Revisiting Alicia Keys' 'A Woman's Worth': Six Facts About The R&B Anthem

Even though Alicia Keys' "A Woman's Worth" was released back in the early 2000s, the narrative of the smash single is still something that resonates with the 2020 landscape. 

Almost two decades later, Keys' image remains make-up free, but her straight-from-the-core formula still hits just as hard. February 2020 marked the 18-year anniversary of the R&B anthem's release and there's no denying that the self-produced number holds a message that is simply timeless. In honor of Black Music Month, iHeartRadio decided to take a trip down memory and revisit the award-winning track with six facts you may have forgotten about "A Woman's Worth."

1. "A Woman's Worth" was inspired by a L'Oréal advertisement during one Thanksgiving holiday. "I was actually in someone's house for Thanksgiving and I was watching TV. All these different commercials came on," Keys recalled in an interview with The Sun in 2002. "There was this one commercial that said 'Because I'm Worth It.' And you know what? I am worth it."

2. Even though Songs in A Minor was released in June 2001, Keys and her record company, J, held off releasing "A Woman's Worth" as the follow-up single to "Fallin" until four months later when it was sent to radio and the accompanying video debuted on 106 & Park in mid-October.

3. Keys' video for "A Woman's Worth" was shot entirely in Brooklyn and picks up right where "Fallin" left off. In the Chris Robinson-directed clip, the narrative unfolds for Keys' imprisoned boyfriend from "Fallin," who is released from prison and has to acclimate to society. Robinson would go on to direct additional AK clips like "Karma" and "You Don't Know My Name."

4. Before Bruno Mars became the massive pop star that he is, the R&B crooner helped Alicia Keys perform the hit years after its release at the 2011 BET Awards when he dueted with the singer for a medley of "Fallin," "Typewriter" and "A Woman's Worth."

5. Even though the song was met with a ton of praise, Keys remixed the cut in February 2002 alongside Nas for a more upbeat version of the track. 

6. When it comes to the accolades, "A Woman's Worth" received plenty of love, including a 2002 NAACP Image Awards title for "Outstanding Song" and a peak position at the No. 7 spot on the Billboard Hot 100.

Photo: Getty Images


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