Celebrity Birthdays, January 25

Happy birthday Alicia Keys and Etta James!

Alicia Keys, 31
Alicia Keys, born Alicia Augello-Cook, has been taking over the music industry by storm with her soulful vocals, amazing piano skills, and classic collaborations, like “Empire State of Mind” with Jay-Z. But Keys hasn’t just conquered A minor, she’s also taken over the silver screen with roles on hit movies like The Secret Life of Bees and The Nanny Diaries. And if you thought she couldn’t be more well-rounded, add smarts to that list. That’s right, Keys was accepted into Columbia University at the age of 16, well before she was famous. Now she’s a mother, with the cutest little son, one-year-old Egypt, a record producer, DJ, rapper and painter husband, Swizz Beatz (who won’t be charged in the whole Megaupload debacle), and an envious career.

Etta James, 74
Just five days before her 74th birthday, “At Last” singer sadly passed away from complications of leukemia on Friday, Jan. 25. Her death was quickly memorialized by a slew of celebrities, including Beyonce, Pink, Flo Rida, and Aretha Franklin. James, nicknamed “Miss Peaches,” back in the day, had been singing and churning out hits since her teenage years. She first reached fame with "The Wallflower (Roll With Me, Henry)" in 1955. But her life wasn’t always rosy. In the early 1970s, she became addicted to heroin and had to deal with the many legal implications that came with it. Nonetheless, she’s won six Grammys, holds a spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and equally famous fans, including British powerhouse Adele.