Alicia Keys

Not content simply to follow Jay-Z and Will Smith into the world of Broadway producers, Alicia Keys will also compose original music for the upcoming production of "Stick Fly" on the Great White Way. Producers said Tuesday that the musician and singer, whose hits include "Fallin"' and "A Woman's Worth," will offer her songwriting to the play by Lydia R. Diamond. Performances begin Nov. 18 at the Cort Theatre. The work is a contemporary comedy of manners revolving around an affluent black family whose insecurities gradually unravel during a vacation.

Former background singer Jermaine Paul is now in the spotlight. The 33-year-old crooner, who has backed stars like Alicia Keys and Mary J. Blige, was crowned the winner of the second season of NBC's "The Voice" on May 8. Paul, bested rocker Juliet Simms, who Boston.com readers had pegged as the singer to take home the "Voice" title. After learning that he won, Paul was joined on stage by members of his family and sang an emotional version of R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly. "

Alicia Keys is following Jay-Z and Will Smith into the world of Broadway producers. Keys, whose hits include “Fallin’’’ and “A Woman’s Worth,’’ will help produce Lydia R. Diamond’s play “Stick Fly’’ this fall. The work is a contemporary comedy of manners revolving around an affluent black family whose insecurities gradually reveal themselves during a vacation to Martha’s Vineyard. “I’m passionate about this play because it is so beautifully written and portrays black America in a way that we don’t often get to see in entertainment,’’ Keys said in...

The splintered music world truly coalesces only one night of 365 for the Grammy Awards, and this year was united in the triumph of recovered British soul singer Adele's trophy haul and the tragedy of Whitney Houston's death. Adele swept the major honors of song, record and album of the year Sunday for her lost-love epic "21" and its driving single "Rolling in the Deep. " She picked up her final two awards after making her first public performance in months after being sidelined for throat surgery.

Alicia Keys has just about everything going for her. She is a true and deep soul singer and a master of any keyboard put in front of her. When performing, she leaves it all on the stage with a fiery go-for-broke style that turns witnesses into believers. And the New York native wisely chooses collaborators to craft sounds that straddle classic, gritty soul, and contemporary, urban sleekness. But after releasing two albums that have occasionally been astounding, she has yet to prove consistently revelatory.

Former background singer Jermaine Paul is now in the spotlight. The 33-year-old crooner, who has backed stars like Alicia Keys and Mary J. Blige, was crowned the winner of the second season of NBC's "The Voice" on May 8. Paul, bested rocker Juliet Simms, who Boston.com readers had pegged as the singer to take home the "Voice" title. After learning that he won, Paul was joined on stage by members of his family and sang an emotional version of R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly. "

Alicia Keys is heading back to high school. The Grammy-winning singer will visit the Professional Performing Arts School in Manhattan on Tuesday and donate music instruments to its students. Keys says her alma mater is underfunded and oversubscribed, "and I hope to make this better for them. " She will also launch an online contest where people can share how they would use $1,000 "to make the world a better place. " It is part of the global campaign, "World of Betters.

Pop star Alicia Keys will help produce Boston University playwriting professor’s Lydia R. Diamond ’s “Stick Fly’’ on Broadway this fall. “I’m passionate about this play because it is so beautifully written and portrays black America in a way that we don’t often get to see in entertainment,’’ Keys said in a statement. “I know it will touch all audiences who will find a piece of themselves somewhere inside this house.’’ The play, a comedy about an affluent black family whose insecurities gradually reveal themselves during a vacation to Martha’s Vineyard, has been performed...

Alicia Keys has grown up fast -- maybe too fast. When a 21-year-old Keys played the Orpheum Theatre in 2002, her stage looked like an urban apartment house complete with a stoop to sit on. Instead of "Jenny From the Block," this was Alicia from the block, and it felt very real since she was raised in a working-class neighborhood in New York City. Since then, Keys has won nine Grammys and become a glitzy diva, as suggested by her stage set Wednesday at the sold-out Agganis Arena.

The "Ladies First Tour?" A nice idea, but it really should be called "Stage Delays First, Ladies Second Tour. " The amount of down time between sets last night at the FleetCenter was absolutely maddening. Something should be done about it if this tour is to have the prestige that it deserves. Either that, or drop one or two of the acts so the public isn't wandering the corridors all night and staring at the hot dog vendors more than the headliners. It was crazy that the setup time between hip-hop queen Missy Elliott and soul diva Alicia Keys was 45 minutes, which was 15...

Alicia Keys is heading back to high school. The Grammy-winning singer will visit the Professional Performing Arts School in Manhattan on Tuesday and donate music instruments to its students. Keys says her alma mater is underfunded and oversubscribed, "and I hope to make this better for them. " She will also launch an online contest where people can share how they would use $1,000 "to make the world a better place. " It is part of the global campaign, "World of Betters.

Not content simply to follow Jay-Z and Will Smith into the world of Broadway producers, Alicia Keys will also compose original music for the upcoming production of "Stick Fly" on the Great White Way. Producers said Tuesday that the musician and singer, whose hits include "Fallin"' and "A Woman's Worth," will offer her songwriting to the play by Lydia R. Diamond. Performances begin Nov. 18 at the Cort Theatre. The work is a contemporary comedy of manners revolving around an affluent black family whose insecurities gradually unravel during a vacation.

Pop star Alicia Keys will help produce Boston University playwriting professor’s Lydia R. Diamond ’s “Stick Fly’’ on Broadway this fall. “I’m passionate about this play because it is so beautifully written and portrays black America in a way that we don’t often get to see in entertainment,’’ Keys said in a statement. “I know it will touch all audiences who will find a piece of themselves somewhere inside this house.’’ The play, a comedy about an affluent black family whose insecurities gradually reveal themselves during a vacation to Martha’s Vineyard,...

Alicia Keys is following Jay-Z and Will Smith into the world of Broadway producers. Keys, whose hits include “Fallin’’’ and “A Woman’s Worth,’’ will help produce Lydia R. Diamond’s play “Stick Fly’’ this fall. The work is a contemporary comedy of manners revolving around an affluent black family whose insecurities gradually reveal themselves during a vacation to Martha’s Vineyard. “I’m passionate about this play because it is so beautifully written and portrays black America in a way that we don’t...

Three studio albums into her Teflon career, Alicia Keys has presented her talent in many splendors: tasteful piano prodigy, paragon of self-empowerment, measured soul singer, and, most recently, streetwise confidante to Jay-Z on their radio hit “Empire State of Mind.’’ Yet we’ve never heard Keys like she sounds on “Love Is My Disease,’’ the standout track from her startlingly assured new album, “The Element of Freedom,’’ out...

Reprinted from late editions of yesterday's Globe. Alicia Keys - singer-songwriter and arena diva - brought her slightly schizophrenic "As I Am" tour to the Garden Wednesday night. The production takes its title from her new album, but the name isn't a fit. While there were stretches that felt authentically Alicia, aspiration reared its head in equal measure, and Keys didn't quite fill her own shoes. Goodness knows she's a terrific musician. Putting aside her fondness for empowering platitudes, Keys is a strong writer, a soulful singer,...

Reprinted from late editions of yesterday's Globe. Alicia Keys - singer-songwriter and arena diva - brought her slightly schizophrenic "As I Am" tour to the Garden Wednesday night. The production takes its title from her new album, but the name isn't a fit. While there were stretches that felt authentically Alicia, aspiration reared its head in equal measure, and Keys didn't quite fill her own shoes. Goodness knows she's a terrific musician. Putting aside her fondness for empowering platitudes, Keys is a strong writer, a soulful singer, and a commanding...

Reprinted from late editions of yesterday's Globe. The "Ladies First Tour"? A nice idea, but it should really be called "Stage Delays First, Ladies Second Tour. " The amount of down time between sets Wednesday night at the FleetCenter was absolutely maddening. Something should be done about it if this tour is to have the prestige it deserves. Either that or drop one or two of the acts so the public isn't wandering the corridors all night, staring at the hot dog vendors more than at the headliners.

Alicia Keys - singer-songwriter and arena diva - brought her slightly schizophrenic "As I Am" tour to the Garden last night. The production takes its title from her new album, but the name isn't a fit. While there were stretches that felt authentically Alicia, aspiration reared its head in equal measure, and Keys didn't quite fill her own shoes. Goodness knows she's a terrific musician. Putting aside her fondness for empowering platitudes, Keys is a strong writer, a soulful singer, and a commanding pianist.

Alicia Keys has just about everything going for her. She is a true and deep soul singer and a master of any keyboard put in front of her. When performing, she leaves it all on the stage with a fiery go-for-broke style that turns witnesses into believers. And the New York native wisely chooses collaborators to craft sounds that straddle classic, gritty soul, and contemporary, urban sleekness. But after releasing two albums that have occasionally been astounding, she has yet to prove consistently revelatory.