Keyshia Cole was a major player and one of the most prominent figures in the contemporary R&B scene during the 2000s. Although Cole is known most for her proficiency at heartbreak material, she’s also recorded seductive songs and club-oriented tracks that were warmly greeted.
In turn, Cole became a household name and expanded upon that success with numerous hits and three consecutive platinum albums. Even though Cole’s radio and chart presence has been sporadic over the years, she deserves recognition for her commitment to paying it forward.
Cole sets an inspiring example for her fans by collaborating with women she’d revered (Monica, Faith Evans and Ashanti) and remaining authentic in her music and reality TV appearances. Sharing her struggles and triumphs, Cole shows the importance of giving back.
Below, Rated R&B ranks all seven of Keyshia Cole’s albums as a tribute to her legendary status.
7. 11:11 Reset (2017)
Quietly recorded and released for Epic Records, 11:11 Reset accounts for mostly lyrics awash in moving past an unsuitable lover. The clearest evidence of Cole’s grievance is “You,” the most dismissive track on the set, where she pairs with Remy Ma and French Montana. Romantic aggravation and its side effects have Cole tearless and unmoved on “Emotional,” an impeccably sung ballad. There’s a shift from expressing pain to seeking genuine companionship in “Vault,” a highlight with a thick bassline. Nothing is quite as sexy as “Act Right” featuring Young Thug, or as aplomb as “Unbothered.” The on-sight, Kamaiyah-assisted “Ride” transforms 2Pac’s “Hail Mary” from an expression of protection to one of a serious threat. Bottom line, Cole confidently expresses her refusal to accommodate nonsense male behavior and impasses. 11:11 Reset is a highly enjoyable album, albeit one that’s best put to use when you’re waving off a soon-to-be ex. — Antwane Folk
Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Tidal
6. Point of No Return (2014)
Cole’s final album on Interscope Records didn’t go without a few bumps in the road. After dropping back-to-back singles “Next Time (Won’t Give My Heart Away)” and “Rick James” in March 2014, Cole moved Point of No Return from a July to October release. To tide over fans, Cole dropped two more songs ahead of the album’s release. While the album didn’t produce radio hits like Cole’s previous works and opened with 26,000 copies sold, it still landed No. 9 on the Billboard 200. Point of No Return may not be Cole’s strongest effort, but it certainly highlights her ability to unveil her raw emotions through storytelling lyrics.
“Next Time” is introspective as much as it is confrontational. She addresses the turmoil of her dwindling relationship stemming from constant arguments and infidelity while asserting that she will no longer allow herself to be in this toxic space. The soul-stirring “Remember (Part 2)” is a callback to her 2007 smash “I Remember.” Point of No Return doesn’t just find Cole steeped in heartbreak; it also showcases her confident and sensual side. The trunk-rattling “New Nu” is a kiss-off anthem filled with captionable lyrics, while the Stargate-produced “Believer” takes a voyage between the sheets. Point of No Return bids a farewell to the past while anticipating the next chapter. — Keithan Samuels
Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Tidal
5. Calling All Hearts (2010)
Keyshia Cole’s fourth album, Calling All Hearts, deserved better. Sure, it debuted at No. 9 on the Billboard 200 with 128,000 copies sold in the first week. But for Cole, whose previous album, A Different Me, sold 322,000 units in the first week, and her other two albums were platinum-selling, it was a commercial hiccup. The album’s lead single, “I Ain’t Thru” featuring Nicki Minaj, and its follow-up, “Take Me Away,” as good as they are, didn’t fully capture its grandeur. Though the J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League-produced promo track “Long Way Down,” which should’ve been an official single, did indicate Cole’s calls were worth picking up.
Calling All Hearts, like all of Cole’s album titles, is pretty straightforward. The album is replete with songs that cater to all sorts of hearts — fulfilled, broken, and in between. It makes sense, considering half of the album was recorded while Cole was single and pessimistic about finding love, and the other was recorded after she met her then-fianceé Daniel Gibson. Calling All Hearts is a lovely depiction of Cole’s growth as a vocalist. She held her own while dueting with Tank on “Tired of Doing Me” and on “If I Fall In Love Again” as Faith Evans rooted her own. Best of all is the Chink Santana-produced “What You Do To Me,” where Cole soars over a lush production, enlivened by crisp percussion, orchestral strings and warm keys, about love’s euphoria. — Keithan Samuels
Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Tidal
4. Woman to Woman (2012)
All the promise of Woman to Woman came true for Keyshia Cole after her previous album, Calling All Hearts, was neither presented nor received by fans like her previous releases. Refreshingly, Cole deviates from writing only from her perspective, enlisting the lyrical ideas of new studio associates, such as Elijah Blake, whose fingerprints are on several tracks, including “I Choose You,” the whole-souled confessional that several R&B divas browsed.
“Trust and Believe,” an anguished cinematic ballad, proved she could still dish relatable platitudes, while the tea-spilling titular track featuring Ashanti reaffirmed Cole’s love for duets. Cole makes a strong case for becoming a hip-hop soul royal, having two rap-sung songs on the set. One of these, “Zero,” features Meek Mill and references the idea that love based on lies will ultimately leave one with nothing. Enticed by all-night intimacy, Cole gets sensual with a co-write from The-Dream. Overall, Woman to Woman is remarkably consistent and satisfying and, criminally, deserves more. — Antwane Folk
Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Tidal
3. The Way It Is (2005)
This album needs no introduction. Keyshia Cole had something to say on her debut album, The Way It Is, and she didn’t hold back. Thredded by soulful production, Cole’s first outing is a raw collection of songs that document the emotional turmoil of a breakup. She’s exasperated by her unfaithful lover more than anything, as heard in the opening track, “(I Just Want It) To Be Over” and its follow-up “I Changed My Mind,” produced by Kanye West. “I don’t love you no more,” Cole declares on the kiss-off anthem, before kicking him to the curb on “Guess What” featuring Jadakiss. A sense of betrayal looms in “Love, I Thought You Had My Back,” a sobering reality that the same four-letter word that brings us joy and fulfillment can have some side effects of angst and emptiness.
The album’s centerpiece, “Love,” is where Cole bares it all. The histrionic ballad, backed by an acoustic guitar, orchestral strings and somber bass, hears Cole singing from the pits of her heart about a stir of emotions bubbling within after seeing an ex with someone else. Cole’s vocal performance on the gut-wrenching track is what drives the song home. The way her rasp evokes a vocal cry is reminiscent of Mary J. Blige’s rendition of Rose Royce’s “I’m Goin Down.”
“Love” went on to become Cole’s signature song that has transcended generations. Look no further than 2023, nearly two decades after its release, a viral video of middle schoolers belting the lyrics to “Love,” the album’s final single, at their school dance like it was 2005. After setting TikTok ablaze, younger folks from around the country gravitated towards it. Cole even made a surprise visit to another school to perform with them.
The Way It Is isn’t all angst, though. Deep cuts like the dreamy “We Could Be” and the flirtatious “Down and Dirty” hear Cole wanting to take a chance on love. Even during heartwarming moments, Cole still bears that same raw, passionate performance that we hear when she’s forlorn. It all ties back into the album’s title: Whatever Keyshia Cole is feeling, she’s going to deliver it in a raw and unrefined manner — and that’s just the way it is. — Keithan Samuels
Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Tidal
2. Just Like You (2007)
Still climbing in 2007, Keyshia Cole emerged with even more hitmaking power than ever before with Just Like You, giving rise to three No. 1 hits, including “Heaven Sent” and “Let It Go” featuring Missy Elliott and Lil’ Kim. Between those handfuls are equally great album tracks, with the brightest being “Fallin’ Out,” a misty number where she’s encountering romantic pitfalls with a newly inattentive lover. The sinfully brief “Same Thing” presents a short and intense argument about repeated mistakes.
On the other hand, “Work It Out” uses a conversational style to describe a scene where Cole admits her faults in the hopes that her partner will do the same to fix their broken relationship. In her almost 20-year career, Cole has created two title tracks. The one featured on this album is particularly impactful as it breaks down the barrier between celebrity and listeners, conveying a poignant emotion that reminds us she is just like us. Cole didn’t experience a sophomore slump at the slightest with Just Like You. Honestly, album two will always stand out brightly in Cole’s discography. — Antwane Folk
Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Tidal
1. A Different Me (2008)
After achieving massive success with her first two albums — The Way It Is and Just Like You — Keyshia Cole was ready to expand her horizons with her third offering, A Different Me. She told Billboard in 2008, “It’s a different me this time: a young woman who’s still growing and finding myself, exploring life through different routes musically and in other areas.”
What makes A Different Me Cole’s best isn’t its commercial success — though it did mark her strongest first-week sales with 322,000 copies — but how she took an artistic risk, venturing into new sonic territory while still honoring the pillars built on her debut and sophomore albums.
On A Different Me, Cole experiments with styles like rock soul (“Make Me Over”) and country-pop (“This Is Us”) as she embraces the light side of love, notably in songs like the heartwarming ballad “You Complete Me.” The romance flows from the dancefloor (“Please Don’t Stop”) to the bedroom (“Brand New”).
Although Cole steps outside of her comfort zone with A Different Me, she doesn’t abandon her hip-hop soul roots, as heard in the album’s central tracks: “No Other” featuring Amina Harris, “Oh-Oh, Yeah-Yea” featuring Nas, and “Playa Cardz Right” featuring 2Pac. With A Different Me, the then-27-year-old reintroduced herself and affirmed that her story is more than heartache and pain. — Keithan Samuels
Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Tidal
