《艾莉西亚凯斯:无限元素》灵魂乐界的美丽大使、兼备智慧与内涵的黑珍珠、唱作俱佳的新世代美声女伶艾莉西亚凯斯,用歌声掳获全球超过三千万乐迷的心、凭实力拿下包括12座葛莱美+5座全美音乐在内共87座奖项加冕、靠才华延伸艺术天份至戏剧界,并发行撰写书籍,名列纽丨约时报畅销作家。艾莉西亚展示Neo-Soul的风格及灵感,力求复古与时髦的相融合,精准捕捉中低嗓音特质,散发都会独立女性的多样面向,透出独特之深度吸引力。
本名Alicia Augello Cook的道地纽约客艾莉西亚,4岁就在高收视率的电视影集「天才老爹The Cosby Show」中露脸、7岁开始学习古典钢琴和舞蹈、14岁担任唱诗班的主将并尝试创作写曲,因在校成绩优异而16岁跳级高中毕业,20岁发行惊艳四座的出道单曲《Fallin》,适切透出当代灵魂乐曲发展上的兼容并蓄以及折衷调性。签入J Records旗下相继问市2001年《未成年之歌Songs In A Minor》、2003年《The Diary Of Alicia Keys琴韵心声》、2005年《Unplugged原音重现现场演唱专辑》、2007年《As I Am深琴流露》,写下全数攻入US流行与节奏蓝调双榜四连霸冠军的优异纪录!曾获12座葛莱美奖肯定、四连霸冠军专辑,葛莱美钢琴天后解放自我、突破设限最新专辑!杰斯、肯伊威斯特、50美分、惠妮休斯顿等A咖制作音乐元素不设限!收录全美节奏蓝调榜第14名《Doesn't Mean Anything》;玩美女神碧昂丝精彩对唱《Put It In A Love Song》、饶舌天皇杰斯冠军对唱之最新第二章《Empire State Of Mind(Part II) Broken Down》14首精采无限!
突破以往的曲风架构,强烈、锐利和亲密、娇弱并存,提供一场最解放自我、勇於尝试的大胆音乐旅程特典《The Element Of Freedom》,请到一路陪伴的好伙伴Kerry Brothers Jr.(Keyshia Cole、Nas)、以及Jeff Bhasker(Jay-Z、Kanye West)、Swizz Beatz(Whitney Houston、50 Cent)...等一线A咖制作名家协力操刀。足以让人心情飞扬的主打歌《Doesn't Mean Anything》,搭配清亮的钢琴和力道鼓击双向施展,动人依旧的飘散冠军作《No One》相似气息,登记美国节奏蓝调/嘻哈榜第14名;添入细微电子颗粒的第二波攻势《Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart》,以低吟呢喃的诠释拉起序幕,在充满迷离的听觉感应催化下,同时秀上艾莉西亚毫不煽情且收放自若的完美嗓音;好听到掉泪的钢琴Solo指引《That's How Strong My Love Is》,紧接著添入弦乐柔美伴随,为新世代都会浪漫情歌刻划更具质感曲线;摇摆满点的《Put It In A Love Song》,热闹灌入大量Funky律动,邀获玩美女神碧昂丝精彩对唱,释放最具活力的节拍;协助饶舌巨星杰斯攀上冠军宝座之《Empire State Of Mind》,此回完全嗅不到一丝街头嘻哈味,改编成灵魂抒情二部曲的《Empire State Of Mind(Part II) Broken Down》,相当耐人寻味。
The Element of Freedom is the fourth studio album by American recording artist Alicia Keys, released on December 11, 2009, by J Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during May to September 2009 at The Oven Studios in Long Island, New York. Production was handled by Keys, Jeff Bhasker, Swizz Beatz, Noah "40" Shebib, Toby Gad and Kerry "Krucial" Brothers. Departing from the classicist soul music of Keys' previous albums, The Element of Freedom has a mid-tempo, low-key sound and features mostly ballads.
The album debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 417,000 copies in its first week. It became Keys' first non-number one album in the United States and her first number one album in the United Kingdom. The Element of Freedom was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America within its first month of release and produced five singles that attained moderate chart success. Upon its release, the album received generally positive reviews from music critics, who complimented its low-key style and Keys' singing, although some were ambivalent towards her songwriting. Keys supported album with a world tour, The Freedom Tour. As of August 2012, The Element of Freedom has sold over four million copies worldwide.