Keyshia Myeshia Cole

A woman who has dealt with drug, violence, and other dangerous things has a way of fighting through it all. She has told herself from the very start that she would find a way out of the unbearable lifestyle her and her family was in, promised herself that she would help her mother, and most importantly keep her promise to herself of becoming a singer. That woman is Keyshia Cole. Cole had a determination in her mind that she stay focused on, she wanted to sing her heart out, it was a way for an escape. She just wants to escape from all the pain, hurt, and neglect. For Cole growing up in Oakland, California things were not always at their best. Between having a mom who wasn’t fully there for her and not being completely aware of whom her father was, she didn’t have the typical childhood most will. Cole, since she was young promised herself to keep her music career alive. It was one of the things that matter too her most. Cole is proven to be an inspiration to young girls because of how she respects herself as well as her body, “A self-described "hard worker" who can sometimes be "goofy" and "fun" yet says she would never kiss a guy she doesn't know for a video, Keyshia is passionate about providing inspiration to young girls, and young people in general, who come from troubled backgrounds."I want to be an example for young people, especially growing up in the 'hood, because it's already hard enough to not be focused, not to be trying, to be doing something," { KEYSHIA COLE BIOGRAPHY}.

Work Consulted

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Jones, Steve. "Cole's 'Calling' basks in healing." USA Today 21 Dec. 2010: 04D. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 12 May 2011.

"Keyshia Cole : Biography." Keyshia Cole | Official Site. Web. 12 May 2011. .

"KEYSHIA COLE BIOGRAPHY." Lyrics. Web. 12 May 2011.

"Yahoo! Image Detail for - Http://l.yimg.com/a/i/us/sch/gr3/404.png." Yahoo! Image Search. Web. 19 May 2011. .

Keyshia Cole, a dedicated woman who has been through it all makes an real life example of someone who was once at the very bottom and dug her way out to make it to the tip top. She is a woman who is dedicated to be the best she can be. "Being young, you have to be really dedicated to doing it for yourself," says Keyshia, who co-wrote most of the songs on her new CD and cites artists like Mary J. Blige and Brandy as inspirations. "There's a lot of trials and tribulations you have to go through to get what you want, especially if you feel like it belongs to you." {KEYSHIA COLE BIOGRAPHY}. Taking a step in Cole’s shoes, it’s sometimes hard to let people know what you’ve been through, all the struggles you’ve made, etc. Cole lets people know the real her by expressing it through the emotional factor of her songs. “Keyshia Cole is the real deal. Like many young people raised in a tough neighborhood, the 21-year-old songstress endured a tumultuous childhood in Oakland, California, and has fought all her life to keep her dream of a music career alive. Now she's realizing that dream on her own terms with her first album for the A&M label, The Way It Is. It's been a long road for Keyshia, but it's her powerful voice-- a bell-like instrument whose soaring clarity is topped off with a tantalizing touch of soulful grit -- that's carried her through, not to mention the diminutive singer's personal combination of sugar, spice, sass and sex appeal, along with a solid-steel spine.{KEYSHIA COLE BIOGRAPHY}. This shows that Cole is not one to give up despite everything that went on in her life she still had hope of gaining a music career for her. Now here she is today, a woman of her words, she kept that promise to herself to make a change in her life and not let the past effect her future. Sometimes the little things a person does really matter later in life, for example your attitude towards things and your outlook on the world, you career, etc. Keyshia’s talent and outlook on things has gotten her very far within her music career just as how she wanted. “Keyshia's talent, personality, and faith have won her fans and supporters within the notoriously picky entertainment industry since she was a young girl. While still a pre-teen she convinced then-superstar MC Hammer that he should put her on, and she even got a chance to do some recording with the rap star before she was 12 years old. She also scored sessions singing hooks with other Bay Area artists, including Messy Marv's "Nubian Queen" remix, which was a regional hit for the rapper, and with Tony Toni Tone's Dwayne Wiggins, who featured her on his soundtrack for the indie film Me & Mrs. Jones.{KEYSHIA COLE BIOGRAPHY}. Evan at a young ago Cole was recognized for who she was and what she did. It’s what keeps her moving in business, to always be positive about things.

“Reflecting on her career, KEYSHIA humbly acknowledges “the realities [in my songs] allow people to come into my life to let them know not only am I speaking from a place they can understand, but also they can see that I’ve been to the bottom and made it to the top.”{KEYSHIA COLE BIOGRAPHY}. Although Cole is a person with a strong soul, and seems to be the one to ride solo, that’s not always the case, Cole needs and wanted that partnership with “the one”. “On the edgy Tired of Doing Me featuring Tank, Cole yearns for companionship, and she's cautiously optimistic on Long Way Down. She catalogs her requirements for a man on If I Fall in Love Again, which features fellow vocal powerhouse Faith Evans, and anticipates being swept off her feet on Take Me Away. She's clearly found what she was searching for on What You Do to Me and Better Me. It bears watching whether fans used to hearing about her troubles can get used to her being happy for a change.” {Jones}. This side of Cole is the side more hidden in her opinion, as much as people see her as the one to “flow on her own” she’s not afraid to let people know she cannot always do it on her own. Reality begins to set in for Cole, when things start to get hard on her and have a quick snowlball effect all emotion begin to make their way through. “The realities surrounding where she was raised and the hurdles she overcame are never far from her mind. She says she recorded the tune "Streets Is a Mothaf**a" because the lyrics reflected some true-to-life scenarios, including crime, drugs, and the hustles that come with survival. "It's just different things that we see in the 'hood that we never see in Hollywood. I liked the contents of the song, because I felt like no girls talked about it," she says.”{KEYSHIA COLE BIOGRAPHY}. Personally it takes a lot of strength and courage to keep composure and learn to let go of the past and move forward. Cole does an excellent job of showing how sometimes the best thing to do is let things, keep your head held high, and just move on in life. With the struggles, frustration, and drama Cole has dealt with she has a strong soul and is appreciated and respected for her strength.

Cole a woman with a sweet soul and one who respects herself and who wants to set an good example to other young girl because she doesn’t want to see them go through what she had to. Keyshia Cole inspires me because she is a woman who shows strength and even when everything feels like it’s crashing down on her she keeps her head held high and looks at things in a positive way. I appreciate how Cole is a true and humble human being, although she is famous through the world she finds herself better-off being down to earth and honest. "I want to be an example for young people, especially growing up in the 'hood, because it's already hard enough to not be focused, not to be trying, to be doing something,"{KEYSHIA COLE BIOGRAPHY}. This quote from Cole quickly caught my attention because like myself, other girls and I can actually relate to what she says and it feels good to know you have someone like Cole who also understands what you feel like and what you’ve gone through. Here you learn about a woman who is strong-willed, inspirational to all, but most importantly me, Keyshia Cole will continue to be my hero one, for everything she been through and two, the fact that she never gave up only keep finding way to progress herself, her family, and others.