Transformation

When Alicia Keys came upon the scene in 2001, her cornrows were as headline-grabbing as her soaring vocals. But when she began feeling stuck in a routine, Keys "started turning into a butterfly and making changes." Makeup artist Ashunta Sheriff took the singer's look "from street to soft," toning down her eye makeup in favor of soft blush and eye-catching gloss. "The result is classic Hollywood with an edge," Sheriff told us. That said, we haven't seen the last of Alicia's mini-plaits. "I think my braids are beautiful, and there are times that I wear them, just for me," she told Essence. "They're not gone forever."

Keys released her first album, Songs in A Minor, and rocked her signature style. "I definitely love my braids," she has said. "They make me feel regal and individualistic."