Alicia Keys

In the first week of its release, Alicia Keys quietly outsold pop powerhouses like Madonna, Christina, and even Britney Spears. Keys’ latest album, "The Diary of Alicia Keys," is on top of the charts.

At only 22, Keys refuses to compromise her music or exploit her image to sell her music. The strategy paid off with five Grammy's for her first album and instant acclaim for "Diary."

The new CD is a look at the private side of Keys and her life since hitting it big.

She says, "My entire life I've kept a diary from as early as I can remember, seven, eight. I've grown, I've seen, I've experienced, and I've lived. And I've laughed and cried some more."

Keys has other goals beyond her music. With a recent spin on NBC’s "American Dream," a big-screen movie role may be close for the star. She says, "When I do it and I will, I want to be unbelievably wonderful at it. I’m thinking about it, I’m taking my time with it, it is going to be special."