MTV & Alicia Keys Debut Next Generation of 'Unplugged'
August 30 2005 - 4:24PM
PR Newswire (US)
'MTV Unplugged: Alicia Keys' to Debut on MTV Overdrive September
15th with Bonus Footage & Features; MTV On-Air Premiere
September 23rd at 10pm ET/PT NEW YORK, Aug. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- MTV
today announced that it will debut the next generation of its
popular live performance series, "Unplugged" by hosting the
incomparable Alicia Keys. MTV will showcase the new "Unplugged" by
setting the stage across its multiple platforms on-air, online, on
broadband and more. Filmed July 14th at the Brooklyn Academy of
Music, the unforgettable acoustic performance features a full set
of Alicia's most acclaimed music, along with several new songs
exclusive to her "Unplugged" performance. Keys is joined on stage
by musical counterparts Common, Mos Def, Damian Marley and Adam
Levine (Maroon 5) for several memorable collaborations. "MTV
Unplugged: Alicia Keys" will debut on Thursday, September 15th with
an exclusive first look on MTV's broadband network, MTV Overdrive.
Available through MTV.com, viewers will be able to watch the
Unplugged performance in its entirety, plus see exclusive footage
including MTV News correspondent Sway Calloway's in-depth interview
with Alicia. On-air, "MTV Unplugged: Alicia Keys" will debut on MTV
Friday, September 23rd at 10pm ET/PT. "It's an honor to step into
the spotlight of the MTV Unplugged concert series and share in the
legacy that MTV has created with previously great Unplugged
performances," said Alicia Keys. "This MTV Unplugged is such an
amazing and eclectic musical experience which enabled me to arrange
the songs with a new perspective, express myself musically, and
connect with my fans on a different level then ever before. It's an
honor that MTV is bringing back Unplugged for me and I can't wait
for you to hear these new songs! You're going to love them." "Much
like our audience, Unplugged has evolved, and we are now excited to
give fans multiple new ways on-air and online to experience this
powerful performance series," said Christina Norman, President of
MTV. "Additionally, timing couldn't be more perfect for us to
showcase Alicia. She is a brilliant musician whose performance will
be a profound addition to Unplugged's acclaimed history." The
"Alicia Keys Unplugged" album and DVD will hit stores on October
11th. One week prior, on October 4th, MTV.com's "The Leak" will
give fans an exclusive opportunity to listen to the entire CD. As
early as August 29th, fans will also have the opportunity to see
the video premiere of "Unbreakable" for their enjoyment.
Additionally, MTV.com will profile Alicia Keys as part of their
"First Ladies" series, honoring great female musicians and
performers. The feature will include new interview footage, live
performance footage, and a video retrospective. MTV's "Unplugged"
concert series first debuted in 1989 showcasing popular musical
artists playing acoustically in an intimate setting. The series is
credited with starting an "acoustic revolution" among musicians,
bringing acoustic instruments and arrangements back into the
musical mainstream. Unplugged has received critical acclaim,
spotlighting artists including Eric Clapton, who won six Grammys
including Album of the Year for his performance, Nirvana who won
Best Alternative Album Grammy for their Unplugged appearance, and
Tony Bennett whose performance earned him Album of the Year honors.
Other performers include Bob Dylan, Lauryn Hill, Neil Young, Alice
in Chains, Alanis Morissette, LL Cool J, Mariah Carey, and now
Alicia Keys. In 2005, TIME magazine named Alicia Keys one of "The
Most Influential People In The World". At age of 24, Alicia is a
nine time Grammy Award winning artist whose debut record Songs In A
Minor went on to sell more than 10 million copies. Alicia's
critically acclaimed follow-up album, The Diary of Alicia Keys, has
already sold over 7 million copies worldwide. Recently, Alicia
completed a sold out national 32-city tour and still had time to
author a New York Times best selling book called Tears for Water.
Not only is Alicia an extraordinary musician and best selling
author and ingenious producer, Alicia is also a humanitarian and
philanthropist. As one of the Ambassadors for the charity Keep A
Child Alive, Alicia has raised funds and awareness to provide
lifesaving AIDS/HIV medicines to children in Africa. Currently,
Alicia is collaborating on a film project with Oscar winner Halle
Berry. MTV "Unplugged" is executive produced and directed by Alex
Coletti. For complete information about Alicia Keys and her MTV
Unplugged performance, visit http://www.mtv.com/ and
http://www.aliciakeys.net/. About MTV Networks: MTV Networks owns
and operates the cable television programming services MTV: Music
Television, MTV2, mtvU, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite/TV Land, VH1,
CMT: Country Music Television, and Spike TV, as well as The Digital
Suite from MTV Networks, a package of thirteen digital services,
all of which are trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks also
operates and offers joint ventures, licensing agreements and
syndication deals whereby its programming can be seen worldwide.
DATASOURCE: MTV CONTACT: David French of MTV, +1-212-846-6698, Web
site: http://www.mtv.com/ http://www.aliciakeys.net/
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