ALICIA KEYS - ALICIA KEYS NEEDED PERSUASION TO GO SOLO

Former girl group singer ALICIA KEYS was reluctant to pursue a solo career because she deemed standing alone onstage too "boring".

The YOU DON'T KNOW MY NAME singer, 22, was eager to remain part of a band when her group EMBISHION fell apart, but was persuaded to record solo demos when her manager JEFF ROBINSON informed her going it alone would reap her success.

Keys explains, "I never pictured myself as a solo artist because I thought it would be so boring - you can't do harmonies, you can't interact with other people.

"Why would I want to be up there by myself, that's horrible.

"I said, no, uh-huh, I'm cool."