♪ >> Stephen: HEY, EVERYBODY.
MY GUEST TONIGHT IS A 15-TIME GRAMMY-AWARD SINGER AND
SONGWRITER WHO IS AS WELL KNOWN FOR HER FL PHILANTHROPIC WORK AS
HER SONGS.
JOIN ME NOW, EVERYBODY WELCOME ALICIA KEYS.
ALICIA.
>> HEY, HI!
>> Stephen: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE!
>> I'M GLAD TO BE HERE.
I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE WITH YOU AND I HOPE EVERYTHING IS WELL
AND YOU'RE WELL AND EVERYTHING IS BRAND NEW.
>> Stephen: EVERYTHING IS BRAND NEW.
YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT EVERYTHING IN YOUR LIFE IN A NEW WAY.
I HAVE ONE BONE TO PICK WITH YOU IS YOU LOOK UNREASONABLY GOOD
FOR SOMEONE WHO IS LIVING IN ISOLATION RIGHT NOW.
>> YOU KNOW, I'M REALLY HAPPY WITH THIS PARTICULAR ANGLE AND
THE WAY THAT THIS -- LIKE THE FILTER OF THE WINDOW OR WHATEVER
IS GOING ON.
>> Stephen: IT'S WORKING.
THANK YOU.
LET'S NOT TALK ABOUT IT TOO MUCH IF SOMETHING HAPPENS ND IT
CHANGES.
>> Stephen: PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO STAY CONNECTED AND
YOU'VE STAYED CONNECTED IN A VERY INTERESTING WAY.
TELL ME IF I GOT THIS RIGHT, YOU POSTED YOUR PHONE NUMBER ON
TWITTER FOR FANS TO TEXT YOU DIRECTLY.
IS THAT TRUE?
>> YES, I DID.
>> Stephen: HOW MANY TEXTS HAVE GOTTEN FROM STRANGERS?
>> IT IS A WHOLE LOT.
IT'S THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF TEXTS.
BUT IT'S REALLY INCREDIBLE BECAUSE IT IS REALLY A SPECIAL
WAY TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE.
IT'S SUCH A PERSONAL THING, YOU KNOW, A TEXT.
IT'S QUITE PERSONAL AND IT'S VERY DIRECT, AND, SO, TO BE ABLE
TO DO THAT, AND I REALLY JUST WANTED -- I LOVE CONNECTING WITH
PEOPLE AND I THINK, DURING THIS TIME, WE NEED IT MORE THAN EVER.
SOMETIMES I'LL JUST SING A SONG -- I'LL JUST GO ON AND SING
FREE STYLE.
I'LL GO ON AND SING ANYTHING.
IF IT'S SOMEBODY'S BIRTH AT A, I'LL SEND A BIRTHDAY MESSAGE OR
CHECK IN AND SAY I HOPE YOU'RE HAVING A GOOD THURSDAY.
IT'S PRETTY COOL.
IF YOU WANT TO CALL ME, YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT NEED -- IF
YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A GOOD TIME, ME AND YOU, YOU KNOW WHAT I
MEAN, YOU, TOO, CAN CONNECT WITH ME AND GET SOME MESSAGES AND
SOME UPLIFTING ENERGY BECAUSE I'M HERE TO SEND IT.
>> Stephen: LET ME KNOW IF YOU GET MY MESSAGE.
>> ALL RIGHT.
HOLD ON.
I MIGHT HAVE TO DIG THROUGH A FEW.
SO DON'T BE UPSET IF I DON'T HIT YOU RIGHT BACK BUT I PROMISE,
YOU'RE GOING TO FEEL ME.
>> Stephen: OKAY.
HOW OLD ARE YOUR KIDS?
>> FIVE AND NINE.
>> Stephen: THE NINE-YEAR-OLD CAN TEACH YOU ABOUT TECHNOLOGY
AT THIS POINT, CAN'T SHE?
>> YEAH, HE'S PRETTY GOOD.
HE'S GOT IT TOGETHER.
BUT HE'S LEARNING, TOO, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOW HAVING TO DO THE
VIRTUAL SCHOOLING AND EVERYTHING, AND, OBVIOUSLY, ALL
THE KIDS ARE FIGURING OUT JUST HOW THAT EXPERIENCE FEELS.
>> Stephen: HOW ARE YOU STAYING CALM?
BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF ANXIETY RIGHT NOW AND A LOT OF PRESSURE.
AGAIN, THERE'S AMAZING HOW MUCH WORK THERE IS TO DO WHEN YOU
CAN'T GO TO WORK.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO KEEP YOURSELF CENTERED?
>> I DEFINITELY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A MEDITATOR, AND THAT'S
SOMETHING THAT REALLY HELPS ME A LOT, AND IT GIVES ME PEACE AND
SOLACE AND JUST A MOMENT IN TIME TO BE IN MY OWN SPACE.
SO I'M BIG ON MEDITATING.
I TRY MY BEST TO DO IT EVERY MORNING.
>> Stephen: COULD YOU TALK ME THROUGH A MEDITATION?
I NEED A LITTLE SOMETHING TO CENTER MYSELF SOMETIMES.
ANY TIPS?
>> YEAH, I GOT TIPS.
FIRST, YOU KNOW, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU GET UP EARLY
SO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE DISTRACTIONS.
>> Stephen: OKAY, EARLY.
EARLY OR LATE, DOESN'T MATTER.
>> Stephen: LET'S SAY SOMEWHERE AROUND MIDNIGHT.
>> MIDNIGHT IS PERFECT.
WHATEVER TIME YOU HAVE, GRAB IT.
SO THEN WHAT I WOULD DO, DOESN'T MATTER, YOU CAN SIT IN THE BED,
YOU CAN SIT ON THE COUCH, YOU CAN SIT ON THE FLOOR, WHATEVER
YOU NEED TO DO, YOU JUST KIND OF SIT UP STRAIGHT.
YOU CAN PUT YOUR HANDS PALMS UP IN YOUR LAP, AND PALMS UP
REPRESENTS RECEIVING.
>> Stephen: MM-HMM.
I'M THERE.
>> THERE YOU GO.
AND THEN YOU'RE GOING TO BREATHE IN.
LET'S BREATHE IN.
EXHALE.
BREATHE IN AGAIN.
EXHALE.
AND BASICALLY YOU CAN GO ON AND DO THAT ABOUT TEN BREATHS IS
REALLY GOOD.
THEN THE OTHER THING I LIKE TO DO, LAST THING, IS I LIKE TO ASK
FOR WHAT YOU NEED.
IF YOU NEED A LITTLE CALM OR YOU NEED A LITTLE PEACE OR YOU NEED
A LITTLE MORE STRENGTH OR YOU NEED A LITTLE MORE PATIENTS OR
YOU NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME OR SLEEP, WHATEVER IT IS YOU
MIGHT NEED, GO AHEAD AND ASK FOR IT, YOU KNOW, IN YOUR HEAD, OR
OUT LOUD.
>> Stephen: I NEED A STUDIO AUDIENCE BACK.
( LAUGHTER ) >> I DON'T KNOW -- I DON'T KNOW
IF THAT'S GOING TO WORK FOR YOU, BRO, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT --
>> Stephen: I KNOW IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
>> IT'S COMING EVENTUALLY.
IT'S GOING TO BE BACK.
THERE YOU GO.
WHOO!
>> Stephen: YOU AND YOUR NONPROFIT, SHE IS A MUSIC
PARTNER WITH AMAZON MUSIC TO RAISE MONEY FOR MUSIC CARES
COVID 19 RELIEF FUND.
>> YES, VERY SPECIAL TO ME ABOUT BRINGING MORE ENTREPRENEURS AND
CREATIVES TO THE TABLE, TO THE INDUSTRY, SO WE WERE ABLE TO
PARTNER WITH AMAZON HAS BEEN AN INCREDIBLE PARTNER, AND WE WERE
ABLE TO RAISE $100,000.
>> Stephen: NOW, YOU ALSO HAVE A NEW MEMOIR, MORE MYSELF.
>> I DON'T LIKE TO CALL IT A MEMOIR.
>> Stephen: LEGALLY, I HAVE TO SAY WHAT'S ON THE CARD.
>> OH, WHO DID THAT?
>> Stephen: I DON'T KNOW.
I LIKE TO CALL IT A JOURNEY.
A MEMOIR MAKES ME FEEL LIKE I'M SECONDS AWAY FROM DYING OR
SOMETHING.
IT DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT.
SO I THINK A JOURNEY BECAUSE WE'RE ALL IN PROCESS.
>> Stephen: OKAY.
I'M A BABY.
I'M NOT ABOUT TO DIE.
>> Stephen: I UNDERSTAND.
BUT PLEASE CONTINUE.
YOU WERE TELLING PEOPLE ABOUT IT.
>> Stephen: I WAS JUST TELLING YOU IT WAS PUBLISHED ON OPRAH'S
BOOK IMPRINT.
IT'S THE FIRST BOOK PUBLISHED ON OPRAH'S BOOK IMPRINT.
THAT'S A SPECIAL FEELING.
>> ISN'T THAT COOL?
OPRAH HAS HER OWN IMPRINT ALONG WITH FLAT IRON, SO WE ARE DOING
THIS BOOK TOGETHER, AND SHE WANTED TO HELP ME CREATE THIS
MOMENT.
THE BOOK IS CALLED "MORE MYSELF," AND IT'S REALLY ABOUT
THE JOURNEY WE ALL HAVE TO BECOME MORE OF OURSELVES.
>> Stephen: HOW DO WE BECOME MORE?
>> YOU KNOW, I THINK WHAT HAPPENS IS YOU START TO BECOME
WHO YOU THINK PEOPLE WANT YOU TO BE, OR YOU START TO BEHAVE IN A
WAY THAT YOU THINK IS GOING TO GET YOU FARTHER IN LIFE, OR YOU
START TO COMPRESS WHO YOU ACTUALLY ARE BECAUSE YOU DON'T
GET TO KNOW YOURSELF, YOU START TO CONTORT YOURSELF TO BE
WHATEVER SOMEONE TOLD YOU YOU SHOULD BE.
SO THE PROCESS OF BECOMING MORE IS A PERSONAL JOURNEY.
AND HOW DO WE BECOME MORE?
SHOOT, I'M ALSO STILL MAKING SURE I'M FIGURING THAT OUT, AND
THIS BOOK IS A PART OF MY JOURNEY AND HOW I'VE BECOME
CLOSER TO MY AUTHENTICSELF AND BEEN ABLE TO HEAR MY VOICE AND,
YOU KNOW, NOT LET THE NOISE GET IN THE WAY.
>> Stephen: YOUR UPCOMING ALBUM ALICIA WAS POSTPONED
BECAUSE OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC BREAKING OUT.
WE WERE HOPING TO HAVE YOU ON A FEW WEEKS AGO TO HAVE YOU
PERFORM.
BUT I UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE A SPECIAL SONG FOR US TONIGHT.
>> I DO.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT THAT, DURING THESE
CIRCUMSTANCES, YOU KNOW, WE ARE ALL FEELING HOW WE'RE FEELING,
AND IT'S TRICKY FOR US, AND WE'RE JUST TRYING TO FIGURE IT
OUT, SO I WANTED TO DO SOMETHING BASED OFF ONE OF MY FLOW RIDER
SONGS.
SO BIG UP TO FLOW RIDER.
>> Stephen: YOU'VE GOT A FRIEND THERE.
>> YOU WANT TO SAY H HI JEN?
HI.
>> Stephen: HELLO, THANKS FOR SHARING YOUR MOM.
WE HAVE TO TAKE A BREAK.
WHEN WE COME BACK.
CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR THE SONG.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, ALICIA.
>> THANK YOU, TOO.
>> Stephen: "MORE MYSELF" IS AVAILABLE NOW.
STICK AROUND, ALICIA IS GOING TO PERFORM A SONG.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.
♪