Alicia keys is a big name that lovers of music are familiar with. Her musical prowess has earned her several Grammarly awards in the R&B genre, and her songs have continued to stand at the top of music charts for close to 20 years. Alicia had her debut in the music scene quite early, and this makes many fans curious about her family background. What were the circumstances that made her go into music at such an early age?
Alicia Angello-Cook, popularly known as Alicia keys, grew up in the New York region of Hell’s kitchen. Born to an African American father who worked as a flight attendant and an Italian-American mom who served as a legal secretary, her parents separated when she was barely two years old. Her mom single-handedly raised her. The father-daughter bond was restored in 2006 when Alicia allowed her dad to come into her life.
Alicia’s Early Year
This music star was born on the 25th of January, 1981, to the family of Craig Cook and Teresa Augello. Teresa is an Italian American, and due to Alicia’s love for Italian music, she fell in love with the piano and got educated in classical music. Craig Cook l, Alicia’s dad, didn’t play much of her life growing up as he and Teresa get separated when the singer was just two years old. According to Alicia, she never really saw her parents together.
During her early days in stardom, Alicia always avoided any public discussion where she is asked to talk about her dad. She grew up seeing her mom work up to three jobs to cater to the family. She had always resented her dad for not being there for her when she was a baby and all through her early years.
How Alicia Got Her First Piano
It all started at age 7 when Alicia’s friend gave her a piano that she no longer wanted. Alicia started playing with it and ended up loving it so much that she had to go register for piano lessons. At a point in their life when catering for their needs became very difficult for Teresa, Alicia begged her to allow her to drop out from her music study. Still, the mom refused, saying that she was determined to make sure her daughter followed through with her passion.
Even though they were faced with hardship in the early part of her life, she sees those events as the necessary forces that propelled them to the height they are at right now. She gives most of the credit to her hardworking mom, whose sacrifices and encouraging words were responsible for making her pursue her dreams. If the mom had given up, there probably would have been no Alicia Keys (as we know her to be) today.
Alicia’s Relationship with her Dad
For the most part of her life, while growing up, Alicia wouldn’t want anything to do with Dad for not playing any role in her upbringing. However, she had kept a good relationship with her Paternal grandma all along. The grandma took ill in 2006, and Alicia was impressed with the role her dad played to care for her; this was when she realized that he might not have been as evil as she thought. Moreso, her son, Egypt formed a bond with his grandpa, Alicia’s dad, and seeing him play with her son also contributed to softening her heart.
Alicia has always had a good relationship with Teresa, her mom, and they have remained inseparable through the years. Teresa was with her all the while when they could hardly feed or afford a comfortable apartment; she has also remained by her side through stardom.
During the early 2000s, when Alicia Keys was still in her teens, her music was all over the place. Today, she is in her 40s, and those songs remain evergreen.
