In the first segment of our two part intimate sit down with Grammy nominated songstress Keyshia Cole, she opens up about writing her new album Woman to Woman for her fans, not receiving advice from Mary J. Blige, the current state of R&B and more. As previously reported by Singersroom, Cole is working on her fifth studio album, which is led by the first single “Enough Of No Love” featuring rapper Lil Wayne.
Watch our exclusive video interview above and/or read some excerpts below:
On Writing Woman to Woman … Writing this new album, I brought a couple of songwriters on and I decided to collaborate with a few because the girls wanted to hear some more, not angry, but I’m done with the foolishness types of songs. I figured if I bring somebody on that are experienced in some of those things, I can always go back to a place where I’ve been hurt before; bring my ideas to the table…
On Catering to Fans … I feel like the songs are for the fans anyway, If what makes them happy is to have music that helps them get over relationships of people that are doing no good, then I’m totally for it.
On Remaining Positive … When I write from a standpoint of being hurt, I think in my everyday life…I would say to never do anybody the way you’ve been done. I never wish hurt and pain on anybody that has caused hurt and pain on myself…Of course sometimes I’m human and I’m emotional and I may be upset at something someone has done to me and I might not speak to them…but I’ve never done anybody the way that they have done me.
On Changing The Past … If I look back, I would change the last album because I would want my fans to be happy and the last album didn’t make them happy. I would totally wanna go back and re-record that album and do something that helps them in their everyday lives.
On Writing From a Different Place … For one, I was pregnant when I wrote some of that album. It was more about myself and how I felt about my husband…I wrote some songs about my family on that album; it was more personal.
On The Current State of R&B … I think that we’re doing a good job. Brandy, I love her new song, I love Melanie Fiona’s voice, Miguel is doing a great job, Trey Songz is doing great, Chris Brown is more Pop than R&B, but he’s doing equally as great.
On Being Compared to Mary J Blige and others compared to her … I’m very happy to have been compared to such a wonderful woman, a strong woman. The only thing that I would’ve changed, that I am now here to do for those that come after me, is to lend a helping hand. I feel that even if it’s not me saying I’m gonna record with you, I’m gonna work with you or let’s go hang out or anything like that; we don’t have to be friends, but at the end of the day, being able to give advice or help somebody that is coming under you is an amazing gift to be able to have. I wish I would have had that from Mary, but I’m not Mary, I’m a different person and if K. Michelle ever call me or anybody for that matter, for advice, I would absolutely give it to them.
Stay tuned for part two where Keyshia will touch on family.
Watch this Interview on Youtube HERE.
Grammy Award-nominated singer and songwriter Keyshia Cole has been making music for almost two decades, but she shows no signs of slowing down. In a recent interview, the R&B powerhouse shared her thoughts on writing her new album, changing the past, seeking advice from Mary J. Blige — or not — and more. It’s an illuminating glimpse into the mind of one of our most beloved artists: let’s dive in!
Keyshia is a force to be reckoned with in the music industry. She started out as a background vocalist before launching her solo career at age 21. Nearly 20 years later, Keyshia still makes us swoon with her powerful vocals and heartfelt lyrics. So how does she continue to stay creative? According to Keyshia, it all starts with writing songs that are personal yet relatable. “I want people to feel like they’re going through what I’m going through,” she says. “That’s why I write so much about my life.”
In addition to creating music, Keyshia also discusses wanting to change certain aspects of her past if given the chance. From turning back time on mistakes made in relationships to regretting missed opportunities in business deals, it’s clear that there are some things Keyshia wishes could have gone differently over the course of her career. But even though she can’t turn back time, we appreciate hearing this insight from such an influential artist who isn’t afraid to show vulnerability when speaking about herself and others around her.
Keyshia Cole’s Creative Process
As a singer/songwriter, Keyshia Cole has created some of the most memorable songs in R&B music. Her creative process is unique and engaging, with each song offering an intimate peek into her thoughts. In this interview, she talks about how she wrote her latest album, “11:11 Reset” and what it was like to revisit old memories while writing it.
When asked about her creative process for writing the album, Keyshia said that she starts by listening to different beats until one inspires her lyrics. She finds inspiration from many different sources such as conversations with family and friends or experiences in daily life. After finding her muse, she goes ahead to write down whatever comes to mind at that moment without worrying too much about grammar or structure. This helps keep things organic for her when coming up with ideas for the song’s melody and arrangement later on.
Though Mary J Blige is often seen as a mentor figure within the R&B community, Keyshia did not take advice from Blige while creating this album; instead choosing to take control of every aspect herself – even if it meant making mistakes along the way. Despite these risks though, Keyshia found revisiting past moments through this project incredibly rewarding and therapeutic – reminding us all that sometimes we need to look back before we can move forward properly.
Reflections On Changing The Past
As Keyshia’s latest project reveals, we all have moments in our past that we wish we could change. But as she has come to learn, it isn’t always possible to go back and alter the course of events in our lives. Rather than getting stuck trying to fix what can’t be changed though, Keyshia believes it is important to focus on being present and accepting things for what they are – even if they aren’t ideal.
By embracing this idea, Keyshia was able to open herself up creatively when writing “11:11 Reset” and explore her fears and regrets with a newfound sense of freedom. She found strength in allowing herself to give voice to these thoughts without judgment or expectation; something which ultimately resulted in a more authentic product overall.
Through this album, Keyshia encourages us all to try taking stock of our own experiences every once in awhile too – especially those from the past – as it can help provide clarity on where we want to go next. It may not be easy, but it could prove invaluable for helping us understand ourselves better and move forward with purpose.
Conclusion
I have to say, Keyshia Cole is a truly inspiring artist. Her creative process and reflections on changing the past were truly eye-opening. Listening to her talk about how she creates music was an experience that I won’t soon forget.
It’s incredible to see someone take control of their own career and be so invested in what they do. She isn’t afraid to follow her intuition when it comes to writing songs or coming up with ideas for albums. And while Mary J Blige has been a great mentor, Keyshia doesn’t need anyone else telling her what direction to go in – she knows exactly where she wants to go!
Overall, this interview really opened my eyes as far as understanding creativity and the importance of being true to yourself goes. It’s clear that Keyshia Cole is passionate about her craft and will continue making amazing music for years to come.
Founder and Creator of Singersroom.com and IncredibleWork.com. Follow me on Instagram at @gary.gentles.
