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"During the time we definitely loved what we did and I didn't think everybody would get it right away because of the setbacks with Columbia and them not understanding it because it was unique for its time. Speaking on the subject, album contributor Kerry Brothers, Jr.
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Due to the extreme popularity of Songs in A Minor, there was a lot of pressure on The Diary of Alicia Keys to match or exceed that success. Keys embarked on the Songs in A Minor Tour (2001–2002) in support of the album while touring, Keys started writing songs for her second studio album. Debuting atop the US Billboard 200, it went on to sell over 6.2 million copies and earned Keys five Grammy Awards at the 44th Annual Grammy Awards, tying Keys with Lauryn Hill as the female artist with most Grammy Awards won in a single ceremony (the record has since been broken by Beyoncé and Adele). Keys' debut studio album Songs in A Minor was released on June 5, 2001. The album has sold over five million units in the United States and over eight million copies worldwide. The Diary of Alicia Keys earned Keys three Grammy Awards at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards. It became Keys' second consecutive number-one debut in the United States and spawned three top-ten singles. The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 618,000 copies in its first week. Upon its release, The Diary of Alicia Keys received generally positive reviews from music critics. The album was recorded at several recording studios, and production was handled primarily by Keys with contributions from Kanye West and Kerry Brothers Jr., who described it as "an R&B album". The Diary of Alicia Keys is the second studio album by American singer Alicia Keys.