Alicia Keys has reimagined one of her biggest hits for one of Netflix’s popular sequels. The New York native enlisted the talents of an orchestra that featured over 70 women of color for a new version of “If I Ain’t Got You.” The song was created for the soundtrack to the Netflix series, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. Additionally, it celebrates the 20th anniversary of “If I Aint Got You.”
The full soundtrack is complete with covers of popular songs by SZA, Beyoncé, and Whitney Houston.
The “If I Ain’t Got You” Queen Charlotte edition is performed by musicians from South Africa, Barbados, Germany, Sweden, and more, establishing a one-of-a-kind multicultural orchestra.
“The entire idea was quite ambitious,” the 42-year-old explained to Billboard. “I feel like it’s going to open the minds of many people to realize that women of color belong everywhere and we’ve always been everywhere. It’s magical.
“My mother is definitely a feminist for sure. She raised me, and that desire for equanimity and fairness was really instilled in me, and then I would see how it will come out in my songs. I would see it on ‘A Woman’s Worth,’ or ‘Superwoman’ or ‘Girl on Fire,’ and I know that the majority of those songs and feelings have come from needing a boost, needing that extra energy. Those songs, in a lot of ways, were what I wished and hoped to feel. Then, I was thinking of how beautiful this moment was with Queen Charlotte and how it really felt like what’s possible came to life, and it’s possible to create special moment when you pay attention to what’s needed.”
Queen Charlotte debuted on Netflix on May 4. The Bridgerton prequel tells the story of how the young Queen’s marriage to King George sparked both a great love story and a societal shift.
Watch the orchestral performance of “If I Ain’t Got You” by Alicia Keys featuring Queen Charlotte’s Global Orchestra above.