Keyshia Cole’s journey through the music industry has been a tough one. With a childhood spent growing up in various foster homes and her mother’s addiction to drugs and prostitution, the Oakland, California-raised singer had the odds stacked up against her right from the start. But, she has successfully managed to make music from real-life situations. Emmanuel Ezugwu chats with the star, dubbed ‘the princess of hip-hop soul’, about her new album, new outlook and those Mary J Blige comparisons.
A lot has been made of your new look. Where would you say your newfound sexiness has come from?
Well, I’m getting older and I feel more comfortable within myself.
How would you describe your new look?
I would say it’s edgy and sweet.
What made you change your hairstyle to a shorter blonde look?
I guess it’s because I needed a change. I’m a changing girl and I feel like I’m always evolving. There are always different things you can do.
You’ve been through considerable changes in your life since entering the music business…
Yes, my life has changed drastically since I came into the music industry, but it’s growth and that’s always good.
Your confidence means you’re often mistaken for being a diva. Does that get on your nerves now when people say that you’re difficult?
I haven’t heard that.
Really? No one has called you a diva?
Yeah…
A lot of websites and blogs make you out as a diva.
Oh God, that’s so out of this world! There’s no truth, not at all, but I would say I’m confident and I don’t let people walk all over me.
In a recent interview with Tyra Banks, you said you don’t have many celebrity friends. Why is that?
I think ‘friend’ is a really strong word and you don’t get that many of them in a lifetime. Most of my friends are people I’ve known for quite a while.
Your first album, ‘The Way It Is’, was released in 2005 and was a big success for you. Did you experience any pressure when making this album?
Not at all. I didn’t even think about it. I kinda just went with what I was feeling and that was that.
‘I Changed My Mind’, ‘I Should Have Cheated’, and ‘(I Just Want It) To Be Over’ strike a chord with most people, especially women. However, those songs do come across as being unfair on men. Would you agree?
Not necessarily, because I’m a human being before I’m a woman and I have feelings like everyone else. A man is not excluded out of the situation at all. I feel like a man can feel the same way towards a woman as the woman feels about him. Before we’re men and woman we’re human beings and we all have feelings. I think that’s fair to say.
If you were to take some of your tracks as realistic snapshots of your life, it would seem like you’ve been hurt and let down by men quite a bit …
Well, you know what? I’ve been through some situations, but I’m still very young and you know when we’re young we’re immature and we experience things that we just don’t understand. We can hurt the next individual, boyfriend or girlfriend and that’s the situation with us - I think that was the case with me.
Are you dating anyone? According to some reports you’ve been dating the rapper Young Jeezy …
You’ve gotta stay off the blogs, babe. You have gotta stay off the blogs, child (laughs). That is so funny, but no.
I know, but they are so addictive! Do you not ever check any of the blogs or google yourself?
No! Not at all!
Why is that?
I don’t know. I don’t have a computer (laughs). Yeah, I’m not in the world right now with the computer thing.
Let’s talk about your reality show on BET. The program follows you as you attempt to build a relationship with your mother, who had a drug habit and was in jail at the start of the series. That was a very brave move to put it out there like that. What made you want to do it?
Well, initially I kept in mind that the young kids look up to me. There’s a lot of things that I would do behind the music. I wanted people to know that growing up in situations like mine doesn’t limit your dreams.
Is it hard to have camera in your face when you’re going through something so personal?
Not really, because I trust my judgement. When going into that situation I kept in mind that the young kids who would really be looking up to me for answers and that’s how I went about it.
The show has been the most-watched programme in BET’s history! How does that make you feel?
You know what? God is good! He really is, and I appreciate every opportunity. It’s like a family over at BET and I appreciate everybody over there. Its always a fun and great experience.
With your music career, a TV show and a film (Keyshia will star in the movie, ‘How She Moves’) in the pipeline, you’re seen as a role model to a lot of people. Does that faze you at all?
I definitely have a responsibility and I took heed to that the moment that God blessed me with the opportunity. Yeah, you have to be responsible.
Are you 100 per cent happy with the new album, ‘Just Like You’?
Thank you! I’m happy with the album. I love every song on the album. But next time I would want to take a little bit more time.
Did you feel like you were rushed?
No, I wasn’t at all rushed, but I know me and the more that I get into the groove of recording the more I get my feelings out on wax, the better the record becomes. I want to see exactly where I can go with it next time.
How do you feel you’ve changed as an artist from your first album?
I’ve evolved into a young woman. On the first album I was coming directly from the hood. There’s a lot of things that I won’t do now but I would have done then - in terms of negativity. I’ve just got that all out of my life now.
You remind a lot of people of a young version of Mary J Blige. What do you think about the comparisons?
It’s amazing! It’s wonderful! Mary has grown from a situation and she’s turned into a lovely woman and it’s definitely something I look forward to doing.
