A Guide to Alicia Keys's Best Braided Looks of All Time

Alicia Keys is known as an artist, performer, and activist first and foremost, but she's also made a handful of powerful beauty statements — down to her braided hairstyles. When she first stepped onto the music scene in 2001 after the launch of her first studio album, "Songs in A Minor," she wore braids at nearly every onstage or television appearance. While her choice in hairstyles has evolved in the years since — she's tried everything from sky-high ponytails to slicked-back buns to her natural curls — she often goes back to her signature braided looks the world came to know and love her by.

Of course, braids hold a deeper significance for the star and for the Black community at large. In an interview in a 2020 issue of Glamour UK Magazine, Keys opened up about how her protective style choices connect her to her roots and make her feel beautiful. "I've always felt royal when I wear braids," she told the publication. "There's something so beautiful about the Blackness of it, about my African ancestry that I just feel truly connected to."

Keys has never been shy about showing her true colors in the spotlight, from rejecting beauty standards through her refusal to don a full face of makeup 24/7 and going makeup-free back in 2016 to her impactful and empowering song lyrics. When Keys publicly announced she'd decided to ditch makeup in her viral Lenny Letter post, she expressed a deep desire to be her true self. "I don't want to cover up anymore. Not my face, not my mind, not my soul, not my thoughts, not my dreams, not my struggles, not my emotional growth. Nothing."

Over the years, Keys has graced countless stages, red carpets, and exclusive events, turning heads whenever she arrives — and honoring her Blackness at them all with her chosen hairstyles that have undoubtedly inspired Black women around the world who've struggled, or fought, to wear traditional protective styles. The artist's sense of freedom with her self-expression is evident in her personal style, especially in the wide range of exquisite braided hairstyles she's worn throughout the years. Keep reading to take a look at Keys's best braids from the early 2000s until now.

Alicia Keys's Beaded Fulani Braids
Getty | James Devaney

Alicia Keys's Beaded Fulani Braids

In 2019, Keys gave a speech at Pride Live's Stonewall Day event about the ongoing fight for LGBTQ+ equality and the power that's been achieved by the movement over decades. Of equal significance was her braid style of choice: Fulani braids with colorful beads. Fulani braids consist of cornrows that are braided into a specific pattern and originate from the Fula people, a Muslim community in North Africa's Sahel zone and West Africa. The style was traditionally used as a symbol of marital status, religion, wealth, or origins.

Alicia Keys's Ponytail Braid
Getty | Dimitrios Kambouris

Alicia Keys's Ponytail Braid

A conversation starter of a hairstyle, Keys's ponytail braid at the 2022 Met Gala perfectly fit the theme of In America: An Anthology of Fashion. Created by hairstylist Fesa Nu, her slicked-back single braid was elevated with black and silver adornments placed throughout to complement her dress and cape from Ralph Lauren.

Alicia Keys's Cornrow Low Bun
Getty | Kevork Djansezian

Alicia Keys's Cornrow Low Bun

As the host of the annual Grammy Awards for two consecutive years, Keys had to make a statement at the 2020 event. Hairstylist Nai'vasha Johnson and designer Jennifer Behr collaborated to create this stand-out style, which consisted of expertly laid baby hairs, vertical cornrows, and a soft bun at the nape of Keys's neck with numerous crystals carefully woven throughout. Cornrows are one of the most easily recognizable and versatile protective styles and have a rich history within the Black community. The style has been traced back to 3000 BC, meaning the art of this braid has been passed down centuries.

Alicia Keys's Braided Messy Bun
Getty | Theo Wargo/MTV1617

Alicia Keys's Braided Messy Bun

While presenting for best male video at the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards, Keys let her natural beauty shine when she came on stage with a completely bare face and messy braided bun. The bun appears to be made up of an array of single braids of different widths, all twisted together into this relaxed topknot that perfectly complemented her glowing skin. Before announcing the evening's winner, she took the time to recite Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous "I Have a Dream" speech on its 53rd anniversary.

Alicia Keys's Mini Cornrows
Getty | Scott Gries

Alicia Keys's Mini Cornrows

For her performance on MTV's TRL back in 2005, Keys stepped out with partial cornrows on the left side of her head that were surrounded by glossy loose curls. Cornrows are tightly braided styles that require detailed technique, focus, and skill.

Alicia Keys's Ponytail With Zigzag Cornrows
Getty | Theo Wargo

Alicia Keys's Ponytail With Zigzag Cornrows

In 2005, Keys visited the set of "Sesame Street" for an unforgettable musical appearance, but her intricate braided ponytail was just as memorable. The top half of her head was braided into mini cornrows with zigzag patterns that fed into her curly low ponytail.

Alicia Keys's Loose Topknot Braid
Getty | Stephen Lovekin

Alicia Keys's Loose Topknot Braid

An expecting Keys graced the red carpet for the seventh annual Keep a Child Alive Black Ball in New York City with this slicked-back, loosely braided topknot. Keep a Child Alive is a nonprofit organization Keys cofounded in 2003 that aims to help children and young adults in Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda, and India with resources and access to funding, education, and community support.

Alicia Keys's Cornrow Bubble Braids
Getty | Dave Benett/amfAR

Alicia Keys's Cornrow Bubble Braids

Gold Chanel suit? Check. Detailed bubble braids featuring cornrow patterns by hairstylist Nai'vasha Johnson? Also, check. This look from the 2021 Amfar Gala in Cannes, France, was one of the evening's biggest showstoppers.

Alicia Keys's Double Braids
Getty | Jeff Kravitz

Alicia Keys's Double Braids

At the 2018 Grammys, Alicia Keys looked perfectly put-together with double braids secured by zip ties. The hairstyle was paired with a floor-length velvet gown featuring delicate cutouts.

Alicia Keys's Ultra-High Braided Pony
Getty | Joe Buglewicz

Alicia Keys's Ultra-High Braided Pony

At the 20th Latin Grammys in 2019, Keys stepped onto the scene in an edgy all-black leather ensemble consisting of a relaxed wrap crop top and joggers, but it was her ultra-high single-braid pony that brought the look together completely.