Alicia Keys "wasn’t ready" for her second child when she fell pregnant in 2014.
The 39-year-old singer is mother to nine-year-old Egypt and five-year-old Genesis – both of whom she has with her husband Swizz Beatz – but has said she felt "so torn" after discovering she was pregnant with Genesis, as didn’t think she’d be able to cope having a second child.
At the time, Alicia was in the midst of finalising her sixth studio album ‘Here’, whilst Swizz Beatz – whose real name is Kasseem Dean – had his hands full with studying at Harvard Business School.
Writing in her new book ‘More Myself’ – an excerpt of which was shared with People magazine – she said: "I wasn’t ready for this, which is what I told the doctor. [I told the physician] ‘This is the worst time ever. I’m working on my next album. My husband just got into Harvard Business School. And I’ve been drinking – a lot.’ I left her office feeling so torn.
"The music I was creating felt more important and urgent than just about everything. I’d have to put off its release for at least a year if I chose to have the baby."
Whilst contemplating her choices, Alicia listened to a song titled ‘More Than We Know’, which she had written with her husband, and had a sudden realisation thanks to the lyrics.
She added: "While I was struggling over my choice, I went into the studio one evening and began listening to ‘More Than We Know,’ a song Swizz and I had written. The lyrics are about how we’re capable of so much more than we can ever imagine. My eyes filled with tears. How could I take away the potential for this beautiful child, this light that could touch others in ways I couldn’t dream of. For me, the song was a powerful message that I should go on with the pregnancy."
Genesis was born in December 2014, and the ‘Girl on Fire’ hitmaker couldn’t be happier raising two sons.
Speaking to People magazine alongside her memoir excerpt, she said: "I’m super hands on.
"Recently with Genesis, we were playing with his ‘Dragon Ball Z’ characters. He had them all fighting all the time, so I asked Genesis’s guy if my guy could be his friend. He goes, ‘Why do you need me to be your friend?’ I was like, ‘Look how I look, all scary with talon feet. Everybody gets scared of me when they see me but they don’t really know the inside of me."
Alicia Keys ‘wasn’t ready’ for second child in 2014
