Alicia Keys

MUSICAL ANALYSIS
TRUMAN CRAPO
“ I don’t worry cause everything’s
going to be alright.

ALICIA KEYS – AN R&B PHENOM ”

Introduction
Biography
Born January 25, 1981
Born in New York, New York
American singer/songwriter
Composing songs at age 12
Composed 6 albums from ’95 –
’16 - present
R&B, Soul, Jazz, Hip-Hop
Biography

Songs in A Minor
The Diary of Alicia Keys
Unplugged

As I Am
The Element of Freedom
Girl on Fire
Here and The Voice
Biography
Fifth most successful artist of
the 2000’s decade
15 Grammy awards
Multiple best-selling and
number-one recognition
awards
Composition History

 Us – Alicia Keys & James Bay

 Published/Revamped 2018
 Originally written as a solo for the
Voice
 Released May 22, 2018
 C Major
 70 bpm
 Us – Musical Analysis

0:00-0:36 Verse 1 Enters in Piano. Kick drum and snare on the same beat.
0:37-0:47 Chorus Piano trills for a soul filled rhythm.
0:48-0:53 Instr. Hook A pause of vocals. Preparation for Verse 2. Snare and
drumstick noises add texture to this piece
0:53-1:19 Verse 2 Enters cymbals at 1:00. Keyboard enters (1:06) accents
piano through melody.
1:20-1:33 Chorus Cymbals and keyboard exit. And back to the sound of the
instrumental hook.
1:34-1:49 Verse 3 Again piano trills. Cadenza prepares for bridge and chorus
1:50-2:07 Bridge Enters string instruments structuring a beautiful melody
2:08-3:08 Chorus/ Exits strings. Drums, snare play in forte adding support for
Coda the louds vocals. Coda begins 2:50, with just background
vocals.
Compositional History

 Blended Family – Alicia Keys

 Published 2016
 Album: Here
 Ft. A$AP Rocky
 Contemporary R&B
 B Minor
 98 bpm
 Blended Family - Analysis
0:00-0:28 Intro/Verse 1 Begins with guitar laying the melody. Vocals start at 0:12.
0:29-0:38 Chorus 1 Guitar continues and the chorus brings in the drums and piano
0:39-1:04 Chorus 2 Drums and guitar do well to bring emotion. Continues until Verse 2.
1:05-1:23 Verse 2 Enters bass guitar playing along side acoustic.
1:24-1:33 Chorus 1 Filled with emotion. Drums and guitar support lyrics.
1:34-1:56 Chorus 2 Same as previous Chorus 2 and continues through bride into Verse 3
1:57-2:14 Bridge The bridges brings in the new chapter. A$AP Rocky performs Verse 3
2:14-2:42 Verse 3 Very chill. Brings back only drums and guitar. He add another point
of view.
2:43-3:03 Chorus 2 Back to Alicia Keys. Brings back the piano and her voice is forte
3:04-3:32 Coda Only guitar and piano. This section really brings about the theme of
this song.
Compositional History

 If I Ain’t Got You – Alicia Keys

 Published 2003
 Grammy Award for Song of the Year
 Rhythm and Blues
 Album: The Diaries of Alicia Keys
 G Major
 115 bpm
 If I Ain’t Got You - Analysis
0:00-0:24 Intro The rhythm starts with piano in piano ascending and continues with
soft vocals until verse 1

0:25-0:47 Verse 1 Rhythm is held by a kickdrum, snare drum and cymbals

accompanied with piano.
0:48-1:10 Bridge Crescendo of drums and cymbals prepares for chorus. With added
vocals
1:11-1:37 Chorus Dynamic change- forte- with drums and piano. Enter the trumpet
and tuba. The guitar is introduced.
1:38-2:01 Verse 2 Dynamic change- brass section continues to accentuate the R&B
feel.
2:02-2:23 Bridge Crescendo of trumpets and tuba. Piano in forte. Another lead to the
chorus.
2:24-2:50 Chorus #2 Drums heavily influential to the texture of the piece. The timbre of
the brass add vivid effects to the vocals.
2:50-3:16 Chorus + Coda Final chorus is all forte. Powerful ending with a brief pause to
3:16-3:45 introducing the coda- solo piano.
Compositional History

 No One – Alicia Keys

 Album: As I Am
 Released in 2007
 Contemporary R&B
 E Major
 91 bpm
 No One - Analysis
0:00-0:12 Intro Kick drum lays down the main rhythm and piano lays the melody

0:12-0:33 Verse 1 Lyrics commence with continued sound from drum and piano.

0:34-0:53 Bridge Synthesizer begins and accents the melody. Slight cadenza
toward chorus.
0:54-1:26 Chorus Synthesizer takes bigger part and kickdrum keeping the rhythm.
1:27-1:47 Verse 2 Tambourine and cymbals are played more prominently.
1:48-2:09 Bridge All instrument cadenza more and more each bridge.
2:10-2:40 Chorus Same as previous with more flare from the synth and cymbals.
2:40-3:03 Verse 3 A variety entries include strings at 3:00.

3:03-3:24 Chorus Enters guitar and bass, decrescendo until duet

3:25-4:14 Outro/Coda Duet of guitar and trumpet to wrap up with soothing
emotions
 Bibliography
 Itunes.apple.com
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alicia_Keys
 http://addicted2candi.com/?p=15024
 https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/the-voice-see-alicia-keys-surprise-james-bay-
with-us-duet-during-finale-628144/
 https://genius.com/Alicia-keys-no-one-lyrics
 https://www.biography.com/people/alicia-keys-9542485
 https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/alicia-keys-tells-inspiration-video-blended-
family/story?id=44213536
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_One_(Alicia_Keys_song)
 Chordzone.org