Neo-soul singer Alicia Keys saw 2008 in by celebrating triple platinum certification for third studio album As I Am, released less than two months previously. Recently she has combined her musical career with acting, with roles in Smokin' Aces and The Nanny Diaries. Alicia Keys learned to play the piano as a child and graduated from the Professional Performing Arts School at the top of her class. She chose not to graduate from University, instead signing a demo deal with Columbia, though it foundered fairly quickly. Before the release of her debut album, she co-wrote and recorded the song "Dah Dee Dah (Sexy Thing)" which was used in the film Men in Black, and the songs "Rock wit U" (Shaft) and "Rear View Mirror" (Dr. Doolittle 2). She eventually signed to J Records and released Songs in A Minor (2001). It was a huge hit from the outset, with the first single "Fallin'" spending six weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100. Reviews of the album were positive and five Grammy wins followed. In 2002 Remixed & Unplugged in A Minor was released, a recreation of her debut. The next studio release was 2003's The Diary of Alicia Keys which was enjoyed by both the critics and the music-loving public who purchased more than eight million copies worldwide. Four further Grammy awards followed. Keys took part in the successful MTV Unplugged series and the album of this performance was released in 2005. However fans had to wait until November 2007 for her next studio album, As I Am, which topped the albums chart in its debut week with sales of almost 750,000 Elements of  Freedom is Keys latest release featuring the smash hit, Empire of State, featuring Jay-Z

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