Alicia Keys delivers “Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart,” a standout single from her album “The Element of Freedom.” The track marked a real departure in her sound.
Keys built the song around retro synth work and funky, 80s-inspired drums. That drum machine sound felt genuinely new for her catalog at the time.
She said the song described exactly where she stood in life then. Critics noticed the shift too.
Slant called it the album’s clear standout, praising Keys for blending disco-diva choruses with Prince-worthy verses. That comparison says a lot about the song’s ambition.
The LA Times singled out her refrain about finding a way forward without someone. That line became the emotional anchor of the whole track.
Keys filmed the video in Brooklyn over two days in October 2009. She portrayed herself as a superhero, using the imagery to signal strength after heartbreak.
Musically, the song stays in a major key despite its sad subject matter. It’s funky, emotional, and surprisingly upbeat given its theme.
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