No. 3: Alicia Keys

Name: Alicia Keys

Date of Birth: 25 January, 1980

Hometown: New York City, New York

Selected Career Credits:

Discography:

• As I Am (2007)
• Unplugged (2005)
• The Diary of Alicia Keys (2003)
• Songs in A Minor (2001)

Selected Film Roles:

• The Secret Life of Bees (2008)... June Boatwright
• The Nanny Diaries (2007)... Lynette
• Smokin' Aces (2006)... Georgia Sykes

Harem Role: Cultural Liason/ Villa Lounge Singer

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You knew there had to at least be one singer to grace the Harem Proper. Though, Alicia Keys is most certainly NOT a 'one-trick pony' -- her stellar singing voice and accomplished song writing capabilities may have earned and secured her fame, but her compelling presence on the silver screen has earned Ms. Keys award nominations and critical recognition in the dramatic arts as well. 

And hey, you know me -- I love a multi-talented woman of the arts. *Cartoon-y hearts*

My courtship with Ms. Keys was a slow-build - a natural progression - until she made her way into the Harem Proper. I've always been one to watch music videos and critique their better points as well as their shortcomings and, since she first entered the realm of popular music, Alicia Keys consistently ranked in the upper echelons. 

I loved her with the tougher, no-nonsense image from her youth and I love her now with her ultra-femme, chanteuse image of today.

But that VOICE -- if there's one valuable bit of information you must learn about me, it is the fact that I am an absolute sucker for voices. I often find myself falling for alluring voices even before I find myself physically attracted to another person. 

And Ms. Keys proves the point tenfold.

She's got this small rasp and an almost smoky quality to her vocal tones that comes through in both her singing and her speaking voices. I swear, I could sit and listen to her sing the phonebook and I would be in complete heaven.

Case and Point: Alicia Keys singing "Every Little Bit Hurts" on her Unplugged album:

*Difficulty thinking straight* -- Ha, I just realized that statement is also quite the pun on my part. Alicia Keys makes it difficult for ANY girl to think "straight," I can assure you of that.

So there -- angelic voice? Check. Killer curves to set the world on fire? Check. Epic style that features in her videos and in her public appearances? Check.

While all of these qualities are delightful in their own right, I think one of the hottest traits about Ms. Keys is her philanthropist pursuits and her dedication to various socio-political groups across the globe. 

In particular, Alicia Keys is the co-founder and Global Ambassador of Keep A Child Alive, a non-profit organization that provides medicine to families with HIV and AIDS in Africa. In 2008, her efforts in countries including Uganda, Kenya, and South Africa were documented for the film Alicia in Africa: Journey to the Motherland.

In addition to her own organization, Alicia Keys has donated endless hours and quite a chunk of change over the past decade to a wide variety of social programs and events designed to improve the lives of individuals everywhere, including:

• Donating funds to Frum tha Ground Up, a non-profit organization that helps children and teens with scholarships
• Performing at the Live 8 concert in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to pressure G8 leaders to focus on issues of poverty within Africa
• Performing for ReAct Now: Music & Relief and Shelter from the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast in 2005
• Performing at the American leg of the Live Earth concerts
• Participating in the Nobel Peace Prize Concert at the Oslo Spektrum in Oslo, Norway on December 11, 2007

... And the list goes on.

Bold. Talented. Gorgeous. And she's instilled with a powerful sense of social consciousness. 

Bestill my beating heart.

Welcome to the Harem Proper, Ms. Keys. I only hope my Spanish villa will be large enough to furnish your numerous pursuits with ease.