Alicia Keys unveiled a new song, “We Are Here,” on Facebook on Monday. The anthem is a socially conscious tune that takes on a laundry list of societal ills and big issues, ranging from the Palestinian/Isreali conflict to violence in Chicago to absentee dads to educational deficits in major cities, and serves as a call to action to do whatever you can to make the world a better place.
“We are here for all of us,” she sings, as she performs the song on keyboards on a New York rooftop. It”s well-meaning and clearly from the heart. Is it one of her catchier tunes? No. However, it”s a statement that she feels passionately about and needed to make.
“I was sitting in a circle of people of all ages and we were asked, ‘Why are you here?” Why am I here?? This really hit me on a deep level. I realized no one had ever asked me that question before,” Keys said in a statement.
She goes on to add that “I believe in an empowered world community built on the true meaning of equality… I believe our voices should be heard so that our representation reflects our population… I believe in a world where every child born receives a quality education.” Keys states several other beliefs and then calls upon all of us to help “give birth to a kinder and more peaceful world for all children.”
“We Are Here,” which she also performed on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” Monday night, will most likely be on Keys' new album. She's given no release date for the set yet, but told AP, “What I know for a fact is it's the best music I've ever done in my life.” Don't expect an album from her this year since she's working on another production: her second child with husband Swizz Beatz is due in December. She will also appear on a mentor on “The Voice” as part of Pharrell's team. The two paired for the “Spider-Man” tune, “It's On Again,” and he also worked on her new album.