by Alicia Keys
First published 2025
Keys opens the curtain on her autobiographical Broadway musical Hell's Kitchen, which captivated audiences at the Shubert Theatre starting in 2024. The book traces the show's thirteen-year development from initial concept to opening night. Keys shares personal reflections on her original songs and the creative process behind adapting her own coming-of-age story for the stage. The musical follows Ali, a determined teenager in 1990s Hell's Kitchen who clashes with her protective mother while searching for independence and artistic voice. Through exclusive cast and crew interviews, readers discover how the production team brought Keys's vision to life. The book reveals the intricate work behind costume design, choreography, set construction, and casting decisions. Stage photography captures the energy that drew sold-out crowds and awards recognition. Keys explains how her neighbor's musical mentorship inspired both her real life and the show's central relationship. The book documents how the production transformed Keys's personal story of finding purpose and community into a celebration of dreams taking flight in New York City.
Genres: american-fiction, autobiography, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, lyrical
Tropes: found-family, personal-journey
Setting: Hell's Kitchen, New York City
Period: 1990s
240 pages · Hardcover · Plume