Keys is a singer and founder-director of the charity Keep a Child Alive, which combats Aids in Africa. http://www.keepachildalive.org
- 1 Does art make a difference? Art can be salvation to people. It can also connect people on a basic level. It makes you realise that you are not the only one who feels pain or confusion.
- 2 Should politics and art mix? Yes. It gives a voice to many issues that need to be discussed. Protest songs have changed the world, films can give issues a huge audience, and art can convey what cannot be said in words. I also think that our world would be full of mad women and men without art.
- 3 Is your work for the many or for the few? For the many, always the many.
- 4 If you were world leader, what would be your first law? I would ensure the equal rights of women all over the world. Until we do that we cannot eradicate Aids, sexual violence against women or extreme poverty.
- 5 Who would be your top advisers? Leigh Blake, the co-founder of Keep a Child Alive. My amazing mother, who raised me to respect everyone. Senator Barack Obama, who will make history for people of colour. Perhaps Chris Rock, who uses humour to tell the truth about our world. And Al Gore, to make sure we have a planet to thrive upon.
- 6What, if anything, would you censor? I don’t believe in censorship but I do believe there are some violent and overly sexual scenes in our media that our children should be shielded from.
- 7 If you had to banish one public figure, who would it be? George W Bush. I am sure I don’t need to say more.
- 8 What are the rules that you live by? I try to show respect for all people. I have learned in my travels that we are all basically the same.
- 9 Do you love your country? Of course I love my country, but I am not naive about it. We have lost our way. Hopefully the people will speak at the upcoming election to make it the America we need it to be. If we elect the first president of colour, that will tell the world that we are back and we are trying to change things.
- 10 Are we all doomed? Never while the fire inside burns.
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