She’s has been off music scene for about two years now. She recently had a baby in August this year. Some have said she is not musically good or her songs aren’t that good. Some have said she wasn’t Grammy material that they were surprised she was even nominated for Grammys. She got nominated for four Grammy Awards two years back to back. Back then I was a fan. There is something about her musical themes and lyrics! They usually touch on empowerment, reflection, heartache, love, etc. Keyshia Cole is said to possess a vocal range of soprano! She’s been described as having a “flexible range of R&B, the muscular punch of soul and the hard character of hip hop” and a “smoky” flavor, with a husky texture.
You must have listened to her music to know all of these by the way. The American singer, songwriter, actress, producer, and television personality Keyshia was born 15th October, 1981 (some sources say 83 meaning she’s in her mid or late 30s) in Oakland, California. She grew up in foster care in Oakland after having been adopted by Yvonne Cole. According to report, she met her biological father, Virgil Hunter, a well known boxing trainer in May 2016. Keyshia began music career early. It all started when she met MC Hammer at the age of 12 who gave Keysha a backup vocal slot and a chance to record with him while she was still a pre-teen.
She also grew up listening to her mentor Tupac Shakur. She later she met rapper Tupac Shakur. At the age of 15, she moved to Los Angeles and was later introduced to A&M Records. She then dropped her debut album, The Way It Is (2005). The album which stayed on the charts for over a year was also certified gold and platinum within weeks of release. The Way It Is is Keyshia’s breakthrough album . It spawned five singles: “Never”, “I Changed My Mind”, “(I Just Want It) To Be Over”, “I Should Have Cheated”, and “Love”.
No. 4 – Love: (It’s Cole’s “breakthrough single and the fourth single off her debut album. It was released in January 2006. It peaked at #19 on the Hot 100 and #1 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. In 2007, it won the ASCAP- American Society of Composers, Authors, Publishers R&B/Hip Hop Song. It has been certified platinum by the RIAA – Recording Industry Association of America)
Cole released her second album Just like You in September 2007 and the album debuted and peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200. It was nominated for Best Contemporary R&B Album at the 50th Grammy Awards. The album has been certified platinum in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America. This album is Keyshia Cole’s most nominated; of course most successful album. The album debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 with first week sales of 322,000, the highest of Cole’s career (you know what I mean). The album has been certified platinum by the RIAA. Keyshia Cole also clinched a variety of nominations for the album, including four Grammys, Best Contemporary R&B Album, and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 2008 Grammy Awards and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song at the 2009 Grammy Awards.
Yup! There are very dope singles on ‘Just Like You’. The album was preceded by #1 hit single “Let It Go” featuring Missy Elliott and Lil’ Kim which sold over one million copies in the US and has since been certified platinum by RIAA. “Heaven Sent” also from the album is third #1 on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Another single off the album titled “I Remember” reached #1 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and the Billboard Hot 100. Keyshia Cole dropped her 3rd album –A Different Me in December 2008. The album was preceded by lead single “Playa Cardz Right”, with a posthumous feature from Oakland-native and her past mentor, Tupac Shakur.
Three months after the birth of her first son, Keyshia Cole returned to the music industry in June 2010, she released her first single featuring the rap star, Nicki Minaj while featuring many more collaborations with Timbaland, Nicki Minaj, Tank, and Faith Evanson and her mother Dr. Yvonne Cole on a gospel track on her 4th studio album, Calling All Hearts released in December 2010. A song off the titled “Take Me Away” off the album clinched an award by the way. Shortly after her 4th, Keyshia came out with her fifth studio album Woman to Woman in November 2012. Right now, we push in #3 and #2 back to back. More hits coming through from her second album right after you better stay here!
No: 3 – Take Me Away: (Released in February 2011 off her third album “Calling All Hearts”. The song has since release peaked #27 on the Billboard US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. In 2011, the song won The JSB Award in the category Mp3 Music Awards. Video for the song was premiered on VEVO in April 2011)
No: 2 – You Feat. Remy Ma & French Montana (Lead single released on January 27, 2017 from her seventh studio album of October 2017)
Tip Off/Bonus: Let It Go feat. Missy Elliott and Lil’ Kim off her second album. One of her biggest collaborations that got nominated at the 2008 Grammy awards – Best Rap/Sung Collaboration category.
Were you fan of Keyshia back in the day? She happens to be our #AOTW on the show for the next few days across all radio station where this show airs in Nigeria and of course online. It’s also her birth month which is a coincidence. She had few other collabs afterwards one of that was used as soundtrack in the movie “Why Did I Get Married?” She also made made several guest appearances on various songs in early to mid-2008.
Of course Keyshia Cole didn’t just stop on the fifth album guys! She came through with a couple more before she went MIA on fans like Keenzaynab! Actually in the course of her albums release, she had certain management/record label issues. She went from Geffen, back to Interscope Records its parent label, then to Manny Halley – which appeared to be managing her the last time we checked because she released her sixth studio album, “Point of No Return” through the management in October 2014
Unfortunately, Keyshia’s seventh studio album – 11:11 Reset which was released exactly two years ago has been a commercial failure and Coles lowest selling album to date. Are you wondering what happened? Is it her being away for about 3 years? Is she not musically talented for real? Perhaps she’s just meant for Movies? Is it marital/divorce issue? I definitely cannot answer all those questions at this time. But I know for a fact, that she appears happy and fulfilled from my latest research on her.
ALBUMS: The Way It Is (2005), Just Like You (2007), A Different Me (2008), Calling All Hearts (2010), Woman to Woman (2012), Point of No Return (2014) and 11:11 Reset (2017).
She’s headline the following tours: A Different Me Tour (2009), Woman to Woman Tour (2013), Point of No Return Tour (2014)11:11 Reset Tour (2018)
AWARD & NOMINATION: Nominated For BET, Grammys. Won ASCAP, Early Entertainment Awards (Video of The WeekHeaven Sent) and few others
No. 1 – Heaven Sent (off her 2nd album –Just Like You- the song was up for two Grammy nominations in 2009- Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song categories didn’t win). It was her third No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. It peaked at No. 1 for nine consecutive weeks; on the Billboard Hot 100, it peaked at #28.It charted on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart for 55 weeks.
Some little Facts About KC
– Every song on fer fifth studio album “Woman to Woman” (2012) has nearly some details on jealousy, pride, punishment, self-respect, the led-up, and the aftermath”. The album’s lyrics revolved around “emotionally painful romantic issues”.
– Cole cites Mary J. Blige as one of her greatest musical inspirations, along with R&B singers Brandy and Monica. In an interview, Cole spoke about artists from the 1980s such as “Anita Baker, LL Cool J. She also referenced Queen Latifah
– 2014 during an interview Keyshia Cole announced and confirmed that she and Gibson had broken up before she announced their divorce in 2017.
– On May 3, 2019, Cole announced via her Instagram that she is expecting her second child, a baby boy with boyfriend, Niko Khale. The boy was welcomed just on 1stAugust, 2019.
@KeyshiaCole 😍😍😍