Keyshia Cole facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Keyshia Cole
Cole in 2017
Born	Keyshia Myeshia Johnson (1981-10-15) October 15, 1981 (age 43) Oakland, California, U.S.
Education	Tracy High School
Occupation	Singer songwriter television personality actress
Years active	1998–present
Spouse(s)	Daniel Gibson ​ ​ (m. 2011; div. 2020)​
Children	2
Parent(s)	Virgil Hunter (father)
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Genres	R&B hip hop soul
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	Epic Sony BMG Imani Interscope Geffen A&M

Keyshia Cole (born October 15, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She is known for her powerful voice and emotional songs. Many music experts have called her the "Princess of Hip-Hop Soul."

Keyshia grew up in Oakland, California. She started her music journey singing backup for MC Hammer. Later, she signed with A&M Records. Her first album, The Way It Is, came out in 2005. It featured the popular song "Love". This album became very successful, selling over a million copies.

Because of her success, Keyshia starred in her own reality TV show on BET. It was called Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is. The show followed her life, career, and family. It became one of the most-watched shows on the network.

Her next two albums, Just Like You (2007) and A Different Me (2008), were also very popular. Both albums reached number two on the Billboard 200 chart. They also sold over a million copies each. Just Like You earned four Grammy Award nominations.

Keyshia continued to release music, including Calling All Hearts (2010) and Woman to Woman (2012). She also starred in another reality show with her husband, Daniel Gibson, called Keyshia & Daniel: Family First. She later released Point of No Return (2014) and 11:11 Reset (2017). From 2019 to 2020, Keyshia hosted her own talk show, One on One with Keyshia Cole.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Keyshia Myeshia Johnson was born on October 15, 1981, in Oakland, California. Her biological parents are Francine "Frankie" Lons and boxing trainer Virgil Hunter. Keyshia has both African-American and Mexican heritage.

When she was two years old, Keyshia was adopted by family friends, Leon and Yvonne Cole. She then changed her last name to Cole. At age 12, Keyshia entered the music world with her brother, Sean. She even recorded music with MC Hammer.

Keyshia became friends with the famous rapper Tupac Shakur. He promised to help her start her singing career. Sadly, Tupac passed away unexpectedly. At 16, Keyshia joined a local youth group called the East Oakland Youth Development Center.

When she was 18, Keyshia moved to Los Angeles to follow her dream of becoming a singer. She worked with artists from her home area, the Bay Area. In 2002, she met Ron Fair from A&M Records. He signed her after hearing one of her songs.

Music Career Highlights

Starting with The Way It Is (2004–2006)

Keyshia Cole's first single, "Never", came out in 2004. It was part of the soundtrack for the movie Barbershop 2: Back in Business. This song later became the last track on her first album.

Her debut album, The Way It Is, was released on June 21, 2005. It quickly became popular, selling many copies in its first week. The album has sold over 2 million copies worldwide.

The song "Love" was released in 2006. It became a huge hit, reaching number 19 on the Hot 100 chart. It also hit number one on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. This song is seen as Keyshia's big breakthrough.

Growing Success with Just Like You and A Different Me (2007–2009)

Cole at the BET Hip Hop Awards in Atlanta in 2007

Keyshia started working on her second album in 2006. The making of this album was shown on the second season of her reality TV show. Her second album, Just Like You, was released on September 25, 2007. It debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart.

This album also sold over a million copies in the US. It included hit singles like "Let It Go" (with Missy Elliott and Lil' Kim) and "Heaven Sent". Both songs reached number one on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. "Heaven Sent" stayed at number one for nine weeks!

Keyshia received four Grammy nominations for Just Like You. She was nominated for awards like Best Contemporary R&B Album. She also appeared on songs with other artists like Diddy and Jaheim.

The third season of Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is started in October 2008. It showed Keyshia's family life and gave a peek into her third album, A Different Me. This album was released on December 16, 2008. It also debuted at number two on the Billboard 200. It has sold over a million copies in the US. The album featured the song "Playa Cardz Right" with Tupac Shakur.

To promote her music, Keyshia went on her first headlining tour, the A Different Me Tour, in 2009. She also appeared on magazine covers and collaborated with artists like Keri Hilson and R. Kelly.

New Music: Calling All Hearts and Woman to Woman (2010–2013)

Keyshia returned to music in June 2010. She sang with B.o.B and Eminem at the 2010 BET Awards. On her birthday, October 15, 2010, she released her single "I Ain't Thru" with Nicki Minaj.

Her fourth album, Calling All Hearts, came out on December 21, 2010. It featured collaborations with Timbaland and Faith Evans. Keyshia performed songs from the album on TV shows like The Tonight Show and 106 & Park.

Cole performing at the Essence Music Festival in 2013

Keyshia started working on her fifth album soon after. She worked with talented writers and producers. Her fifth album, Woman to Woman, was released on November 19, 2012. It debuted at number 10 on the Billboard 200. This made it Keyshia's fifth album in a row to reach the top 10.

The first single from Woman to Woman was "Enough of No Love", featuring Lil Wayne. It was released in July 2012. The song reached number seven on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart. Keyshia then went on her third concert tour, the Woman to Woman Tour, to support the album.

Later Albums and TV Shows (2014–Present)

In 2014, Keyshia released her album Point of No Return. It featured artists like Juicy J and Future. This album became her third number-one R&B album. It was also her sixth album in a row to debut in the top 10 in the United States.

In February 2015, Keyshia starred in her third BET reality series, Keyshia Cole: All In. The show explored her career, being a parent, and family life. In 2017, she joined the cast of Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood.

On October 20, 2017, Keyshia released her seventh album, 11:11 Reset. It included songs with Remy Ma, French Montana, and DJ Khaled. In 2019, Keyshia returned to reality TV with Keyshia Cole: My New Life. She also started hosting her talk show, One on One with Keyshia Cole.

In 2020, Keyshia participated in a popular online music battle called Verzuz with singer Ashanti. In 2023, Keyshia released the song "Forever is a Thing". This song was part of her biographical TV film, Keyshia Cole: This Is My Story, which premiered on Lifetime. The movie was inspired by her mother's passing and other important life events. Later in 2023, Keyshia appeared on Nicki Minaj's song "Love Me Enough" and competed on The Masked Singer as "Candelabra."

Keyshia's Music Style

Keyshia Cole has a powerful singing voice. Her music often blends R&B, soul, and hip-hop sounds. Her songs talk about strong feelings like love, heartbreak, and self-respect.

Keyshia grew up listening to her mentor Tupac Shakur. She also looks up to other famous singers like Mary J. Blige, Faith Evans, and Monica. These artists have inspired her musical journey.

Other Projects

In October 2012, Keyshia Cole worked with shoe designer Steve Madden. They created a collection of shoes together. The collection included different styles of heels and boots. Keyshia even went on a tour to promote the shoes.

In March 2014, they released a second collection of shoes. Steve Madden said that Keyshia brings "fresh ideas" and knows what people want. In 2021, Keyshia also launched a line of bonnets and headscarves with a hair company.

Personal Life

Keyshia Cole has two children. She has a son, Daniel Hiram Jr., with former NBA player Daniel Gibson. They were married in 2011 and later divorced in 2020. Keyshia also has a second son, Tobias Khale, born in 2019, with her former boyfriend Niko Khale.

Keyshia's family has been featured in her reality TV shows. She met her biological father, Virgil Hunter, in 2016 after a paternity test. Her adoptive father, Leon Cole, Jr., passed away in 2021 from complications from COVID-19.

Discography

• The Way It Is (2005)
• Just like You (2007)
• A Different Me (2008)
• Calling All Hearts (2010)
• Woman to Woman (2012)
• Point of No Return (2014)
• 11:11 Reset (2017)

Tours

As a headliner

• A Different Me Tour (2009)
• Woman to Woman Tour (2013)
• Point of No Return Tour (2014)
• Love Hard Tour (2024)

As a supporting act

• Sweatsuit Tour (with Nelly) (2005)
• Touch the Sky Tour (with Kanye West) (2005)
• Double Up Tour (with R. Kelly) (2007)
• I Am Music Tour (with Lil Wayne) (2008)
• Love Letter Tour (with R. Kelly) (2011)

Film and TV Appearances

Films

Television

See also

In Spanish: Keyshia Cole para niños