Happy Birthday, Alicia Keys!

In 2001, Alicia Keys' arrival brought braids of all patterns into popular American media. Her first album, Songs in A Minor, brought us unforgettable tracks such as Fallin' and A Woman's Worth, teaching girls and women everywhere about the perils of love, and the bitter taste of reality.

Keys eventually passed on her beaded styles for tousled waves and up-dos, but she'll forever represent the kid in all of us who obsessed over her perfect cornrows, hoping our mothers (our first stylists) could achieve her caliber of technical execution.

Happy 35th, Alicia Keys! And thank you, Huffington Post, for featuring this one-of-a-kind beauty. Take a trip through memory lane here.