Girl On Fire: Alicia Keys Tells Jet That Becoming A Mom Grew Her Up

God—do you remember Alicia Keys when she first hit the scene, with the braids and the bubble jackets and the Tims and the old school Reebok sneakers, hiding all that body behind the piano, pouring her heart out over how she’d “fallen” for some boy?

Fast forward to now and Alicia is a whole ‘nother person—a woman, grown with a husband and a beautiful brown baby and a soaring career that’s taken on all manner of dimension, extending beyond the music industry into theater, fashion and even social media apps for children. To borrow a phrase from the chorus of her latest hit, this girl is on fire—and in this week’s issue of Jet magazine, on which Alicia graces the cover, the singer attributes her full-grown career and new life to motherhood.

“I’ve always been focused and driven, but this is another level,” Alicia told Jet. “It’s not just about me, or how fast I can go. It’s about something deeper. Motherhood simultaneously clarified who and how I want to be.”

In addition to her thoughts on motherhood, Alicia addresses rumors that she struck up a relationship with her husband, Swizz Beats, while he was still married, the reason she did the “big chop,” and how much more she feels like a whole woman now that she’s found passion in her personal and professional life. Check out the rest of Alicia Keys’ story in Jet magazine, on news stands today.