EXCLUSIVE: Alicia Keys on Being One of Hurricane Sandy's Celebrity Victims

 Alicia Keys and hubby Swizz Beatz were among a slew of New York City-based celebrities who were left without power or water because of Hurricane Sandy.

The couple chose to leave their $17-million penthouse in lower Manhattan due to a loss of power after the super storm surge on Monday night. Keys tells ESSENCE.com her family found refuge at her mother Teresa’s apartment. “I was fortunate because my mother’s place didn’t lose power so we were able to take shelter with her,” she said.

“Losing power was interesting, especially when you have to entertain a little boy,” she said referring to her two-year-old son Egypt. “But it was cool — he’s so imaginative so it all worked out.”

The power finally returned to Keys’ elite Soho neighborhood on Friday night after four days of a blackout.

Despite the inconvenience caused by Hurricane Sandy — Keys also had to postpone her annual Black Ball — the native New Yorker was more concerned with those less fortunate. “My heart really goes out to all the people out there going through crazy circumstances that they never imagined,” she said, “I really feel for people and am reaching out in any way I can.”

So what did the super storm teach the superstar? “I think I learned that I’m not nearly as prepared as I need to be,” she said. “God forbid there’s anything else coming – but if it did, I want to be more prepared about how to handle it and be able to ride it out.”

A few hours before the power returned to her neighborhood, Keys appeared on a special episode of Jimmy Kimmel taped in Brooklyn, where she recorded a PSA called “Helping Parents to Rock” for parents who want to maintain their rockstar status. Watch it below: