The Red Bulletin April 2020

ALICIA KEYS
New York
skate of
mind
When the Grammy-winning
musician, actress and activist
needs time out, she puts on
her roller skates and a playlist
of upbeat tunes
Alicia Keys is a powerhouse in
the entertainment world. Since
breaking through in 2001 with
her single Fallin’, the New Yorker
has had numerous multi-platinum
records, won 15 Grammys, and
established herself as an actress
and film producer. As well as all
this, Keys is a political and social
activist, and the mother of two
boys, aged nine and five. During
promotion for her upcoming
seventh studio album, ALICIA,
the 39-year-old revealed that
roller skating helps clear her
head. “I do it with my family a
lot,” says Keys. “It’s a super-fun
thing. And uplifting music works
when you’re skating. You just
feel so good.” Here’s a selection
of what she listens to at the rink…
ALICIA is out on March 20;
aliciakeys.com
Post Malone
Circles (2019)
“Post Malone’s tunes work
really well at the rink. I’m a big
fan of Congratulations [the
New York-born rapper’s 2017
single], but I think Circles
might be even better. This
track [which gave Malone
his fourth number one in the
US Billboard Hot 100 chart]
is a good song for skating,
because it just makes you
want to move.”
Alicia Myers
I Want To Thank You (1981)
“I love to listen to this one
when I’m in my roller skates.
[Sings] ‘I wanna thank you,
Heavenly Father, for shining
your light on me… I know it
couldn’t have happened
without you.’ It has this great
rhythm – you’re skating and
you’re flying. It’s wonderful.
That’s such a good one –
don’t forget to look it up next
time you go roller skating.
Dr Dre feat Snoop Dogg
Nuthin’ But A ‘G’ Thang (1992)
“G-funk puts you on fire at
the skate rink. Anything from
[classic hip-hop album] The
Chronic by Dr Dre and Snoop
Dogg would be a great choice.
I mean, I love all of that record,
but especially Nuthin’ But A
‘G’ Thang. Stuff that kind of
has a bounce, like you’re going
to want to move and vibe and
dance and have fun – that’s
what it’s all about.”
Alicia Keys
Time Machine (2019)
“Have I tried any of my own
stuff? Of course. Alicia
Keys works well when you’re
skating – definitely Time
Machine, and also No One
[2007]. When I was a kid,
there was a place in the Bronx
called the Skate Key that me
and my friends used to go to.
While everybody else was
skating, we would just stand
there and look cute. [Laughs.]”
SONY MUSIC MARCEL ANDERS
THE RED BULLETIN 15