Today’s From The Vault is sung by an artist who’s name you definitely know.
This week’s pick is ‘You Don’t Know My Name’ by 15-time Grammy winner Alicia Keys.
After the colossal success of her debut LP ‘Songs In A Minor,’ all eyes were on Keys to see whether she could once again satisfy the critics and dominate the charts, simultaneously, with her sophomore set ‘The Diary Of Alicia Keys.’
And the answer in short was a resounding…”yes.”
Issued as album’s lead single, ‘Name’ was released in late 2003 and became an instant classic. Telling the tale of a waitress who daydreams about one of her clients, the Kanye West-produced gem was a Top 3 hit in the US and reached the Top 20 in Canada and the UK among other territories. It also won a Grammy for Best R&B Song in 2005
Using the lyric’s narrative, the song’s video – directed by Chris Robinson – follows Alicia as she falls for a client played by Mos Def. Later on they end up attending the same party, but never actually meet. After imagining getting the courage to call him and profess her love, we are left wondering if she will ever take that step or not.
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With a new project on the horizon, we’re hopeful Keys has unlocked the juice (again); because although it housed some great moments, her last effort ‘Here’ never actually reached the standards she has set with her previous projects qualitatively.
Also on our wish-list : a team that is willing to do whatever it takes to facilitate her crossover into the streaming era. It’s a very different world from when Alicia last released and while it’s won’t be an easy task – it’s a necessary one.
Either way, we are ready for new music and are liking the initial taste she gave this week. Bring it on the rest.
