Karma (Alicia Keys song)

"Karma"
Single by Alicia Keys
from the album The Diary of Alicia Keys
Released	November 16, 2004
Format	CD single 12" single digital download
Recorded	KrucialKeys Studios, Quad Recording Studios (New York City, New York)
Genre	R&B alternative hip hop classical
Length	4:16
Label	J
Writer(s)	Alicia Keys Kerry Brothers, Jr. Taneisha Smith
Producer(s)	Brothers, Jr.
Alicia Keys singles chronology
"My Boo" (2004) "Karma" (2004) "Unbreakable" (2005)
Music video "Karma" on YouTube

"Karma" is a song by American singer and songwriter Alicia Keys, taken from her second studio album, The Diary of Alicia Keys (2003). Written by Keys, Kerry Brothers, Jr., and Taneisha Smith, the track takes influence from hip hop and classical music, and was released as the album's fourth and final single in November 2004, peaking at number twenty on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and number seventeen on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart—the album's only single not to top a Billboard chart. A mashup of "Karma" with Stevie Wonder's 1972 hit "Superstition" titled "Karmastition", produced by Go Home Productions, exists.^[1] "Karma" became The Diary of Alicia Keys's first release to fail to achieve top ten status on the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop, peaking at number 20 and 17, respectively.

Content

In the song, the narrator's lover who had left her returns and wants to start a new relationship, but she has moved on. Her lover is now in the position she was once in, and in being rejected receives their just deserts ("what goes around comes around"). The title references the popular conception of karma as getting what one deserves.

Music video

The music video for "Karma", directed by Chris Robinson and Keys herself, was filmed over three days in August 2004, with parts shot in New York City and at Casa de Campo resort's Altos de Chavón amphitheatre, in La Romana, Dominican Republic.^[2] At the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards, the video earned Keys the award for Best R&B Video.

Track listings and formats

• European CD single^[3]

1. "Karma" — 4:15
2. "Diary" (Hani Mix) — 3:49

• European CD maxi single^[4]

1. "Karma" (Radio Edit) — 3:37
2. "Diary" (Hani Mix) — 3:49
3. "Karma" (The Reggaeton Mix) — 3:32
4. "Karma" (Club Mix) — 3:18
5. "Karma" (Video)

• U.S. promo CD single

1. "Karma" (Radio Edit) — 3:37
2. "Karma" (Instrumental) — 4:11
3. "Karma" (Call Out Hook) — 0:10
4. "Karma" (Radio Version in MP3 format) — 3:39

• U.S. promo 12" single^[5]

  • A1 "Karma" (Album Version) — 4:12
  • A2 "Karma" (Instrumental) — 4:11
  • B1 "Karma" (KrucialKeys DJ Mix) — 3:20
  • B2 "Karma" (Acappella) — 3:45

  12"Promo^[6]

  • A1 "Karma" (Radio Edit) — 3:37
  • A2 "Heartburn" (Album Version) — 3:25
  • B1 "If I Ain't Got You" (Remix, featuring Usher) — 3:50
  • B2 "Diary" (Album version, featuring Tony! Toni! Toné!) — 4:44
  • B3 "Diary" (Instrumental) — 4:44

  12"Promo - Karma (The Reggaeton Mix)^[7]

  • A1 "Karma" (Spanish Version) — 3:32
  • A2 "Karma" (Spanglish Version) — 3:32
  • B1 "Karma" (Spanish Version) — 3:32
  • B2 "Karma" (Spanglish Version) — 3:32

Personnel

• Alicia Keys – lead vocals, backing vocals, piano
• Kerry "Krucial" Brothers – producer, digital programming, engineer, instrumentation
• Manny Marroquin – mixing
• Herb Powers Jr. – mastering
• Joe Romano – horn
• David Watson – horn

Charts and certifications

Chart positions Chart (2005) Peak position Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[8] 40 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[8] 2 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[8] 6 Germany (Media Control Charts)[9] 62 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[8] 40 Switzerland (Media Control AG)[8] 71 U.S. Billboard Hot 100[10] 20 U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs[10] 17 U.S. Pop 100[10] 7

Year-end charts Chart (2005) Position U.S. Billboard Hot 100[11] 56 U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs[12] 73 Certifications Country Certification United States[13] Gold

See also

• Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 2005

References

1. "Go Home Productions – Karmastition". Discogs. Retrieved November 8, 2010.
2. "Alicia Keys Goes Gritty And Exotic For New Video". Contactmusic.com. September 13, 2004. Retrieved November 8, 2012.
3. http://www.discogs.com/Alicia-Keys-Karma/release/1729554
4. http://www.discogs.com/Alicia-Keys-Karma/release/2030678
5. http://www.discogs.com/Alicia-Keys-Karma/release/2265776
6. http://www.discogs.com/Alicia-Keys-Karma/release/1307502
7. http://www.discogs.com/Alicia-Keys-Karma-The-Reggaeton-Mix/release/794158
8. "Alicia Keys – Karma". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved November 8, 2010.
9. "Musicline.de – Chartverfolgung – Alicia Keys – Karma". Media Control (in German). PhonoNet GmbH. Retrieved November 8, 2010.
10. "The Diary of Alicia Keys – Alicia Keys – Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved January 20, 2008.
11. "2005 Year End Charts – Hot 100 Songs". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. November 26, 2005. Retrieved November 8, 2010.
12. "2005 Year End Charts – Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. November 26, 2005. Retrieved November 8, 2010.
13. "RIAA – Gold & Platinum". Recording Industry Association of America. September 27, 2005. Retrieved November 8, 2010.

External links

• Karma at Discogs
• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics