Alicia Keys delivers, period.

As one of the most consistent artists in the music industry, Alicia Keys new album is nothing short of amazing and is a true display of artistry.

Soulful and beautiful, Keys is well on her way to becoming not just an R&B legend but also a legend within music.

And that is where Keys’s appeal lies. Alicia Keys is not known for her strong club beats and hot songs. Her music is hot but in a different way, a soulful way. According to djbooth.net, As I Am can only be described as timeless.

Fans have been waiting good and long for the follow-up to the highly successful Diary of Alicia Keys. Keys’s talent has often been questioned. Some say she can’t sing, she’s too one-dimensional and all she has is the piano. If you are one of the Alicia haters, then I highly suggest you hold off on purchasing her new album.

On this album, Keys takes us back to her tried and true production team “Krucial Keys” but she takes it one step further by incorporating production from other mainstream artists such as John Mayer.

Keys knows what the industry is lacking and that is true soul and although it is in the mainstream form, those of us who appreciate soul music will take it any way we can get it.

As I Am, Keys’s third studio album brings what true fans expect along with something a little extra. The vocals are classic Alicia with a twist. Fans are familiar with her alto, but many may be surprised to hear her vocals at a higher and raspier pitch.

Prime example is the album’s first single “No One.” Industry heads and long-time Alicia Keys fans were surprised to hear her breaking her normal singing style and “over-singing.” The passionate singing and the somber sounds of the keyboard have helped catapult this single to the top of Billboards R&B/Hip-Hop charts as well as the Hot 100 Airplay.

“The Thing About Love” displays the same raspy vocals over a drum and piano sequence that picks up and adds to the song near its breakdown.

The die-hard Alicia Keys fans are familiar with her studio album intros and this album is no different. The intro “As I Am” is a delicate piano melody played on Keys’s signature piano. The melody starts slow and soft but quickly picks up tempo and leads way into another Keys classic.

What is enjoyable about Keys’s newest album is her approach to different styles. She is not afraid to go outside her normal realm of comfort and try something new. If that means alienating and possibly shocking her fans then so be it. In this case it worked out for the best because although Keys takes her fans to a different place with her music, it is still a familiar place, a place with soul.

So the next time you sing the praises of hot song or hot album, think to yourself: is this something I would want to play five years down the road? As I Am definitely has that type of staying power.

Oneika Richardson can be reached at [email protected]