music is similar Dare I say it to India and Meshell, Tracy Chapman and a little bit of Jill Scott in there however none of these other women will ever reap the benifits of crossover status because of they way they look. Alicia is an exotic look and talanted and I think sometimes we (myself included) are too wrapped up in her looks to realized this. Its just a simple fact that these are the kinds of images that sell in america. Just like that Pepsi Commercial with the "young" jimi hendrix deciding between guitars or accordians, there was no way that kid could be hendrix because he looks likt the little boy in the musicology video. Beautful and talented yes but seriously overrated.

Well I see that a few people are starting to drift away from what was politely asked. Of course it's easy to say that she's overrated, talentless and etc. I know that many of you feel this way. Can we please get this back on track and list the things that Alicia needs to work on. This is not about her skin color and who has more talent than she does. I wanted this to be about what Alicia needs to do to get your respect!

All of the overrated comments are very easy to dish out, but challenge yourself and think of what you want to hear from her. Things that can make her a better artist!

dragondayz said:

i wasn't dissing alicia at all i was just stating other reasons for her popularity with the masses. personally i think her music is good but she is walking the neo-soul / pop R&B line to closely she needs to come closer to the soul line less ballads more smooth vibes ie badu I think she can pull it off.

dragondayz said:

I believe what people mean is that Alicia seems to suffer from vocal strain when she sings. She goes hoarse and her voice just seems all around strained sometimes. I think she can sing very well but she needs to pamper those vocal chords. But it was nowhere near the debacle that was Chaka Kahn at the VMA's this year (I had to mention it).

i loove alicia...songs...was cool..i liked caged bird, troubles, and fallin just to name a few..and diary is great...i like diary, nobody not really (best of all), samsonite man, and feelin u feelin me just to name a few...i think alicia out of all the lady artists that r out now (beyonce, ashanti, brandi..etc etc) will b one of the few thats still around in like 10yrs...cuz she don't use sex as the thing to push her...u kno? like ashanti for example is half nekkid in most of her vids and dancin all wild..which is cool, but i think she does it cuz shes not that good..were as if alicia did it to me it wouldn't b cuz she aint got no talent..its just cuz she wanna b sexy....

the only thing i don't like is how quick folks r to lable her a genious and like shes super duper amazing...and to me she's not....she could get there, but she aint there yet..and she aint goin get there with only 2 albums under her belt u kno? i don't blame her though...it aint her fault people were quick to call her a prodigy and a genious and all that other stuff...which is why i agree a bit with people who say she's overrated...all them grammys she won...all that hype..yea she deserved it...but it seems to b hard for her to live up to...which is sad...cuz i for one don't want her to live up to the hype..i just want alicia to be alicia.

CynicKill said:

Oh IC. It's wierd because it doesn't seem like she had those problems wen she first started. It kind of makes me think that she's loosing her voice a bit, or she's going over her range. I know that I would personally like for her to not sound so one tonish, but I'm not sure if a vocal coach could help her with that.

For example, Janet Jackson has lost sight of what she wants from her career and therefore she hasn't done anything worth listening to in 3-4 years.

kisscamille said:

You can't just pick on Janet. Let's include the countless others who are benefiting from the same formula Janet has been using over the years. The list of other artist consist of: Jessica Simpson, Ashanti, J-Lo, and Britney Speres just to name a few.

Don't get me wrong, its cool that Alica wants to be her own person and write her songs. However, her vocal talents still needs to be refined more before she can be considered a great vocalist.