Women in Music 2018: Alicia Keys Speaks on Worldwide Initiative She Is the Music

Alicia Keys took to the stage at Billboard's 13th annual Women in Music event on Thursday night to spotlight She is the Music, a non-profit aimed at cultivating the next generation of female powerhouses in the music industry.    

She started off by shouting out her engineer from Jungle City Studios, Ann Mincieli, Universal Music Publishing Group's chairman and CEO Jody Gerson and WME partner and head of east coast music department Sam Kirby Yoh, all of whom have helped form She Is the Music.    

The organization is off to an "epic start," Keys said, mentioning that they've begun building a database inclusive of female directors, musicians, writers, stylists and more to encourage everyone to discover, connect and create with one another.

She also brought light to the organization's new mentorship program in partnership with Billboard, which aims to empower young women and connect them with industry veterans across all verticals of music.