ALICIA KEYS HAS ‘THE CONVERSATION’ ABOUT MOTHERHOOD AND BODY IMAGE
Singer and songwriter Alicia Keys is very transparent about her career and personal life. Whereas some artists dance around social questions, Alicia chooses to dive right in with insight on the subject at hand. The singer recently dived into the subjects of motherhood and body image during a discussion with Lifetime’s “The Conversation.”
On why she named her son ‘Egypt’:
“Well, Egypt was a really big important trip for me in my life. It came at a certain point where I had been working just endlessly and I really had no idea what it was to take a true vacation and it came to a place where I just really needed it or be on the verge of a break down. So when I went, it was such an uplifting, eye opening, historic, powerful and re-genitive experience that I hold a very fond place for Egypt. So when it came to naming our baby, I fell in love with it, we both loved it and decided like months before he was born.”
On how her body has changed since giving birth and the effects of breastfeeding
“I think that [my body has] changed in so many ways. I was thinking about this the other day; we were just saying that your body does things that it would have never done before. It’s a miracle and incredible; bones and structures of your body move to new places! It’s like how? Then I also breastfed; I don’t know if it’s a total myth but when you breast feed you kind of lose weight quicker.”
On breastfeeding
I loved it. Well, there were a couple of things no one told you. I took this whole class too which I thought was really good because I think a lot of people think you’re just supposed to have this natural instinct that’s suppose to happen out of thin air. There’s a technique to learn and if you don’t know it, it’s not your fault. I was glad I did that because I felt kind of prepared a little bit. The whole engorgement thing, no one mentioned that part.
I remember I was in the bed and I couldn’t move because it hurts and there is no way around it. I delivered naturally and I kept asking myself, “What is wrong with you”? You spent hours and hours in labor and delivered naturally but you can’t take some [milk coming in.] They skipped that part; they didn’t tell me about that one.
On body image and society’s stereotype of older women
“Well, I think that we as females are like the most beautiful, gorgeous creatures on the world and I think that we’re gorgeous no matter what size that we are. In fact, I personally think that we are more beautiful when we are a bit thicker, bigger and more robust. I just think it’s gorgeous. Even seeing older sculptures from past centuries and you see the women very thick and very beautiful and I personally, think it’s really, really gorgeous. I’m grateful that I actually feel like that because I think that a lot of us feel as though we have to be some little, tiny size in order to be beautiful. It’s like, we’re beautiful not because of what size we are, we’re beautiful because of how your mind works and you’re beautiful because you have this gorgeous heart and that comes from way more than you fitting in some size two dress.
And we’re beautiful because of all these things that come up and tumble out of us and that’s beautiful because I just always feel like I love being a woman. I really love it. Then there’s the other side of being body consciousness, age consciousness, which I think is another one ridiculously pressed upon women, whereas men can become old, refined and gray and they are suddenly so handsome. But a woman becomes gray and she’s old and that’s so not true. What I’ve noticed is that I find almost an obsession with older women because there’s like a confidence level there I really look forward to achieving.”
Want more? Then Click here to find out why Alicia traveled to Egypt alone.
Photo:NJ.com
15 Comments to “ALICIA KEYS HAS ‘THE CONVERSATION’ ABOUT MOTHERHOOD AND BODY IMAGE”
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I love this picture of Ms. Alicia Keys and her son, Egypt. I agree with Alicia your worth isn’t based on your size but on your intelligence and beautiful heart.
I love Alicia. She is very down to earth a smart, sweet and talented.
I love me some A Keys have always been a fan of hers. I’m not a size 2 and never will be and I love me very much.
I love this picture, melts my heart! I love Alicia!!!
Love my some AK & baby Egypt is my lil man!
I haven’t been a size 2 since I developed boobs & butt. I’m a wonderful size 8 with curves in every direction & I love it! Size 6 made my back hurt, size 10 during pregnancy. Absolutely nothing wrong in being a size 2, 8, 12, 16. It is all in being healthy, how you see & carry yourself. I’ve been called phat, but never fat. And wouldn’t care is I was. We all need to let that go.
Cute pic
LOVE this woman
She’s so right about men, when they get older hardly anybody makes old jokes about them, but it’s like it’s against the law for women to get old. And I like how she said “our baby” awww
As a kid I realized that I did not look like the standard: more African than European features and my body was stocky. I was encouraged to audition for a teen board at age 13 and to my astonishment I was selected. That summer I walked local runways and did some modeling in a department store. Whatever those panelists saw in me countered everything I thought about my body. I stopped caring that others might see me as unattractive because I am exactly as God meant for me to be.
Love this woman! I’ve noticed Alicia has gotten comfortable w/ her body. She use to wear a lot of black & clothes that didn’t really hug her. But now she shows a little skin, & clothes that show off her curves.
& i like how she came up w/ Egypts name, he’s so cute.
I am skinny and I love it! I honestly don’t want to be fat ever. I am happily a size 2 and dread having kids BC I don’t want to lose my model figure. I love Alicia though. I’m her number 1 fan but I’m not feeling that fat part…sorry. I love me!
I was a size 2 before pregnancy, and was back in a size 2 within 3 months after giving birth. You won’t necessarily become “fat”.
Pregnancy doesn’t make one fat. Not eating right & not engaging in physical activity makes one fat.
SO I GUESS BEYONCE ISN’T THE ONLY ONE WHO FEELS THE WAY SHE DOES ABOUT HER BODY AFTER GIVING BIRTH. I TRIED BREASTFEEDING….JUST DIDN’T WORK. VERY HAPPY FOR ALICIA.
Aww you like Alicia? Ima have to stop shading Bey because of this
I love her response to the questions asked. It doesn’t take being able to fit into a size two dress to be beautiful. If you are beautiful on the inside it will surely shine on the outside no matter what size you may be. Also, every woman has to experience motherhood in her own perspective. It is ok to take advice from people but you will also have your own experiences that no one would have told you to share with the next expecting mother to be.
Enjoy your day BCK!