REVIEW - ALICIA KEYS' "AS I AM"

By Zandile Dlamini

If you are wondering why it has taken us so long to give you the low down on this album, before we could divulge any factors regarding this soulful masterpiece, we wanted to give you enough time to take the pleasure in listening to it yourselves, so that when we finally did review it, you knew exactly what it was that had us so excited and energized. So let’s get down to business.

Alicia’s rise to the top has been anything but short of remarkable. This down-to-earth diva earned her title as one of the greatest achievers in the music industry in just a short space of six years since she released her debut album, Songs In A Minor. She displayed just how proficient she was in 2007 when she released her spell binding album, As I Am, which enabled her to walk away with two awards for the smash single "No One," taking Best R&B song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, and she’s still going strong.

As I am is by far, one of her best works. Each track has a certain element about it that makes it unique to the previous one, invigorating our minds to a state of pure ecstasy and euphoria. With each song, you’ll find yourself appreciating the content when she’s trying to ‘tell you something’, walking away with wholesome realization of what true music is like a ‘lesson learned’. ‘No one’ can compare to Alicia Keys, because she is truly ‘Superwomen’. Catch my drift?