Alicia Keys was born Alicia Augello Cook to Terri Augello, an Italian-Irish paralegal, and Craig Cook, an African-American flight attendant, in 1981. In 1996, the aspiring vocalist graduated two years early and first in her class. Despite her youth – she was just 16 – a scholarship to Columbia University followed, but, with a recording contract already under her belt, she dropped out of school after a month in order to pursue a singing career with Columbia Records.. Though Alicia is the same age as Britney Spears, she's more often compared with classic R&B singers than her teen pop counterparts. And the six-time Grammy nominee, whose cool elegance and soul sister honesty make her a favourite with young women, says she's anything but a diva. "I hate the word," she says. "All of a sudden every singer who's successful is a diva. I'm probably the most low-maintenance, easy-going person ever... I like to have good energy and I like to call people my friends. And I like to keep it like that."