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Alicia Keys
Few people in the music industry, if any, have been better at determining a woman’s worth than Clive Davis. Has anybody else gotten it so right so often? The only other music business executive who comes close is Davis’ predecessor at Columbia Records, John Hammond. Hammond brought us everyone from Benny Goodman, Count Basie, and Billie Holiday to Bob Dylan and Aretha Franklin. He spanned eras. Davis has done the same, and his track record of success is equally phenomenal. At a time when Columbia Records was seriously lagging behind the competition in adapting to new tastes, Davis had the acumen and foresight to attend the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967. His businesslike mannerisms and dress might not have blended with the hippie culture, but before he returned to New York, he had signed both Janis Joplin and Carlos Santana. While Davis presided over the label, Billy Joel, Pink Floyd and Bruce Springsteen were all signed to Columbia. Over the years, his instinct regarding the sales potential of new artists has been simply incredible, especially when it concerns new female talent. Besides Joplin, Davis has also mentored the careers of Patti Smith, Sarah McLachlan, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Toni Braxton, and most relevant to my point here, Alicia Keys.
Being in a position of power certainly provides a greater number of opportunities for success to come knocking, and some of the best new talent of the past four decades has auditioned for Clive Davis, but other record company executives have had similar access to talent. The difference in their success ratios is twofold; Davis has discerning ears, but even more importantly, he dedicates himself to developing careers for those in whom he believes. He is willing to put his money where his mouth is, so to speak, and it usually pays off. There is little doubt that Alicia Keys would have been a star without Davis’ input, but it is unlikely that her rise would have happened so quickly, and with such driving force. By stressing her artistry as a singer, songwriter and pianist, Keys hit the music scene like an unbridled force of nature. Just barely into her twenties when her debut album was released, she immediately stood out among her contemporary peers.
At a time when pop music was at its lowest ebb, emphasizing sleight of hand imagery instead of real talent, Keys offered substance. A cursory look at the music charts of 2000 will indicate just how much of an anomaly Alicia Keys was. Surrounded by pre-packaged divas, juvenile stylists, and rap artist protégés, Keys conveyed the essence of maturity. These days, a beautiful face and some talent might be enough to get you a record contract. While most fans recognize her intrinsic beauty, Keys’ talent as a songwriter and pianist forces her audience to take her seriously. Much like Stevie Wonder, whom she emulates, she can address topics that are culturally and or politically relevant without coming off as strident or heavy-handed. “Fallin’” was the first single to make an impression, but “A Woman’s Worth” defined Keys as self-assured, confident and motivated, a woman very much in control of her own destiny. Clive Davis recognized it, but Alicia Keys embodied it. As the new century got under way, her presence on the pop charts re-valued and ultimately defined “a woman’s worth.”
 
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