Alicia Keys reflects on negative side of teen fame

Alicia Keys has recently reflected on negative side of teen fame in a new interview.

“I always felt like on top of being a young girl just entering into the music business, exploring, being on television and performing under hot lights and sweating and just [being] in a whole new universe—it was like an alien universe,” said the musician while speaking to PEOPLE.

For the unversed, Alicia released her debut album Songs in a Minor, and the album became super hit while the singer received her first five of 16 total Grammy awards, including best new artist.

Sharing her views on public eye, Alicia stated, “I didn’t feel like myself. I felt like I had to conform to everybody’s expectation of what they thought I was or should be.”

She continued, “And it really took quite a lot of discipline and a lot of time before I got to the place where I realised that I didn’t have to be this person, that I didn’t have to fulfil other people’s dreams of me.”

“I could actually just be who I am,” remarked the songstress.

Alicia, whose brand Keys Soulcare recently partnered with Amazon Premium Beauty, opened up about her relation with beauty, saying it helped her understand herself better and recognise “toxic energy” that did no good to her.

“I didn’t understand that I needed to check in to myself and say, ‘What makes you happy? What’s going to bring you joy? How can you release the things that don’t serve you?’” she added.