Q&A: Alicia Keys

”˜People ask me, ”˜how does it feel to be coming up on 10 years?’” says Alicia Keys. “Well, it’s been nuts, crazy, bananas, bonkers!” Keys will celebrate her first decade ”“ during which she has sold 30 million albums and picked up a dozen Grammys ”“ on her spring arena tour, which will run through April. “It’s the most excited I’ve ever been about a show,” says Keys. “All the music that I’ve created over the years has led up to this very important place.” Remarkably, Keys isn’t even 30 ”“ she celebrated turning 29 in January, in Hawaii, where she reportedly got engaged to boyfriend Swizz Beatz. “I didn’t surf,” Keys says on her way to rehearsals in New York. “I tried wakeboarding once. If that’s any indication of how I’d surf, I’d be concerned.”

You open your new album, ”˜The Element of Freedom,’ with a quote from Anaïs Nin. Why?

I loved the way that she described what freedom was. “And the day came when the risk it took to remain tightly closed in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to bloom.”

What inspired your new tour?

When I was watching Michael Jackson’s This Is It, I was like, “Man, there’s a person with a massive amount of songs. How do you put all of those songs into one show?” He had the fireworks and gags and lights, but, fundamentally, it was about the music.

What do you remember about your first show?

It was at Joe’s Pub, in New York. The excitement was amazing. It was like my coming out in New York ”“ Clive Davis was the announcer. I was wearing a cream-coloured leather suit. The pants were too low, so every time I sat down behind the piano, it felt like my whole ass would be exposed. And I had a ridiculous hat on.

You run marathons. What do you listen to out there?

For motivation, I need a more aggressive sound. I listen to Biggie, Jay-Z or MGMT. I love MGMT.

Do you remember the first time you heard ”˜Empire State of Mind’?

That was a magical experience. Jay reached out to me and was so excited: “I found the new New York anthem!” It had an energy that was instant and automatic. I went in the studio and put my style and flavour on it ”“ I sang it from a powerful place in my heart.

What albums have you listened to the most?

There’s Nina Simone’s Here Comes the Sun. Stevie Wonder’s Music of My Mind. I’ve definitely done my share of Sign ”˜O’ the Times.

On his song ”˜Thunder on the Mountain,’ Bob Dylan sings, “I’m wondering where in the world Alicia Keys could be.” How did that feel?

Oh, dude, like a multitude of emotions. John Mayer was the one who told me about it. He was like, “Seriously, he has a song, and he put your name in it. Literally, he said your name.” I didn’t really understand, but then I started getting calls from random people. I am part of a songbook that is deep and long and legendary. I thought, “This is kind of hot.”