R&B superstar Alicia Keys is helping to launch a new scholarship programme through her partnership with smartphone manufacturer BlackBerry.

The Empire State of Mind hitmaker, who was appointed the company's Global Creative Director in January (13), has teamed up with the firm's bosses to form the BlackBerry Scholars Program in a bid to inspire women to explore career opportunities in technology and mobile computing.

Outstanding female students enrolling in degrees in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) this year (13) have been invited to apply for the fin...

Soul icon Stevie Wonder and R&B singer Alicia Keys sent letters of support for Lauryn Hill to the judge overseeing her tax evasion case in a desperate bid to keep her out of jail.

The former Fugees star reached out to friends and family to write to the New Jersey judge on her behalf in a bid to land a lesser sentence after pleading guilty to three charges of failing to file tax returns between 2005 and 2007, with each count carrying a year behind bars.

On Monday (06May13), she was sentenced to serve three months in jail as punishment, and now Hill has penned a note of thanks to everyone w...

  The 55th Annual Grammy Awards got off to a hot start on the red carpet, where music's biggest stars gathered before the main event at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Most stars adhered to the requests in the memo that CBS sent out on Wednesday, asking stars to tone their fashion choices down. The memo specifically asked that "buttocks and female breasts are adequately covered"; also warning that "see through" fashions, visible thongs and attire exposing any part of "genital regions" was forbidden at this year's award show.

Most stars followed the rules, including Jennifer Lopez, who ...

Kerry Washington took top honors on Friday night at the 2013 National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Image Awards.
 
The actress, 36, won three awards: Best Supporting Actress ("Django Unchained"), Best Actress in a Drama Series ("Scandal") and President's Award for her public service work on behalf of President Barack Obama.

Washington is the first African-American woman to lead the cast of a primetime drama since Diahann Carroll in "Julia" over 30 years ago. Carroll gushed: "I think she's enjoying one of the great moments of her life right now in our industry."...

Alicia Keys has signed on as the Global Creative Director of smartphone maker BlackBerry.

Her job title was announced during the company's BlackBerry 10 launch in New York City on Wednesday, and it appears the Grammy Award winner will have her hands full with a load of new responsibilities for the tech firm.

President Thorsten Heins says, "Alicia Keys has come to BlackBerry because she believes in the product and technology, and subscribes to our overriding philosophy to 'Keep Moving' to empower people through mobile computing and communications.

"We are excited she will be bringing t...

These girls are on fire! Alicia Keys and Taylor Swift attended the 14th NRJ Music Awards ceremony in Cannes, France, over the weekend, and they looked hot.

Keys wore a black cut-out dress that showed off a lot of skin around her midsection and back. Last week she celebrated her 32nd birthday at the 40 Principales Awards in Madrid, Spain, where she was presented with the honor for best American artist/composer of the last decade.

Swift looked amazing in an off-white sequined mini dress. The singer seems to have left behind her usual conservative wardobe these days for much sexier ensembles...

Alicia Keys rang in her 32nd birthday at a music awards show in Spain and left with a special present after accepting a career achievement prize.

The Fallin' star, who turned 32 on Friday, marked her special day early on Thursday by attending the 40 Principales Awards in Madrid, Spain, where she was presented with the honor for best American artist/composer of the last decade.

Keys performed at the ceremony and while she was on stage, the crowd serenaded her with a rendition of Happy Birthday.

The singer posted a picture of the special moment on her Twitter.com page, with the caption,...

Several sexy stars attended the BET Honors on Saturday night in Washington, D.C. Black Entertainment Television created the event a few years ago to recognize the achievements of African Americans.

Halle Berry looked extraordinary in a red strapless Monique Lhuillier gown with a slit up the leg. The actress was honored for her charity work on behalf of domestic violence victims at the Jenesse Center in Los Angeles.

Event host Gabrielle Union rocked the red carpet in a green dress with a plunging neckline. Singer Alicia Keys looked elegant in a one-shoulder black dress with hoop earrings a...

Alicia Keys is facing a legal battle with a songwriter who has accused her of plagiarizing part of her hit single Girl On Fire.

Songwriter Earl Shuman, whose music has been performed by stars including Tom Jones and Barbra Streisand, filed a copyright infringement lawsuit in a California federal court last week, accusing the singer of using parts of a track he wrote in 1962 without permission.

The song was a chart hit for Eddie Holman in 1970 after he recorded it as Hey There Lonely Girl, and Shuman claims it was illegally sampled by Keys.

The lawsuit targets Keys as well as the co-wri...

R&B superstar Alicia Keys raised over $1.3 million for charity at her annual Black Ball in New York on Thursday night.

The benefit was postponed last month due to Hurricane Sandy, which lashed the East Coast and devastated parts of the Big Apple and New Jersey in late October.

Keys pushed ahead with the event on Thursday at the city's Apollo Theater and held an auction to raise funds for her Keep a Child Alive campaign, which helps youngsters affected by HIV and AIDS.

Speaking about her decision to reschedule the event after the storm, Keys told reporters, "There are places in the wor...

Alicia Keys is set to pay tribute to volunteers aiding the recovery effort in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy by performing a special concert for them in New York.

The Empire State of Mind hit-maker's native Big Apple was one of the areas worst hit by last month's superstorm, which wreaked havoc across the East Coast, leaving hundreds of residents homeless and millions without power.

A number of aid organizations have been set up in the wake of the post-tropical cyclone and now Keys is inviting charity supporters to join her at the iHeartRadio Theater on November 27th for an intimate T...

Heidi Klum left little to the imagination at last night's MTV European Music Awards held in Frankfurt, Germany. The model wore a blue and gold Versace gown with a huge slit up the leg and a revealing tie-up bodice.

It's hard to believe that Klum is 39, gave birth to four kids, and still looks that amazing. But she is a supermodel, and their God-like genetics give them an edge over regular folk.

Kim Kardashian also attended the EMAs and dazzled in a black dress with a long train. She stumbled as she went on stage but caught herself before falling down. Disaster averted!

Taylor Swift looke...

Alicia Keys and her husband Swizz Beatz have an exclusive new address after purchasing Eddie Murphy's Bubble Hill estate in New Jersey.

The seven-bedroom mansion in Englewood cost the couple an estimated $12 million, according to RealEstalker.com.

Murphy has been reportedly trying to offload the property for more than seven years, and it comes with a recording studio, a bowling alley and a glass-roofed indoor swimming pool pavilion.

Reports suggest Keys and her producer/entrepreneur husband will also purchase a contiguous two-acre lot with additional living space, a children's playgro...

Uma Thurman and her French financier boyfriend Arpad Busson revealed the name of their newborn baby girl this week, and the tot's title is a mouthful.

Not content with the typical first/middle/last -- or in this case hyphenated last -- name, the little girl surely has a challenging future ahead of her when it comes to filling out any types of forms.

The couple named their three-month-old Rosalind Arusha Arkadina Altalune Florence Thurman-Busson. Where they got her nickname, "Luna," from is a mystery; but their rep says each name has a special reason and meaning.

But Uma and Arpad -- who ...

The new season of VH1's "Storytellers" will feature three Grammy award-winning artists - P!nk, Alicia Keys and Taylor Swift, according to Entertainment Weekly.

The episodes, which will also air online, include performances and stories by the artists in front of a live audience.

The new season will kick off on Sunday, Nov. 11, with Swift. The singer/songwriter recently broke download records with "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," achieving 623,000 paid downloads during its first week of release. She's sold more than 22 million albums and 50 million downloads.

On Nov. 12, 14-time ...

Kate Middleton, known more formally as Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, is the best dressed woman in the world, according to Vanity Fair.

Magazine editors recently compiled their annual list of male and female trendsetters, and Prince William's wife unsurprisingly made the number-one spot.

Even before she made waves in her wedding gown in the spring of 2011, she was already on many people's list of fashion mavens.

Kate makes sophistication look sexy. And she's even gotten away with wearing pantyhose (which is so '90s.)

Check out who else made the best dressed list...

Alicia Keys

...

Apparently Alicia Keys was glued to her seat, with Jermaine Paul's number on speed dial, as she watched the announcement of who was going to win The Voice.

As Jermaine celebrated with confetti falling from the ceiling, his pal passed him a cell phone - and Keys was on the other end.

"She was screaming with excitement. She told me she's been watching me and supporting me the whole time. She was saying how proud of me she was," said Jermaine. The two know one another from his days as a backup singer on her tours.

The last 24 hours has been a whirlwind of red carpets and talk shows. "I'm g...

R&B star Alicia Keys has traveled to a tiny village in Wisconsin to record with Bon Iver frontman Justin Vernon.

The Fallin' hitmaker jetted out to Fall Creek, which boasts a population of around 1,000 people, to collaborate with the cult rocker.

And Vernon, who has also worked with Kanye West, admits he was blown away by the singer's talent.

He tells Vibe magazine, "It's easy to see the pop world trying to take over Alicia. But I see her as someone who is desperately trying to stay on the far left hand of that. She really cares about music and she knows everything."

"It's cool to s...

Although some criticize the attendance of certain members of Hollywood at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner, there's no denying that they add a certain spice (and sexiness) to the event.

Reality star Kim Kardashian looked stunning in a green velvet dress with silver beaded accents, while Lindsay Lohan wore a daring black gown that showed off a risque bit of cleavage. But she was topped by Rosario Dawson who really showed off her curvy figure in a bright green gown.

Kate Hudson sparkled in a heavily sequined purple dress, while Elizabeth Banks was beautiful in orange. Clai...

Former White Stripes star Jack White will compose the score for Johnny Depp's upcoming remake of classic TV series The Lone Ranger.

The rocker will lend his musical talents to the Disney western, which will star The Social Network's Armie Hammer as the Lone Ranger with Depp as his sidekick Tonto.

The film's producer Jerry Bruckheimer, confirmed White's involvement to Variety, saying, "Jack's an amazing songwriter with a unique style. We're thrilled to hear his fresh take on the William Tell Overture. Gore (Verbinski, director) hatched the idea and Johnny was thrilled with it."

"We're a...

We spotted Alicia Keys at the Chanel Ready-To-Wear Fall/Winter 2012 collection show as part of Paris Fashion Week today.

The singer stuck a piece of jewelry in her hair and hung it on her forehead. Was she shooting for an exotic princess look? Despite the odd headdress, we like the sleek black velvet vest paired with loose pants. What do you think of her look?

Alicia has been hanging out in the French capital all week.

Check out more photos of Alicia...

Hip-hop superproducer Swizz Beatz is keen to introduce Korean pop music to mainstream music fans because he's convinced it's the industry's next big craze.

Alicia Keys' husband has become a big fan of South Korea's so-called K-Pop phenomenon after spending time in the Far East, and he wants others to appreciate the catchy tunes as much as he does.

He says, "I found that Korean Pop Music is a new expression and the world is open to new things. And I think that right now K-Pop in Korea is leading in that area. I would love to be the one to introduce it to the west.

"The biggest thing about...

Music mogul Clive Davis, actor Kevin Costner and singers Stevie Wonder and Alicia Keys were among those who gathered to remember the life of tragic superstar Whitney Houston during a private funeral service in her native New Jersey on Saturday.

With flags at half mast across the state, grieving friends and family members shuffled inside the singer's childhood place of worship, the New Hope Baptist Church, in Newark to mourn the loss of the music icon.

Bobbi Kristina Brown, Houston's 18-year-old child with ex-husband Bobby Brown, her cousin Dionne Warwick and mother Cissy were all in atten...

Whitney Houston's mother, daughter, cousin Dionne Warwick and mentor Clive Davis paid their respects to the singer at a private wake on Friday evening.

Just a day before the superstar's funeral in New Jersey on Saturday, Houston's loved ones visited the Whigham Funeral Home in Newark, where her body was transported to following her death in Los Angeles last week.

Hundreds of fans lined the street outside the funeral parlor, where floral tributes were laid in the star's honor.

Bobbi Kristina Brown, her daughter with ex-husband Bobby Brown, was accompanied to the wake by her grandmother Ci...

The 2012 Grammy Awards will forever be remembered for one reason: the event took place the night after the music industry lost one of their biggest stars in an untimely fashion: Whitney Houston.

Despite the somber undertones of host LL Cool J's opening prayer for the late singer and a rousing performance of her hit song "I Will Always Love You" by Jennifer Hudson; the night was about the music and the attitude that the show must go on.

As always with award shows, the night is also about the fashion. While many stars wore black - perhaps in honor of the late Houston - many stars let the c...

Hip-hop star DMX has confirmed plans to reunite rap collective Ruff Ryders, insisting they're determined to "come back stronger."

The rapper rose to fame as part of the crew alongside Eve, Alicia Keys' husband Swizz Beatz, The Lox, Drag-On and Murda-Mook.

They have all concentrated on their individual projects in recent years, but Eve suggested earlier this month they were heading for a reunion, saying, "I'm sure you'll see Ruff Ryders back together."

Now, DMX has confirmed they're planning a tour together which is set to kick off later this year.

He tells TMZ.com, "We are all family...

Kanye West has asked fans to keep the victims of the Haitian earthquake in their memories over the festive season as "people are still suffering."

Thousands were left homeless following the devastating tremor, which struck the region in January, 2010, and West has called on his followers to remember those less fortunate as they celebrate the holidays - because many Haitians are still struggling to adapt to life after the tragedy.

In a series of Twitter posts on Christmas Day, the hitmaker wrote, "Even though Haiti isn't in the news as much the issues are still there. Little has changed. P...

Annie Lennox, actor Jamie Bell and singer Estelle have called on their online fans to help raise awareness of HIV and AIDS.

American Boy hit-maker Estelle is a longtime supporter of the Virgin Unite initiative, which aims to help young people stop the spread of the diseases. To mark World AIDS Day on Thursday, she's penned a special message on her website calling for her followers to highlight the issue.

She writes, "My darlings... Join me, and millions of RED and ONE supporters, to fight for an AIDS Free Generation by 2015. Add your voice. Make a pledge. Get a song from The Killers for...

Alicia Keys' eighth annual Black Ball has raised $3 million for children's charity Keep A Child Alive.

The cash was raised during her high-profile gala in New York on Thursday and will help fund AIDS treatment and care in Africa and India.

Keys, who was joined onstage at the Hammerstein Ballroom by Usher, will.i.am and Norah Jones, among others, says, "I am overwhelmed by the kindness I witnessed last night ...

"I am forever grateful to all of our supporters whose generosity will provide AIDS treatment and care for so many in desperate need."

The event honored the late George Harriso...

Richie Sambora has confirmed he has rekindled his romance with Denise Richards five years after they first became a couple.

The Bon Jovi star first dated the actress in 2006, shortly after his marriage to Heather Locklear collapsed and Richards separated from her ex-husband Charlie Sheen.

Rumors of a reconciliation have been rife in recent weeks, and the rocker has now admitted they are back together.

Sambora confirmed the news during an appearance at Alicia Keys' Keep a Child Alive Black Ball in New York City on Thursday night, telling New York Post gossip column Page Six, "Things ar...