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Alicia Keys re-records ‘If I Ain’t Got You’ for ‘Bridgerton’ spin-off

Published:Thursday | April 13, 2023 | 12:25 AM
Alicia Keys is seen at the 62nd Grammy Awards nominations press conference in New York in November 2019. At Abbey Road Studios in London to present a special selection of songs recorded in spatial audio for Apple Music, Keys revealed another upcoming proje
AP
Alicia Keys is seen at the 62nd Grammy Awards nominations press conference in New York in November 2019. At Abbey Road Studios in London to present a special selection of songs recorded in spatial audio for Apple Music, Keys revealed another upcoming project. She told The Associated Press exclusively that it’s a reimagining of her iconic hit ‘If I Ain’t Got You’ for Netflix’s upcoming ‘Bridgerton’ prequel.

Alicia Keys has re-recorded her hit If I Ain’t Got You for the upcoming Netflix series Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.

The 42-year-old singer initially released the single, taken from her second studio album The Diary of Alicia Keys, in 2004, and it was inspired by the death of Aaliyah in 2001 and the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Last Tuesday, Keys revealed at a special listening event and talk attended by BANG Showbiz and other media at the iconic Abbey Road Studios in London that she will release a new version of the track, recorded with a 90-piece orchestra, and that it will be included on the Bridgerton spin-off.

The Grammy Award-winning songstress has re-recorded eight of her studio albums in Spatial Audio on Apple Music.

Keys, who has also used Dolby Atmos to reimagine her work, allowed specially invited guests to hear the new versions of hits such as No One and Girl On Fire but was unable to play her version of If I Ain’t Got You just yet.

She said: “I wanted to play you a rough of that version but it’s a little too rough for this spacial audio magnificence, but just know, if you can imagine it released in spatial. It’s coming out along with the series and if you can imagine 90 pieces swirling around you, it’s going to literally be, [great]!”

The New York hitmaker went on to explain that the “most special” thing about re-recording her work had been facing the challenge without a “template” and told the guests how “inspiring” it was to listen to the new records in the Abbey Studios, which was made famous by The Beatles.

Speaking about the experience, she reflected: “I would definitely say the most special thing about this experience is that Ann Mincieli and the engineers I worked with on this were able to take the raw files from the very, very beginning and reimagine every single mix. So there’s no template going on here, there’s no like ‘take the two track and just spread ‘em however’. It’s real reimagining of all the songs: all the music, all the tones, all the vocals, all the instruments - all of it. So, it really, really is special. Plus, to be able to be here and listen in this magnificently historical room of Abbey Road! It’s inspiring being in this room. I feel like this is adding to the fabric of the timelessness music has created in these walls. I’m grateful for y’all to be here.”