Alicia Keys – Fallin’

BET Awards: How to Sing Like Alicia Keys

Alicia Keys gave one of her first performances after giving birth to her first child. The beautiful Ms. Keys hit the BET Awards stage singing her first single from her new album, ‘Songs in A Minor- 10th Anniversary’, which is a reissue of her first album in commemoration of her 10 very successful years in the music business. She passionately sang a song called ‘Typewriter’, which is a bit of a departure from her soulful offerings. This article will discuss the technique Alicia Keys uses to sing this song.

1. Nasality- Alicia Keys sings with a clear nasal quality. It is common to hear people who sing mostly using their chest voice using this technique. Singing with nasality makes it easier to sing through breaks and to sing loud and powerful notes. Also, singers who use nasality often do not have a strong mixed or head voice because they are constantly in a high chest voice so it really becomes their only option to get certain notes out with good degree of clarity.
2. Throaty slides- In this song, Alicia keys is less interested in singing with precision. She tends to start phrases with a slight groan and then a slide , or glissando to the desired note. Also in places where she could easily perform clear, concise runs, she chooses to do downward slides through two or three notes , giving the song a very laid- back feel.

Classical choir sounds: the bridge of ‘Typewriter’ is a clear deviation from what has occurred prior to that point in the song.  It goes from a laid- back ‘lazy’ croon to a purposeful, harmony- rich ‘choral’ feel. It is set to the tune of the old Christmas hymn ‘God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen’. She uses darker vowels produced by rounded lips and stronger breath support to produce a more resonant sound.

Alicia Keys is a singer with a powerful, distinctive voice. She has had 10 successful years in the music industry and is showing no signs of slowing down.  She is an artist with great, timeless music. It is good to learn her techniques to master singing in chest voice and have greater endurance and musicality in a song.

About the Author

I want to hear from you! If this article was useful, please let me know your comments! Sign up for my FREE 7- Day Ezine on ‘Secrets of Good Singing’ at http://www.DileesaHunter.com.

 

I dont know the name of an Alicia Keys song?

I hear a song on the radio,but they never say who it is and what its called. The other day the announcer said it was Alicia Keys.
The background music in the song is Stevie Wonder’s song Superstitios.Can someone tell me the name of the song please?

Karma- Alicia Keyes..good song and yes it samples the old Stevie Wonder song!