12 time Grammy winner Alicia Keys.

Credit: AP Photo/Jim Cooper

Alicia Keys will release her fourth studio album, “The Element of Freedom,” on Dec. 1 on MBK/J Records (did we miss the announcement that she now has her own imprint? Someone has clearly renegotiated her deal—or if it’s always been that way, we never noticed before).

Keys has already won 12 Grammys in her short career and is sure to up her statue count with “The Element of Freedom,” which she co-wrote and co-produced with longtime partner Kerry “Krucial” Brothers.

Of the new album, Keys says in a statement: ““The music is really strong, and the drums are really aggressive, but my voice is vulnerable and delicate.” Her process, she continues, was“eliminating all of the boundaries and all the limitations, so that you can feel your freedom and express your freedom in every way you possibly can and that’s what I did with this album.”

First single “Doesn’t Mean Anything” was the Hot Shot Debut on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart this week, bowing at No. 61. It’s sure to rise as it goes on sale this week and the video, which debuts Oct. 16, provides additional exposure.

In addition, Keys can be heard on Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind” from his “The Blueprint 3” set.  She also wrote co-wrote Whitney Houston’s current hit, “Million Dollar Bill.”

Listen to "Doesn't Mean Anything" in the embedded player below.