Alicia Keys

It's really hard to resist Alicia Keys smiling at you... I think she may even be a bit of a flirt! The two of us have always had great energy, and the honest emotion she shares with me when I ask her about her music or inspirations, or when I tell her how I discovered a hidden Prince sample in one of her hit songs is so awesome. Here are my favorite Alicia moments...

Alicia Keys | Live on stage @ Red Rooster, Harlem, NY

Alicia Keys | america magazine

Thanks to publicist Biff Warren, Alicia Keys was my first cover of america magazine. At the time, my vision to bring together the best fashion photographers and stylists in the world with the most talented urban music artists was an idea that demanded a lot of convincing and persuading of everyone involved.  The photographers (gathered by my creative partner-in-amazing, Graham Rounthwaite) worried that the entertainers couldn't possibly create a beautiful picture, and the celebrities were terrified that these high-end Euro glam teams totally wouldn't respect their superstar image - the scenes would be too out there, the clothes would be too tight and the hair would be just plain wrong.

Everyone's fears were realized on the penthouse of NYC's Hudson Hotel in January 2004 when the hottest new artist on the scene walked in with her mom to promote her second album... and let's just say the creative debates that ensued pulled in everything from who looks good in a prom dress, to Diana Ross' Mahogony to does a beautiful interracial sister who decides to take her braids out look any less Black?

The results were amazing...