On Calling All Hearts, Keyshia Cole dares to break tragic, hood-chick mold
After a Patchwerk listening session in Atlanta, she spoke bluntly about her past, her pain, and moving forward
In the current cookie-cutter state of music, it’s very rare to come across artists who are actually challenging themselves and actively seeking to evolve. But that’s exactly what Keyshia Cole has dared to do, right before our eyes.
?
Since entering the urban music landscape in 2005 with her debut album The Way It Is, Cole has consistently been underrated. Until her hit BET reality show, also titled “The Way It Is,” Cole lacked much of the mainstream name recognition of many of her contemporaries. And, even now, despite her first two albums going platinum and her last album going gold, Cole still doesn’t quite get the recognition that her talent warrants. It’s a position that she’s pretty much played most of her life.
?
Cole’s personal struggles are no secret. Hailing from Oakland, born to a mother addicted to crack and raised by another woman whom she also calls mom, Cole’s entire life has been an uphill battle. As callous as it may sound, hers is a life almost tailor-made for the spotlight. Like her idol Mary J. Blige, Cole is an urban Cinderella who found her glass slipper in a recording booth.
?
It’s been far from happily ever after, though. As reflected in hit songs like “Love” and “(I Just Want It) To Be Over,” Cole has thrived off of sharing her many snapshots of pain. It’s helped her win legions of loyal fans. With her latest album, Calling All Hearts, much like her idol Blige, she stands at a crossroads. To say her life has dramatically changed is an understatement. In her love life alone, she’s gone from a rollercoaster relationship with rapper Young Jeezy to one of almost model stability with NBA baller Daniel Gibson, whom she is engaged to and now has a son with.