Following her incredible debut as a Grammy Awards host earlier this week, it only seems appropriate that Alicia Key’s drops a post Valentines Day ballad to try continue the momentum she’s created. ‘Raise A Man’ is a six minute love letter dedicated to her husband the hears her proclaiming her love for him and describes the unique bond she shares with him because they are raising a child together. Lyrically it is an incredibly raw and intimate song that details so many internal thoughts surrounding their relationship. But six minutes is very lengthy for this type of ballad. It’s not as captivating as ‘If I Ain’t Got You’, not as catchy as ‘No One’ and not as anthemic as ‘Girl On Fire’ so it ends up floating in a strange forgettable territory. It strangely sits in one melodic tone for the whole song and doesn’t really show a growth that warrants a six minute duration. She would’ve been better to cut it down and make it more impactful and add in a gradual production growth as the cinematic tone has potential. Lyrically it’s a strong song as she confesses how much she relies on him and questions if that is a good or bad thing. “Is it okay that I’m not independent. Is it okay that I show weakness. Is it okay to can’t wait to see you. Is it okay to love a man right now”. And with the way the world is politically going at the moment, it’s an interesting direction because we are told so much to not rely on a man, but what if you’re in love and their growth helps your growth?