New Music: Alicia Keys - 'Brand New Me'

Alicia Keys discovers herself on the introspective ballad “Brand New Me,” co-written by Scottish singer Emeli Sandé. The Grammy-winning songstress debuted the piano-driven song live at the iTunes Music Festival in London, and it will appear on her upcoming album Girl on Fire, due November 27.

“It’s been awhile, I’m not who I was before/ You look surprised, your words don’t burn me anymore/ Been meaning to tell you, but I guess it’s clear to see/ Don’t be mad, it’s just a brand new kind of me/ Can’t be bad, I found a brand new kind of free,” sings Alicia, who explained the song’s premise.

“‘Brand New Me’ is about the journey it takes to get to a place where you are proud to be a new you,” she told The BoomBox. “There is nothing wrong with growing. There may be people in your life that knew you for a long time and they think of you only as the person you used to be and not the person you now are. And this song is a conversation introducing them to the new you, where nothing can hold you back and no one can hold you down.”

In addition to Sandé, Girl on Fire features contributions from Maxwell, Nicki Minaj, Babyface, Pop & Oak, Salaam Remi, John Legend, and more.