Story by: Todd WilliamsImages by: Yvette Caslin for Steed Media Service
This is who Keyshia Cole is.
The hit-making singer sits at a table signing autographs for young fans and some not-so-young fans and it’s obvious that it’s as big a thrill for her as it is for them. Since 2004, Keyshia has gradually become the face and voice of her generation. Those who scoff at that declaration have never sat in a room and watched how women react to her. In the eyes of millions of young girls, she is more than just their voice. She is them.
For a generation of girls too young to remember when Mary J. Blige was the homegirl-next-door and know her more for the global superstar status she’s achieved over the last decade, Keyshia Cole is the most relatable diva in music. She’s not an untouchable diva à la Beyoncé, or a seemingly ethereal chanteuse like Alicia Keys. She’s not Jill Scott, an earthy soul sister — Keyshia, more than any other woman in music right now, is her audience.
Go to any bus stop in any major city, walk through any mall, visit most high schools and colleges and you will see Keyshia Cole.
“She reminds me so much of my sister — of my friends,” says Rhonda Morris, a college freshman in Atlanta. “She’s so honest — good and bad — and that makes her easy to relate to.”
Keyshia’s musical influences were as authentic as she is. A singer who grew up in the 1990s, Cole related more to the Brandys and Bliges of the world than to the larger-than-life pop divas like Whitney and Mariah.
“I really liked Brandy a lot when I was a child,” says Cole. “I thought if she could do it, I definitely could do it. I looked up to artists like Mary J. Blige and Faith Evans.”
Young Keyshia was a typical child. She loved cartoons and sports and most of her favorite movies had some element of music in them — not unlike most young girls.
“I loved The Last Dragon and Fievel Goes West and Coming to America,” she says, smiling with a hint of nostalgia as she reflects on her formative years. “I loved Little Shop of Horrors and “Looney Tunes” — no soap operas.”
She was athletic and wasn’t afraid of scrapping it up with the boys.
“I played tag football, tetherball, I was a junior lifeguard, that was my claim to fame in Oakland [Calif.], at Freemont Pool,” shares Cole. “And I loved reading in school.”
That round-the-way charm is Keyshia’s most formidable asset. And, judging from the long list of high-profile suitors that have angled for the Oakland-born starlet’s affections, her edgy-but-sexy brand of beauty shouldn’t be underestimated. After being tapped by the Luster brand to be the face of their haircare products, Cole has made it a point to meet and greet fans all over the country, both as a way to promote Luster’s new Pink ® Brand Smooth Touch ® line, and as a way remind her fans that she is truly one of them.
“I grew up on Luster products,” she says with a smile. “I always tell the story about the Pink Lotion® — I couldn’t afford it when I was a kid. So [now], it is crazy for Luster products to want me to represent their line.”
She and beau, Cleveland Cavaliers guard Daniel “Boobie” Gibson, greeted and shook hands with fans at a Cleveland Wal-Mart during a recent promotional event. Women of all shapes, sizes and colors flocked to the “Let It Go” singer and it was clear that they felt a connection. It wasn’t the kind of starry-eyed adulation that fans give to many artists — though they were no doubt starstruck by the beautiful songstress. There was more of a reverence, like an estranged friend who had hit it big and was coming home to get reacquainted. “This is my niece,” said one blonde middle-aged mother of three. “She loves you — we were dying to meet you.”
For Cole, it’s more about being real than being glamorous. She recognizes that there are more girls out there who don’t look like models and movie stars than there are those that do; and she wants those girls to understand that they can’t allow what’s on a screen or on a magazine cover to define them.
“Beauty comes from within and beauty comes from God,” she says. “Beauty comes from knowing yourself and believing in yourself and having faith in God. I think that you [must] understand those aspects of life — that’s the best advice I can offer.”
Keyshia’s trials and tribulations have been well documented. “I find my strength in God and through wisdom. I’ve doubted myself plenty of times, but the source of my energy and the source of my faith come from God. I try to remember that every time I doubt myself,” she says.
Since kicking off her music career in 2004 with The Way It Is, she’s had her fair share of bumps and bruises. She’s had to endure the glare of the spotlight and listen as her detractors bashed her for not being as “refined” as some other pop stars. Those are typically the same people that bash a singer like Beyoncé for being “hollow.” Do we want real or do we want manufactured? 
Cole became a reality show star with the premiere of “The Way It Is,” in 2006 and she shared the spotlight with her family — specifically her mother, Frankie; and sister, Neffe.
The show put a spotlight on the struggles she faces with her mother, particularly because of Frankie’s drug abuse. Though their relationship is sometimes strained, Keyshia has remained steadfast in supporting her family and they have remained in her corner despite the tough times. After six years of stardom, Cole knows where she stands with the most important people in her life.
“My biggest cheerleaders are my management firm, my family — and my puppies,” she says with a laugh. “I have a Yorkie, a miniature schnauzer, a golden retriever and I just bought a German shepherd.”
She seems to have also found happiness with Gibson. The two radiate an easygoing affection for each other that a couple only reaches when they’ve found common ground in each other. Keyshia has gained a firm understanding of what she does and doesn’t want in a companion, and has had enough men approach her in the wrong way to appreciate it when a guy comes to her the right way. There’s one approach that the singer absolutely hates. One-word declarations don’t cut it with Keyshia. “ ‘Hey?’ ” she says with a grimace.
Her disdain for guys yelling indiscriminately at her is obvious. “I don’t know what to think of that.” But, ultimately for Cole, it’s about the person and she’s willing to appreciate any man that allows her to see who he really is. “It’s not a line that gets my attention,” she reveals. “What has gotten my attention is honesty and just being sincere.”
At the meet and greet in Cleveland, fans asked Keyshia about everything from her boyfriend “She wanted to know why Boobie was here,” — to her sister, Neffe “She just asked me if Neffe had her baby last night.”
Other fans just exclaimed their love and adoration for Keyshia. “I love that girl!” said one slightly hysterical fan. “She is so real — I love her so much!”
Cole assured the fans that the feeling was mutual. “I appreciate all of the supporters,” she said sincerely. “And we appreciate everybody coming out and supporting everything that I do. I love you.”
