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Žanr: Fank i Soul, Pop, R&B
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Studio album by Alicia Keys
Released December 11, 2009
Recorded May–December 2009
Studio
Germano[b]Manhattan Sound Recordings[c]Oven[d]Strawberrybee[e] (New York City)Pie[f] (Glen Cove)Conway[g]Larrabee[h] (Los Angeles)
Genre
R&Bpopsoul
Length 53:04
Label J
Producer
Alicia KeysJeff BhaskerKerry Brothers Jr.Toby GadNoah `40` ShebibAl ShuxSwizz Beatz
Alicia Keys chronology
As I Am
(2007) The Element of Freedom
(2009) Girl on Fire
(2012)
The Element of Freedom is the fourth studio album by American singer and songwriter Alicia Keys, released on December 11, 2009, by J Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during May to September 2009 at the Oven Studios in Long Island, New York. Production was primarily handled by Keys, Kerry Brothers Jr., and Jeff Bhasker. Departing from the classicist soul music of Keys` previous albums, The Element of Freedom has a mid-tempo, low-key sound and features mostly love songs.

Upon its release, the album received generally positive reviews from music critics, who complimented its low-key style, cohesiveness, and Keys` singing, while some were ambivalent towards the lyrics. The album debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 417,000 copies in its first week. It was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) within its first month of release (later being certified double platinum) and produced six singles. By August 2012, The Element of Freedom had sold over four million copies worldwide.

Recording and production
It feels emotional and vulnerable but there`s also a kind of freedom in it. I can`t quite find a better word than freedom to really describe it. Even though every song has touches of different textures and sounds, the overall [sense of] freedom is the thing that grounds it. It`s definitely the theme of where I am in my life.

— Alicia Keys, Billboard.[3]
After recording her third studio album, As I Am, Keys began to `find the way to totally be myself and what that meant; figuring out what choices I wanted to make and not make in order to truly honor myself`.[3] Keys began working on the album in May 2009. During this time, Keys and her Audio engineer bought several vintage keyboards, describing the Moog as her `special best friend`.[4] Recording took place at Keys` Oven Studios in Long Island, New York.[5] Keys expressed that she `didn`t know what to do` when she began working on the album, but knew to do it.[6] After exhausting herself, she stated that she `finally found the key, and that is to allow yourself to be free`.[6] She explained that the album dealt with overcoming depression, going on to say: `I found more freedom. Before, I thought I could only show the strong side of me. Now there’s a mixture of strong and delicate. A new sound, a new emotion. That’s a lot of who I am right now`.[7] Recording for the album was completed between August and September 2009. Keys described that she `love[d] melody so much`, but approached the album with a `free zone`.[4] The album includes production by Kerry `Krucial` Brothers, Jeff Bhasker, Noah `40` Shebib and Swizz Beatz.[8]

MTV News reported that Keys and rapper Jay-Z recorded `Empire State of Mind Part 2`, a second version of `Empire State of Mind` from Jay-Z`s album The Blueprint 3.[9] The final product, titled `Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down`, did not feature Jay-Z.[10] In mid-November 2009, Brothers revealed on Twitter that Canadian recording artist Drake would be featured on the album.[11] Drake described the studio session with Keys as `one of the best studio experiences of my life`. He explained that `I came in there and instead of being like, `Here`s the beat, get to work,` she was just like, `Play me your favorite songs and lets battle`... It`s almost like the transition from [listening to] great music to making a song — like, no one even noticed it, because she started playing the keys and I just started writing the melodies.`[12] Keys stated that due to the album being pushed back, she was able to record `How It Feels to Fly`, as well as to work with Drake and Beyoncé, which Keys described as `the most exciting collaborations of my career yet`.[8][13] Keys revealed to The Times that in the period she was recording the album, she listened to artists such as Genesis, Tears for Fears, Fleetwood Mac and The Police.[14] In an interview with Billboard, Keys stated that she `eliminated all of the boundaries and all the limitations, so that you can feel your freedom and express your freedom in every way you possibly can`.[15]
No. Title Writer(s) Producer(s) Length
1. `The Element of Freedom` (Intro) 0:12
2. `Love Is Blind`
Alicia KeysJeff Bhasker
BhaskerKeys
3:49
3. `Doesn`t Mean Anything`
KeysKerry `Krucial` Brothers, Jr.
BrothersKeys
4:32
4. `Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart`
BhaskerKeysPatrick `Plain Pat` Reynolds
Bhasker 4:09
5. `Wait Til You See My Smile`
KeysBhaskerKasseem `Swizz Beatz` Dean
KeysBhasker
4:01
6. `That`s How Strong My Love Is` Keys Keys 4:04
7. `Un-Thinkable (I`m Ready)`
KeysAubrey GrahamBrothersNoah `40` Shebib
KeysBrothers40
4:09
8. `Love Is My Disease`
KeysBrothersToby GadMeleni Smith
BrothersGad[a]
4:01
9. `Like the Sea`
KeysBhasker
KeysBhasker
4:13
10. `Put It in a Love Song` (featuring Beyoncé)
KeysDean
Swizz BeatzKeys
3:15
11. `This Bed`
KeysBrothersSteve Mostyn
KeysBrothers
3:45
12. `Distance and Time`
KeysBrothersMostyn
KeysBrothers
4:27
13. `How It Feels to Fly`
KeysBrothers
KeysBrothers
4:42
14. `Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down`
KeysAl ShuckburghShawn CarterJane`t `Jnay` Sewell-UlepićAngela HunteBert KeyesSylvia Robinson
Al ShuxKeys
3:36
The Element of Freedom – Deluxe edition (bonus tracks)[115]
No. Title Writer(s) Producer(s) Length
15. `Through It All`
KeysBrothers
KeysBrothers
4:28
16. `Pray for Forgiveness`
KeysLinda Perry
KeysBrothers
4:44
Total length: 62:17

The Element of Freedom – Deluxe edition (bonus DVD)[115]
No. Title Length
1. `Doesn`t Mean Anything` (intimate studio performance) 3:55
2. `Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down` (intimate studio performance) 1:59
3. `Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart` (intimate studio performance) 3:39
4. `No One` (intimate studio performance) 4:09
5. `Doesn`t Mean Anything` (music video) 5:13
Total length: 18:55
Sample credits

`Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down` contains a sample from `Love on a Two-Way Street`, written by Bert Keyes and Sylvia Robinson, as performed by The Moments.
Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of the deluxe edition of The Element of Freedom.[116]

Musicians

Alicia Keys – B3 organ, concept, CP-70, keyboards, Moog bass, Moog synth, piano, Prophet organ, Rhodes, synths, synth programming, vocals, Wurlitzer
Carlos Alomar – electric guitar (tracks 7, 8, 10, 13)
Beyoncé – featured vocals (track 10)
Jeff Bhasker – background vocals (tracks 2, 4), drum programming (track 2); keyboards (tracks 2, 4, 5), synths (tracks 2, 5, 9), synth programming (track 4)
Kerry Brothers Jr. – drum programming
Drake – background vocals (track 7)
Toby Gad – guitar, keyboards (track 8)
Jeff Gitelman – electric guitar (track 11)
Ron Haney – electric guitar (track 6)
LIV`RE – choir (track 13)
Steve Mostyn – bass guitar (tracks 8, 10), additional piano (track 11), Moog bass (track 12)
Paul Pesco – acoustic guitar, electric guitar (track 3)
Patrick `Plain Pat` Reynolds – drum programming (tracks 4, 5)
Davide Rossi – cello, strings arrangement, strings, viola, violin (tracks 6)
Noah `40` Shebib – drum programming, keyboards (track 7)
Al Shux – keyboards, programming (track 14)
John `Jubu` Smith – electric guitar (track 6)
Swizz Beatz – drum programming (track 10)
Steven Wolf – live drums (tracks 3, 5, 8)

Additional personnel

Kiku/BabyAlpaca – artwork, design
Erwin Gorostiza – creative director
Ashunta Sheriff – make-up
Tippi Shorter – hair
Yu Tsai – photography
Wouri Vice – stylist
Technical personnel

Alicia Keys – executive producer, producer
Jeff Bhasker – producer
Kerry Brothers Jr. – executive producer, producer
Toby Gad – co-producer & additional engineering (track 8)
Noah `40` Shebib – producer, recording (track 7)
Al Shux – producer
Swizz Beatz – producer (track 10)
Peter Edge – executive producer
Jeff Robinson – executive producer
Erik Madrid – mix assistant
Manny Marroquin – mixing
Tony Maserati – mixing (tracks 13, 14)
Christian Plata – mix assistant
Christian Baker – assistant engineer
George Fullan – assistant engineer
Ann Mincieli – engineer, recording, album coordination
Val Brathwaite – assistant engineer
Chris Soper – assistant engineer (track 10)
Valente Torres – assistant engineer
Miki Tsutsumi – assistant engineer, additional engineering
Stuart White – assistant engineer, additional engineering, mix assistant
Dave Kutch – mastering