Alicia Keys is back and better than ever.
If you weren’t lucky enough to attend her historic concert in Times Square or haven’t had time to catch her wooing contestants as the passionate judge on The Voice or check out her Keep A Child Alive on TIDAL, then you might want to pick up her sixth album, Here.
The naturally radiant singer released her “Blended Family (What You Do For Love)” music video on Friday, which addresses the emotional and beautiful journey in unifying non-traditional, blended families.
The A$AP Rocky assisted single is an ode to her 9-year-old stepson, Kasseem, who is the son of her husband, mega-producer Swizz Beatz and R&B Singer Mashonda.
On top of a boom-bap composition, ornamented with acoustic guitar riffs and piano, Alicia immediately focuses on her unconditional love for Kasseem:
Hey I might not really be your mother/ But that don’t mean I don’t really love ya / And even though I married your father/ That’s not the only reason I’m here for ya
The singer also maturely tackles the countless love triangle allegations exasperated by the media from the beginning of her and Swizz’s relationship, which arrived on the heels of Swizz’s previous relationship with Mashonda.
She croons:
I know it started with a little drama / I hate you had to read it in the paper / But everything’s alright with me and ya Mama / Baby everybody here you know adores ya
The video, shot in black and white, depicts Alicia’s loved ones playfully engaging with one another as they spend family time together. Along with Swizz’s 16-year-old son, Nasir, the couple’s two sons, Egypt, 6, and Genesis, 1, also join them.
In a heartfelt message to her fans, Alicia posted on her website, “It means so much to me and our whole family. The understanding, compassion and support we’ve found is a powerful testament to the healing that comes when we choose love.”
She added, “Especially for the kids… the most important part of our lives. Celebrating Mashonda for our commitment to each other with support and growth.”
Keys’ long-awaited album HERE dropped Friday, November 4th.