Alicia Keys honored Clive Davis after news of his death on Monday at the age of 94. In her touching tribute to the beloved music executive, Keys joined a wave of legendary artists crediting Davis for being pivotal at the start of their careers.
“Clive Davis changed my life forever,” Keys began in her remembrance shared to social media. “He believed in me from the very beginning, when I was just 18 years old, and very few saw what I was capable of!”
In her post, Keys also shared images of her and Davis together, including an interview clip of her sharing how he was the first person of his “stature” to genuinely care about her future. After Arista executive Peter Edge introduced Alicia Keys to Davis in 1998, Davis later made her a top artist at his new label, J Records.
“He has stood beside me through every chapter that followed. Not just in that fake industry way but in a way that was full of love for how unlimited I could be!” the Grammy winner continued in her tribute. “He called me a renaissance woman! It’s one of my favorite descriptions. It reminds me to be boundless.”
Addressing fans, Keys said that if Davis “didn’t see in me the glimmer of what was to become, you and I may have never known each other and be on this deep musical journey.”
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“We will celebrate your extraordinary life, legacy, and heart today and always,” she wrote. “You will be missed beyond words but I am so grateful to have had you for as long as I did.”
Davis’ death was confirmed on Monday by his longtime rep Aliza Rabinoff, who said in a statement that he “passed away peacefully from age-related illness … surrounded by his family and loved ones.” Throughout his extraordinary seven decades in the music industry, Davis gained a reputation as a tireless champion of artists he believed in and a sharp businessman. He fostered the careers of numerous musicians and played a significant role in countless hits with now-iconic artists including Keys, Whitney Houston, Janis Joplin, Barry Manilow, the Grateful Dead, The Notorious B.I.G., and Kelly Clarkson.
