Photo: RCA
When Alicia Keys releases new singles from her upcoming album, KEYS, they’ll likely drop in a similar fashion as her latest offering, “Best of Me,” which includes a sample of Sade’s “Cherish the Day.”
On Friday (October 29), the R&B veteran released two versions of her new song as part of her hefty eighth studio album. While the “original side” of the LP will feature “laidback piano vibes” of songs produced by Keys, the “unlocked” side will feature “upbeat, drums, level up vibes” of those very songs produced by Keys, as well as Mike Will Made-It. “The Originals come from that classic side of me! It’s that AK that we WANT!! A homecoming,” the singer wrote on Instagram. “The Unlocked side, I wanted to sample The Originals to create a whole other sonic experience. So, [Mike WiLL Made-It] and I connected and made magic.”
“Best of Me” was cowritten by the singer and Raphael Saadiq and hears Keys make a return to form with smoldering R&B as she delivers a romantic ode to her partner. The “Originals” version is a sensual slow-burner, while the “Unlocked” offers an edgier take on the track. Cozy videos featuring Keys and husband Swizz Beatz dropped alongside the new tracks. The single follows the release of her Swae Lee-assisted “LALA (Unlocked).”
KEYS is set to drop December 10.