Alicia Keys took the music world by storm in 2001 when she was discovered by music legend Clive Davis and released her first single Fallen. In 2002, Keys went on to win five – count them – five Grammy Awards from her debut LP Songs In A Minor including Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, Best R&B Song, and Best New Artist, all the while I was wondering what, pray tell, is the big deal with Alicia Keys?

The truth is that Keys didn’t bring anything new to the R&B genre. Vocally, there is much room for improvement, as evidenced by the barking sound disguised as vocal calisthenics in Fallen. But the auditory assault on our ears did not end there, Keys’ most recent single No One is an exhibition of over hype and under talent. In all honesty, there is no indication of improvement in song writing and quality of her voice, which continues to sound hoarse and nasally.

Beyond the underwhelming nature of her vocal abilities, there is also the question of Keys’ skill…on the keys. As a classically trained pianist, one would think that her fingers could display a bit more dexterity, but this writer continues to be disappointed regularly. There have been other, far more capable female pianists, including Tori Amos and Fiona Apple, who used the piano to effectively drive their music with passion and emotional impact, in addition to displaying mature song writing. Furthermore, I am unimpressed with Keys’ recent insistence on standing while playing as if she is so into the act that sitting would cramp her style.

A sample from the hit single If I Ain’t Got You provides a case in point of Keys’ juvenile song writing:

Some people live for the fortune
Some people live just for the fame
Some people live for the power yeah
Some people live just to play the game

Let’s be honest, this is no great feat of lyricism. The rhyme scheme is simple, trite and tailor made for the masses.

This actually provides a bit of illumination as to why Keys remains a fan favorite and critic’s sweetheart. Despite her deficient growth, underdeveloped song writing and lackluster piano playing, Keys was still nominated for two Grammys this year in the categories of Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song for the song No One. Perhaps this is more symptomatic of the general talent lacking in the genre, as opposed to a testament to any actual display of talent on Keys’ part.

To be fair, I have gotten glimpses of greatness when listening to Alicia Key’s; my experiences with her music have not been all bad. Admittedly, part of her draw is likely her commercial appeal and uncanny ability to create songs that burrow into your ear and refuse to be expelled, in spite of considerable efforts to do so. When listening to You Don’t Know My Name with its classic sound and cascading piano melody, I can’t help but be taken in. While her voice is still grating and I don’t care for her cutting into the song to pretend to talk on the phone, it does not detract from the song’s endearing quality. We have all had moments where we watched from a distance, hoping to be noticed, wishing we had the guts to speak up and You Don’t Know My Name illustrates this scenario beautifully.

The truth is that if Keys exercised some cleverness of song writing, vocal development and presented her piano skill more aptly, I might be inclined to like her music. In the public eye, she seems gracious and humble. However, if she never shows improvement – in fact her most recent album sounds even more amateur vocally than those preceding it – or fails to consistently exhibit her talent as a pianist and song writer, I still have to wonder, what’s the big deal?

Check out more What’s the Big Deal features.

© Kimberlee Morrison 2008 for Newsvine Music: Listen In. Some rights reserved.

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