- Alicia Keys spoke to 'People' magazine about her upcoming book"More Myself: A Journey".
-Keys on how she felt she was living inauthentically.Keys "I was building my life around this image of perfection,and it was really oppressive. I was clearly a woman who wanted to talk about truth and empowerment and strength,but when I really looked at myself, I realized that my whole life I've kind of been putting on a mask".
-Keys on how her father's absence in her life affected her life. Keys"
For me, a seed of worthlessness was planted in my childhood.As well-intentioned as Craig(Keys father) was, and as much as he was dealing with his own life, his absence impacted me in ways I'm still uncovering. it left a hole in me'.-Keys on how her mother helped her with questions of race. Keys"
Race was never a part of what made me feel guarded."You're the best of both worlds" my mother would often remind me. yet since my mother understood America would compel me to choose,she raised me with an awareness that's still intact. I am a Black girl".-Keys on feeling exploited during her first photo shoot. Keys"
Open up your shirt a little,[the photographer] directs while firing off a flurry of snaps. my spirit is screaming that something is wrong,that this feels slimy."Pull the top of your jeans down a bit in the front" he urges. I swallow my misgivings,tuck my thumb between the denim and my skin,and obey. I pass a newstand where the magazine is on display. I almost throw up".(Note:Keys is most likely speaking of the 2001 cover of"Dazed and Confused" where alleged abuser Terry Richardson was the photographer)
-Keys on her struggle with insecurity.Keys"There had been one afternoon, as I was preparing to pick up my son from school,i threw on some sweatpants and a baseball cap as an internal deliberation arose:'What if someone sees me like this and asks to take a photo? What if that picture gets posted? The dialogue wasn't new. On this day, I caught myself in the middle of the neurosis, and it socked me right in the gut".
-Keys on the masks she's worn. Keys"
I wasn't fake, but I was trying to live up to all these fake ideals. it was like a habit. I had to break it. I feel more like an open book. That's a beautiful thing".-Keys book will be released March 31st.
Source:
https://twitter.com/people/status/1242827441233674240