Alicia Keys, the Grammy-winning sensation, has finally addressed the eyebrow-raising moment with Usher at the Super Bowl halftime show, breaking her silence on the matter. Amidst swirling speculations and chatter, Alicia Keys decided it was time to provide clarity on the situation. Reports indicate that she stepped up to set the record straight, her assertive yet frustrated words aiming to cut through the confusion.

In a declaration dripping with assertiveness and frustration, Alicia Keys reportedly stated, “I ain’t one to stir the pot, but you all need to hear me out.” This bold move from the epitome of grace and class in the music industry has stirred emotions and sparked conversations across the board.

Alicia Keys challenges the preconceived notions surrounding the moment with Usher, asserting that there’s more to the story than meets the eye. She’s dropping truth bombs, challenging assumptions, and demanding a deeper understanding of the events that unfolded on stage.

The 2024 Super Bowl halftime show, featuring Usher and Alicia Keys, was meant to be a spectacle of musical prowess. However, it was overshadowed by a simple gesture—a hug between two music powerhouses. This hug ignited a firestorm of speculation and social media frenzy, leaving fans and critics alike intrigued and puzzled.

Despite being committed to their respective partners, Alicia Keys to Swizz Beatz and Usher to Jennifer Goicoechea, the chemistry between them onstage was undeniable. Their professionalism and respect for each other’s relationships were evident, yet the hug sparked questions about boundaries and public perception.

Swizz Beatz, Alicia Keys’ husband, maintained his composure amidst the chaos, showing unwavering support for his wife. His Instagram posts exuded pride and solidarity, subtly addressing the speculation surrounding the halftime show.

As for Usher and Jennifer Goicoechea, they remained relatively low-key amid the scrutiny, choosing to let the music speak for itself. Despite rumors and gossip, they focused on celebrating the artistry and creativity showcased during the performance.

In conclusion, the aftermath of the Super Bowl halftime show highlighted the complexities of fame, relationships, and public scrutiny in the entertainment industry. Alicia Keys’ bold stance and the reactions from those involved underscored the power of music to unite and ignite conversations, even in the midst of controversy. As the spotlight dims and the chatter subsides, one thing remains certain—the show will go on, fueled by passion, creativity, and the enduring love of music.

The Beauty of Alicia Keys

Letter From the Editor

I’ve long admired Alicia Keys’s journey. From the meteoric rise of her musical career to her seemingly effortless transition into motherhood and fearless leap into the world of beauty, she’s been on a winding path of success, soul-searching, and self-discovery — and it’s still going. It’s something she’s very proud of, in fact, and that ongoing evolution has informed one of the many rituals she’s adopted: checking in with herself and really listening. And it’s why Keys is the perfect cover star for our June Destinations Issue. 

In our cover story, Alicia Keys takes InStyle’s News Director, Madeline Hirsch, on a “soulcation” to unveil the latest offerings from Keys Soulcare. Among them is the brand new skin tint, It’s Like Skin 2-in-1 Concealer + Tint. The article assures readers that they’ve tried the product themselves. Additionally, the issue features book recommendations perfect for summer reading, promising to transport readers to different places even if their travel plans are limited to staying at home. Writer Taylore Glynn delves into the mental health benefits and potential downsides of taking a vacation. Editors also share their outfit choices for dream destinations this season, whether that’s the Italian Riviera or a local Italian restaurant.

No matter the type of journey readers are embarking on this summer, the hope is that they’ll find something in the issue to fulfill a bit of their wanderlust. The article suggests that readers might discover, like Alicia Keys, that they’re perfectly content exactly where they are.

Alicia Keys emphasizes that there’s no secret ingredient or magic product that will fix your skin or your life. Reflecting on her own skin journey during a lunch conversation in California, she describes it as complicated, hinting at struggles beyond just acne. Keys emphasizes the importance of the mind-body connection and acknowledges that while she knows the basics of skincare, for her, it’s also about mental health.

Valentino outfit.

In an era where celebrities frequently endorse beauty brands promising life-altering transformations, Alicia Keys offers a refreshing perspective. Rather than solely focusing on skincare products, she acknowledges the importance of stress management and personal growth as essential components of achieving healthy skin. This approach is a rarity among celebrities, as Keys not only talks about it but also embodies it in her lifestyle.

During an InStyle photoshoot with Alicia Keys, her absence is noticeable, but traces of her life are evident everywhere. Her 8-year-old son Genesis is spotted shooting hoops behind the set with his grandmother, Terria Joseph (Keys’s mother), who is visiting from New York. The room is scattered with samples from Keys Soulcare, Alicia’s lifestyle brand, including unreleased products for testing and beloved favorites like the Sheer Flush Cheek Tint and Illuminating Priming Serum.

When Alicia Keys emerges from hair and makeup, her voice, though lower and quieter than expected, still resonates from the next room. We’re set to have lunch together, with her opting for a veggie stir fry and me choosing fried tofu and rice. She’s dressed in light blue skinny jeans paired with a simple nude ribbed top featuring a cool cutout. As I admire her radiant skin, the subtle sheen on her cheekbones, and her visible freckles, I wonder if she’s wearing makeup. (Spoiler alert: she is — it’s Keys Soulcare’s new It’s Like Skin tint, but more on that later).

Describing herself as spiritual rather than religious, Keys respectfully asks if she can say a quick prayer before we eat, ensuring my comfort with her expressing it aloud. This moment sets the tone for our conversation: everything can be a moment of reflection or a ritual for Keys, emphasizing that nothing is purely superficial.

Despite her inherent poise, the depth she brings to her music, and the maturity of her voice, it’s important to remember that Alicia Keys was thrust into the spotlight at a young age. Signed by Columbia Records at 15, she has been delivering hits since “Fallin'” debuted over two decades ago. One might surmise that her ongoing internal work and self-discovery have helped her navigate the challenges of child stardom.

Reflecting on the early stages of her career, Alicia acknowledges grappling with toxic energy and stress, unsure how to handle or regulate her emotions. It was through years of experimentation and self-discovery that she eventually found ways to manage her emotions and achieve a breakthrough in her physical and mental well-being. Alicia emphasizes the importance of establishing a relationship with oneself, enabling individuals to regulate emotions and stress factors, ultimately leading to inner peace and beauty emanating from within.

Being Alicia Keys, however, these personal revelations played out in public. “I went through my own experience of really feeling rebellious about what people were telling me, what the world, society was telling me, what I was supposed to look like because I fell into that, I subscribed to it,” she explains about when she famously stopped wearing makeup on album covers and on red carpets in 2016. Unlike many women who have had to unlearn and unpack their complicated feelings about beauty, Keys’s journey happened with millions of people watching.

“When I had my rebellious moment, which obviously the world witnessed with me, I was just getting to know myself. You know what I mean?” Today, with enough critical distance, Keys has made peace with that fact. She also realizes that her makeup evolution was as much about rejecting society’s beauty standards as it was about getting to know herself. She had to break down what she’d been taught about what she should look like and how she should act (“I signed up for this is what beautiful is, and I have to do these things to be beautiful”) so that she could rebuild a new set of values based on what she thinks, what she feels.

It’s not about makeup or no makeup. It’s not about mascara or no mascara. It’s not about lipstick or no lipstick. That’s not what it’s about. What it’s about is, how do you want to express yourself, and what space do you want to claim for yourself. And what boundaries do you want for yourself?

“As I started to get more into that personal relationship with myself, that’s when I started realizing, ‘Okay, it’s not about anything specific,’’’ she adds. “It’s not about makeup or no makeup. It’s not about mascara or no mascara. It’s not about lipstick or no lipstick. That’s not what it’s about. What it’s about is, how do you want to express yourself, and what space do you want to claim for yourself. And what boundaries do you want for yourself?”

Admittedly, setting those boundaries took time — and listening to her inner voice is something she still struggles with: “You’re not even taught how to have your own opinion about yourself or what you want, or you can’t even verbalize what you want. Someone asks you, ‘What do you think or what do you want?’ And you kind of have no idea, right?”

“That was me,” she says. “I had to ask 75 people and get validated first before I said, ‘Okay, I know what I want. I know what I think.’ No, you don’t. You know what they want.”

Today, her whole life revolves around sharing what she’s learned. It’s something she tries to instill in her two sons, who she shares with her partner of 13 years, music producer Swizz Beatz: “I really talk with them a lot about listening to themselves. And we talk about that. I said, ‘Well, what do you want? What do you think? What are you feeling?’”

That kind of self-reflection is one of the many rituals Keys embraces in her daily life. She cultivates moments of quietness and stillness whenever she can to stay grounded — something that’s not easy but especially impactful in 2023’s screen-filled world. “It’s noisy as hell,” she tells me. “It’s so loud. Everything is so loud. And you are on your phone, you’re on your list, you’re scrolling through that. Your friends are super opinionated. Your boyfriends and girlfriends have all their opinions. Your mother, your father, your family. It’s like, whoa, I can’t even hear. So this idea of ritual is really to create that space so you can hear.”

Valentino outfit. Casadei shoe.

Alicia Keys’s love of rituals is a central theme in all her endeavors, prominently showcased in Keys Soulcare. She has developed a soul-inspired language around her brand, aimed at fostering moments of tranquility. New product launches are termed “offerings,” and each Keys Soulcare bottle features an affirmation on its base. For Keys, skincare serves as a conduit for cultivating moments of grace in everyday life.

Following the conclusion of her InStyle cover shoot, despite a tightly packed schedule, Keys prioritizes connecting with me on a “soulcation” centered around her brand’s latest offerings. This ritual involves a simple exchange of bracelets (mine reads “Connection”) and intentions (her brand’s new skin tint is engraved with the affirmation, “I own my power”). Despite lasting only a few minutes, this brief respite from the bustling set feels remarkably profound in Alicia’s grounded presence.

It becomes evident to me that Alicia Keys brings her authentic self to every aspect of her work. There isn’t a compartmentalized “Singer Alicia,” “Beauty Founder Alicia,” or “Mom Alicia.” Instead, there is simply Alicia Keys, seamlessly embodying all these roles concurrently on the set today.

Looking ahead, Alicia Keys is focused on embracing the newfound equilibrium she has achieved with makeup. A surprising move from someone renowned for embracing a natural look, her brand’s latest launch is a lightweight, easy-to-use skin tint. While unexpected, this product release aligns with Keys’s evolving relationship with makeup, which she now sees as a tool to highlight one’s best self rather than conceal imperfections.

The inspiration behind the skin tint, aptly named “It’s Like Skin,” stems from Keys’s philosophy of adapting makeup to suit her needs and desires at any given moment. Versatile, buildable, and designed for finger application, It’s Like Skin caters to individuals who may have had reservations about makeup in the past. For Keys, makeup should complement one’s identity and lifestyle, whether they’re performing on stage or enjoying a relaxed day off.

On a personal level, Keys is focused on finding comfort in stillness and learning to say no. Rather than fixating on specific goals or milestones, she prioritizes her state of mind, striving to be just as productive and progressive during moments of rest as during periods of activity. Additionally, she recognizes the importance of setting boundaries and giving herself grace when she falls short. Keys acknowledges that achieving balance is an ongoing journey marked by moments of success and setbacks, but ultimately, it’s about listening to her inner voice and trusting her intuition.