R&B songstress Keyshia Cole is back with a piece spotlighting her life and career. “Keyshia Cole: This is My Story” premiered on the Lifetime network on June 24, 2023. As most biographical sketches go, it was one more insightful look into the life of a star from their unpredicted rise to great success.
Keyisha Cole
Keyshia Cole is a music artist whose career flourished after signing with A&M Records. Most notable is her earlier career project, “The Way It Is,” which bought fans her signature ballad, “Love.”
Keyisha solidified her presence in the industry, but not wholly, as many would expect. Not only did listeners become fans of her music, but became cheerleaders as witnesses to her life. Cole lived out her life in full before the cameras in various reality shows, which included,
“Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is” and “Keyshia and Daniel: Family First.” Over those years, Cole became a sister and daughter to many. And one thing became sure; she was a real one. She didn’t shy away from the rawness of her reality.
Keyshia Cole and Her Lifetime Original
The current Lifetime release offers yet another perspective on the life of Keyshia Cole. This story takes off in her teenage years and follows her trajectory from humbler beginnings to stardom. The feature covers the seedlings of her dreams and ambitions. It touches on her faith. But it doesn’t stop there; it also explores the depths of her pain brought about by circumstances she needed to accept and overcome.
The feature is an hour and 57 min account of the star’s life. It is a fast-moving biographical sketch that includes some of her most memorable songs, effectively making it the soundtrack of her life. For those who wonder why there is a need for another story. Hasn’t her story been told to the full? In short, answer yes. However, how a story is told through someone else’s lens assuredly varies from the story told from the very lips of the one who lived it. And so this was a chance for Cole to take control of her narrative, to tell her story, and break free of perceived notions. As Cole told Right On,
‘This is a story of a daughter’s love for her mother, and although my heart remains broken from her untimely passing, I am honored to be sharing it with the world.”
And that’s as good as a rationale and as good as a gift to fans as anything else.
Lifetime’s Celebration
This film is another offering from the Lifetime Network in celebration of Black Music Month. Throughout this month, Lifetime has aimed to showcase the extended talents of some of the most beloved industry figures, such as TLC, Mary J. Blige, and Keyisha Cole, to name a few. For those who know, Cole’s feature follows two original films produced by Mary J. Blige based on two well-known songs in her catalog. While this piece does not focus on particular selections in Coles’s catalog, it shines a light on her entire career and all those factors shaping it.
For fans who have not seen “Keyshia Cole: This is My Story,” the film is now streaming on Lifetime. And if you have yet to see “Real Love” or “Strength of a Woman,” these features are also currently streaming. And on a closing note, if you don’t watch it for yourself, give it some support for the culture.
Written by: Renae Richardson
