Why Alicia Keys feels hopeful for 2021: “There are always ways to improve what has been started”

“So my goal, honestly? I would really like to be a part – and I’d like us all to be a part – of rewriting the constitution. That would be a very powerful day and I believe we’re on the road to achieving big ideas like that.” ~~Alicia Keys

Like most of us, Alicia Keys has found a new appreciation for the little things this past year. “I feel so blessed to be able to have more meaningful time with my family and so I honestly feel better than ever in a lot of ways,” she tells me via Zoom, the day after the monumental Biden-Harris inauguration. But while those small joys bring solace, there are bigger things occupying her thoughts.

The last year has been one defined by seismic events, from the global pandemic to an election that transfixed the entire world. The extended pause of lockdown has shone a light on the things that really matter.

These things, from the major to the minuscule, are the focus for Keys’ new documentary, produced in collaboration with Mercedes-Benz to mark the launch of the S-Class Cares for what Matters campaign. Shot entirely in Keys’ California home, the short film offers a glimpse into the 15-time Grammy Award winner’s life and is soundtracked by ‘Love Looks Better’, the latest release from her self-titled album.

Here, Keys discusses her hopes for the future of the United States, the powerful impact of Amanda Gorman and her roadmap to becoming part of the change.