Keyshia Cole, 'A Different Me'

The buzz: Oakland-born (and now Atlanta-residing) R&B singer Keyshia Cole has sold more than a million copies each of her first two albums, “The Way It Is” and “Just Like You,” due largely to her honest lyrics, raw vocals and top-notch production from the likes of Kanye West and Alicia Keys. She hopes to both outdo those sales numbers and show her adult growth with her third full-length, “A Different Me.”

The verdict: Like Mary J. Blige before her, Cole appears to be a happier person here amidst all of these slow songs; in place of her usual he-did-me-wrong tunes like “I Should Have Cheated” and “Let It Go” are more optimistic affairs like “You Complete Me” and “Brand New.” Cole's voice also sounds more steady and polished, which could lead fans to miss the rougher edges that made her stand out before. But Cole still gives hints of wanting that “thug love”: “Playa Cardz Right,” a posthumous duet with Tupac Shakur, is surprisingly tender.

Did you know? Cole has her own reality TV show on BET. “Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is,” currently in its third season, is one of the network’s highest-rated programs and follows Cole’s career moves, as well as her efforts to unite her fractured family.

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