Alicia J. Aguello-Cook was born on January 25, 1982 in Harlem, NY. The future pop queen's parents were bi-racial. Mother Theresa Augello is of Irish, Scottish and Italian decent, while father Craig Cook is Jamaican.

Soon after birth, Keys' parents were separted and the youngster grew up with her mother in Hell's Kitchen also in New York City. Her mom worked as a paralegal and a part-time actress.

Alicia began he musical endeavors at age 7 when she first began to play to the playing, learning from the masters including Mozart, Beethoven and Chopin.

By age 16 under the guidance of her agent Alicia changed her last name to keys to better reflect her character.

Keys also excelled in studies, finishing high school in three years and serving as class valedictorian. She graduated from Professional Performing Arts School in Manhattan and then got accepted at Columbia University. But Keys dropped out of college to pursue her music career. She signed on with So So Fed before getting her big break with "Dah Dee Dah (Sexy Thing)", a song she both co-wrote and recorded which appeared on the soundtrack to the hit movie "Men in Black".

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