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Post by Deleted on Aug 23, 2016 18:42:34 GMT -5
Alicia's style of music does not fly at mainstream Urban anymore. Actual R&B (not R&B singers doing trap or straight up pop songs) has become so marginalized that acts like Alicia don't have much hope for airplay outside of Urban AC... and even that format is changing ("One Dance" is the greatest gainer there right now).
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Rican@
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Post by Rican@ on Aug 23, 2016 18:47:30 GMT -5
If she wants a hit, she will have to go with the trend currently and I kind of doubt that will happen. Alicia has always been a "corn ball" in the R&B field and never seen too fond of the" hip" music. This works in favor for Beyonce and Rihanna because they have always been into "hip" music so their transition was easy. I think a rapper can help her, but I don't think much could be done if she continues with her style. Again, a change in style won't make her sell unless she focuses on Pop and Hot AC/AC for sales only.
She definitely will need to be market better and the first start will be her style being adjusted to fit in.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 23, 2016 18:52:35 GMT -5
If she wants a hit, she will have to go with the trend currently and I kind of doubt that will happen. Alicia has always been a "corn ball" in the R&B field and never seen too fond of the" hip" music. This works in favor for Beyonce and Rihanna because they have always been into "hip" music so their transition was easy. I think a rapper can help her, but I don't think much could be done if she continues with her style. Again, a change in style won't make her sell unless she focuses on Pop and Hot AC/AC for sales only. She definitely will need to be market better and the first start will be her style being adjusted to fit in. This. There are few R&B artists from "yesteryear" that can successfully make it in today's Urban landscape, and Alicia doesn't have the image to pull it off. I think for many of her fans, who are probably in their mid-to late-20's and 30's, it's difficult to grasp that the kids listening to Urban radio would see Alicia as corny and music for older people. That's not a knock on Alicia. It's just what the genre has become to kids. Traditional R&B is "corny".
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Post by Live Your Life on Aug 23, 2016 19:00:15 GMT -5
Alicia's style of music does not fly at mainstream Urban anymore. Actual R&B (not R&B singers doing trap or straight up pop songs) has become so marginalized that acts like Alicia don't have much hope for airplay outside of Urban AC... and even that format is changing ("One Dance" is the greatest gainer there right now). I've been noticing that my urban AC stations have been playing a lot more current music now, even some R&B/rap songs from the early 2000s...which I guess does make sense because, eventually, the audiences of urban AC radio stations will die off and there will be a whole new set of "oldies."
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Post by Deleted on Aug 23, 2016 19:05:55 GMT -5
Alicia's style of music does not fly at mainstream Urban anymore. Actual R&B (not R&B singers doing trap or straight up pop songs) has become so marginalized that acts like Alicia don't have much hope for airplay outside of Urban AC... and even that format is changing ("One Dance" is the greatest gainer there right now). I've been noticing that my urban AC stations have been playing a lot more current music now, even some R&B/rap songs from the early 2000s...which I guess does make sense because, eventually, the audiences of urban AC radio stations will die off and there will be a whole new set of "oldies." Urban AC stations have been putting a lot more of the "thug love" rap songs from the 90s and 00s into their playlists, because like you said, there's an audience that's outgrown Urban radio that grew up in the 90s and 00s listening to rap on the radio. They may not want to hear Fetty or Desiigner, but they're fine with some LL and Kanye mixed in with their R&B. It will be interesting to see what all of this means for the future of R&B music.
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music89
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Post by music89 on Aug 24, 2016 2:36:33 GMT -5
I think Alicia just has to put out quality music. Songs that will be classics in the future...just like she was doing with her first albums. She doesnt need a hit. She is not a Pop star. She is not Beyoncé or Rihanna. Like i have been saying before, In Common is a really good song but she needs to put out an R&B/Soul/Hip-Hop song. Releasing Girl On Fire (the song) was a really bad move. That wack song ruined her career.
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Rican@
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Post by Rican@ on Aug 24, 2016 11:21:36 GMT -5
No "Girl On Fire" wasn't a bad move. A bad move was putting the remix on the album instead of the original version. I think she lost a lot of sales there because I knew the original will eventually be more popular than the remix with Nicki. It didn't make any sense to do that. She sold a single last era instead of an album.
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music89
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Post by music89 on Aug 24, 2016 14:22:06 GMT -5
No "Girl On Fire" wasn't a bad move. A bad move was putting the remix on the album instead of the original version. I think she lost a lot of sales there because I knew the original will eventually be more popular than the remix with Nicki. It didn't make any sense to do that. She sold a single last era instead of an album. Both GOF versions suck (the Inferno Version is even worse because of Trash Minaj). Btw i meant that the song ruined her career because it was a bland pop song and people thought the album would have sounded more like that song. I'm sure some people listened to the album one time and decided it wasnt good (i mean that album wasnt her best for sure and she can do way better, but had many great songs).
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Post by Leigh on Aug 24, 2016 14:56:56 GMT -5
I think there are a few things that have been stacking up against Alicia. For me personally, the biggest thing is her constant need to have a message since her last album. I love that she has causes and wants to help and has strong beliefs, but it isn't necessary all. the. time. I find it off putting - sometimes I just want to listen to music to switch off from everything that is wrong with the world.
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music89
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Post by music89 on Aug 25, 2016 8:01:46 GMT -5
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fire
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Post by fire on Aug 26, 2016 15:07:19 GMT -5
The GOF album was bad. Her first two still sound so fresh these days - I am not saying she was wrong by experimenting with new (pop) sounds, but going back to her roots would be much welcome...
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 26, 2016 17:02:59 GMT -5
I think there are a few things that have been stacking up against Alicia. For me personally, the biggest thing is her constant need to have a message since her last album. I love that she has causes and wants to help and has strong beliefs, but it isn't necessary all. the. time. I find it off putting - sometimes I just want to listen to music to switch off from everything that is wrong with the world. That's probably a bigger factor for moderate fans than in general. It's not like she's been releasing these preachy "save the world" type songs as singles.
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Post by Samsonite Man on Aug 28, 2016 3:16:50 GMT -5
New interviews
Upcoming apperances:
- presenting at the VMA's - Today Show concert series, Sept 2 - Apple Music Festival, Sept 9 - Taratata (France), September - Academy of Country Music Awards Honors, Sept 9 - CMT Crossroads, Dec 2
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fire
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Post by fire on Aug 28, 2016 13:12:49 GMT -5
Would be nice promo for an album release...perhaps, that was the original plan?
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Caviar
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Post by Caviar on Aug 29, 2016 6:46:25 GMT -5
She looked and sounded a mess last night.
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Ling-Ling
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Post by Ling-Ling on Aug 29, 2016 7:11:30 GMT -5
She looked and sounded a mess last night. She was insufferable. I am so not here for this Gaia of Hell's Kitchen persona she has going on.
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music89
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Post by music89 on Aug 29, 2016 7:57:46 GMT -5
She sounded good to me o.O I didn't like the outfit, but i dont care about it tbh. And I'm ok with her not performing. VMAs are too trash. She came there just to send positive vibes. That's her personality.
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Rican@
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Post by Rican@ on Aug 29, 2016 11:31:54 GMT -5
I enjoyed her message and I think she looks beautiful too. I didn't know that was actually one of her new songs though. I like. I want to hear the studio version now.
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Post by Queen of Insomnia. on Aug 29, 2016 15:59:35 GMT -5
Unfortunately I agree w/ the negative comments... + I like her image less & less every time I see her. But what bother me the most is the condition of her voice.
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Post by Live Your Life on Aug 29, 2016 18:59:08 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2016 19:02:46 GMT -5
She looked and sounded like a crazy woman on the subway.
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doak
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Post by doak on Aug 30, 2016 0:30:05 GMT -5
Ugh poor Alicia. Releases the hottest R&B song of the summer and flops. Wears no makeup and gets backlash. Performs love vocals, no lights, backup singers and gets critics. I actually thought it was a refreshing. I watched the VMAS in total disgust. Everything was about sex. Rihanna performed 4 freakin times. Rihanna!! I turned the channel halfway through Ms Overrated performance . Kanye made me throw up. Ugh why is he still talking about 2009. I just hate what pop music has become. No wonder albums don't have shelf life past 2 months. I'm a fan of Adele but no wonder she can sell 3 million records in one week, with a barely better than average album.
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Glove Slap
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Post by Glove Slap on Aug 30, 2016 9:29:37 GMT -5
She was tragic af. This is a perfect example of why a lot of artists need outside direction and input. It's not about the no makeup thing, it's that this whole Mother Earth/Neo-hippie/woke whatever vibe she's been trying to push for the last several years is probably more disorganized and un-concentrated now than ever. RIP to this Alicia Keys wherever she is.
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Ling-Ling
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Post by Ling-Ling on Aug 30, 2016 9:46:02 GMT -5
Ugh poor Alicia. Releases the hottest R&B song of the summer and flops. Wears no makeup and gets backlash. Performs love vocals, no lights, backup singers and gets critics. "In Common" was an amazing song that should not have flopped. In total agreement. It was current and it was fresh for her. I still can't comprehend how it underperformed so badly. That being said, Alicia has her lane and she needs to stick with it. She makes R&B music and love songs. Her around the way girl piano soul image will always be the truest to her and her brand. Whenever she goes outside of her lane, she flops IMO. She simply is not talented enough to make statement music and every time she goes "deep" she sounds ridiculous. Lyrically, she just can't pull it off, one cliche after another. She needs to stick to what she's good at. And there's nothing wrong with making R&B music and love/heartbreak songs, there are icons and legends who spent their entire careers doing the same thing. I'm all for artists stepping outside of their box, but when they stumble every time they step out of it, they need to keep their ass in there. Which is what makes this Gaia of Hell's Kitchen image so patently false. It's an image just like any other image she's tried on in the past. But she doesn't have the intelligence, conviction or artistry to pull it off. Not to mention that dress was awful, the poetry was average and her vocals sounded shredded. I could buy sh*t like that from Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill, but Alicia? No.
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Post by Active Aggressive on Aug 30, 2016 11:30:53 GMT -5
Does anyone here actually know Alicia or what her true intentions are or nah? I actually believe (I don't know her either so this is just pure speculation on my part) that this is who she has been, behind the street girl meets Beethoven (LOLOLOL; notice how gradually, she has been reduced to just plinking random keys here and there?) facade all along. Let's not forget that her Svengali, Big Papa Clive, is a Gepetto in this industry. Most people who breakaway from his strings become their authentic selves, for better or worse. Since the same old criticisms keep coming up and she doesn't seem likely to change anytime soon, I would think it would be more beneficial to move on from her completely but...I guess that would be less fun?
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Gray.
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Post by Gray. on Aug 30, 2016 11:53:47 GMT -5
Yeah I'm totally fine with her going "makeup free" because 1. who cares? and 2. it's her life. But her reasoning behind it, from the article she published in Lenny Letter, is just so annoying.
Like, we get it. You're so deep.
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Rican@
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Post by Rican@ on Aug 30, 2016 12:34:48 GMT -5
Yeah I'm totally fine with her going "makeup free" because 1. who cares? and 2. it's her life. But her reasoning behind it, from the article she published in Lenny Letter, is just so annoying. Like, we get it. You're so deep. Is that really saying someone is deep or just want to be themselves? I don't understand the fuss over it if she is trying to be deep or just be herself. She is comfortable, that what should matter. Her choice of words can be extreme, but no matter what the purpose of life is find who you are and be fine with it, right? I mean, you all trying to make the woman like "she's jumping crazy and saying mess to say them." I just don't understand if an individual is positive or negative, it is a problem? Her intentions have very focus including her movement, We Are Here. We all can speak as if we know her, but the reality is this is her image and I take it that she likes it. While I may not want her "message" in her songs, life experiences will either place you in a positive spin or something differently. There are layers to this woman now. She has children so her intentions will feel "too much", but most important to her seen to uphold a good image on life and helping others.
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Post by Active Aggressive on Aug 30, 2016 12:46:51 GMT -5
In a country where our only viable presidential candidates are a known fraud and...I guess, make that TWO known frauds, I am not surprised that such naïve positivity would come across as radical and off-putting. Personally, I see and hear enough negativity and nastiness on a daily basis, especially living in NYC, so I welcome whatever Alicia is preaching, especially given the fact that she is a native New Yorker and must be jaded as hell. Being so positive must be a struggle.
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Rican@
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Post by Rican@ on Aug 30, 2016 12:56:49 GMT -5
In a country where our only viable presidential candidates are a known fraud and...I guess, make that TWO known frauds, I am not surprised that such naïve positivity would come across as radical and off-putting. Personally, I see and hear enough negativity and nastiness on a daily basis, especially living in NYC, so I welcome whatever Alicia is preaching, especially given the fact that she is a native New Yorker and must be jaded as hell. Being so positive must be a struggle. Definitely agree. It is sickening because so often you run into others that can't be positive to save their lives. I live NYC too and it is best at times to stay to yourself just to avoid the nonsense. I like that she wants to be uplifting and explain the importance of oneself. We are in the most crappy time of our lives and too many opinions are thrown in our faces.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 30, 2016 13:36:06 GMT -5
Does anyone here actually know Alicia or what her true intentions are or nah? I actually believe (I don't know her either so this is just pure speculation on my part) that this is who she has been, behind the street girl meets Beethoven (LOLOLOL; notice how gradually, she has been reduced to just plinking random keys here and there?) facade all along. Let's not forget that her Svengali, Big Papa Clive, is a Gepetto in this industry. Most people who breakaway from his strings become their authentic selves, for better or worse. Since the same old criticisms keep coming up and she doesn't seem likely to change anytime soon, I would think it would be more beneficial to move on from her completely but...I guess that would be less fun? I always found the Clive/Alicia dynamic so interesting because her original brand (songwriter/pianist/all around artiste) is so counter to his misogyny. He really had a level of fondness for Alicia that I don't think he has had for any other woman he's worked with, not even Whitney. As for this hotep thing she has going on now...well I just called her a hotep so that says all there is to say for how I feel about it. I do think this is the 'real' her - not to say her previous image was not authentic either, but it's only realistic to grant that 15 years of life experiences will change and mold someone. IIRC Alicia used to have serious esteem issues about her acne so I can also see how the no-makeup stance is an important step in her personal growth arc. But I agree with Ling-Ling that she's not very good at pulling off the earth mother teas, especially as a songwriter. This is the time where, if she is going to insist on being a statement artist, she needs to let someone else pen the songs. There is no shame in that and won't make it any less authentic as long as the lyrics represent causes she believes in.
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