Woman To Woman (Keyshia Cole Album)

''Woman to Woman'' is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Keyshia Cole. It was released on November 19, 2012, through Geffen Records and Interscope Records. Recording sessions took place between early 2011 and mid-late 2012. Cole enlisted a variety of producers, such as Darhyl Camper, Harmony Samuels, Rodney Jerkins, T-Minus, Vidal, and Wonda. Musically, the album is an R&B record, that features guest appearances from Lil Wayne, Meek Mill, Ashanti, Elijah Blake, and Robin Thicke.

Three tracks from ''Woman to Woman'' were released as singles, all of which were supplemented by music videos. The lead single, " Enough of No Love", was released on July 3, 2012. The song received a positive reception from critics and peaked at number 84 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart, as well as reaching the top-10 of the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. "Trust and Believe" was released on October 2, 2012, as the second single from the album. The third and final single, " I Choose You", was sent to urban contemporary radio on August 23, 2013.

Upon its release, ''Woman to Woman'' received generally positive reviews from music critics, who commended its progression from Cole's previous album and the concept. The album debuted at number 10 on the US ''Billboard'' 200 chart, selling 96,000 copies in its first week. It also peaked at number two on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Further promotion was done by Cole through the Woman to Woman Tour (2013), which included shows in North America and Europe.

Background and development

In December 2010, Cole released her fourth studio album ''Calling All Hearts''. The album debuted at number nine on the US ''Billboard'' 200 chart, with first-week sales of 128,000 copies. It spawned the two singles, "I Ain't Thru" and " Take Me Away", which both achieved lackluster success, peaking at number 54 and number 27, respectively, on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Following the album's release, she parted ways with her longtime manager Manny Halley and also disclosed that business disagreements played a part in their split. On March 30, 2011, Cole announced via Twitter that she had recruited a management team in place of Halley and also had plans to work on a follow-up album to ''Calling All Hearts''.

In September 2011, Cole confirmed via Twitter that she had begun working on her fifth studio album. Cole also deemed that the album's material was different from her previous four albums and described it as a return "to her roots". During the album's recording process, she told her fans that they could expect her " redhead Keysh" alter ego to return on the album and revealed that she planned on working with several artists, such as Brandy, Boi-1da, Ester Dean, and Trey Songz, among others. On August 1, 2012, Cole appeared on the BET countdown show ''106 & Park'' and revealed that the album would be released in fall 2012, alongside her reality television series '' Keyshia & Daniel: Family First''. During the interview, she said, "I took myself out of the equation this time around and I focused on my fans, just omake sure that they're gonna be happy".

Recording and production

The development process of ''Woman to Woman'' took place between September 2011 and October 2012. Cole recorded the album in sessions at Geffen's headquarters in Santa Monica, Chalice Recording Studios in Los Angeles, Westlake Recording Studios in West Hollywood, MSR Studios in New York City (NYC), and Cole's home studio in Cleveland. The tracks were mastered by Chris Gehringer at Sterling Sound Studios in NYC and were mixed by Jaycen Joshua, with assistance from Trehy Harris at Larrabee Sound Studios in Los Angeles.

In 2011, Cole began early stages of production, working with producers Boi-1da, Cool & Dre, Earl Powell, Toxic, and Dean. In January 2012, record producer Sak Pasé stated that he had been working on songs with Cole. In August 2012, Cole revealed that she was also working with hip hop record producers DJ Mormile and G. Roberson for ''Woman to Woman''. Cole reunited with record producer Rodney Jerkins, with whom the singer had not collaborated with since her second studio album '' Just like You'' (2007).

For ''Woman to Woman'', Cole enlisted the help of several songwriters including Elijah Blake and Jessy Wilson, who co-wrote several of the songs. Cole drew inspiration for the songs from the real-life experiences of her friends. Explaining the writing process, Cole told J. Medina of Thisis50 that ''Woman to Woman'' reflected around her musical growth and she wanted to speak directly to her female audience from her point of view. She continued, "I brought songwriters on for this album and we were able to capture some moments in some of y friends'lives as well."

Music and lyrics

''Woman to Woman'' opens with " Enough of No Love", an R&B and hip hop song about a woman who is fed up with being in a relationship where she is not appreciated, which features guest vocals from Lil Wayne. According to Kimberly Hines of ''Soul Bounce'', the song was reminiscent to the love triangle between Stevie J, Joseline Hernandez, and Mimi Faust that was documented on the first season of Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta. The next track, "Zero" features guest vocals from Meek Mill, whose verse is characterized as a "smooth cameo". Lyrically, the song revolves around a man who has been unfaithful in a relationship and has told multiple lies, as Cole sings on the refrain, "It pays to tell the truth, look at what you had to lose / Should think before you do / Did you not know the rules?" Described as a "post- breakup anthem", the third track, "Missing Me", is a smooth upbeat song where she reflects on a past relationship and is angry that things did not work out. It is followed by "Trust and Believe", a sentimental ballad that follows the same type of theme that was displayed on the previous tracks. The song includes an ambient instrumentation combined with a soul jazz sound that "builds tension" once she starts singing the chorus of "Trust and believe me, she'll never be me / I'm so over you, go get lost / boy I don't know who you think you are".

The album's fifth track, "Get It Right", is a new jack swing and dance-pop song where Cole believes her lover is cheating on her. The lyrics include: "You don't stroke it like you used to, do it like you used to, do it / Ain't got me moanin' like you used to, own it like you used to, own it." The next track on ''Woman to Woman'' is the title track, a duet with Ashanti. Described as a "girl power anthem with a twist", the song centers around two women who discover that they are dating the same man and have a conversation about what to do. "Wonderland" is a tender duet with Blake that captures the feelings of a couple in love. It is followed by "I Choose You", a sentimental ballad with snare drums and horns. Lyrically, the song reflects on having an ex-lover that is irreplaceable, despite dating someone else. "Stubborn" is an uptempo dance-pop song that includes techno elements and a piano played in the background. The lyrics find Cole self-reflecting on how her stubborn ways have caused problems in her love life.

Described as a "contemporary lovemaking 'til sunset" song, "Hey Sexy" is a 1990s-inspired midtempo song where she expresses her excitement over a newfound love. "Next Move" features guest vocals from Robin Thicke, and centers around a standoff between a woman and a man with a complicated history, who do not want to admit their desire for each other. The album's final song of the standard edition, "Signature" is a love song about Cole finally finding love, with lines such as, "I can't believe I found love, I finally have peace".

Release and artwork

In October 2011, Cole announced that her fifth album would be titled ''Woman to Woman''. The title was inspired by Cole's decision to connect with her female audience through the album. Its cover artwork was taken by American photographer Derek Blanks as an alter ego photoshoot, which took place on June 28, 2012. In August 2012, Cole held a cocktail hour at the James Hotel in NYC to celebrate ''Woman to Woman'' and her return to the music scene, with the likes of Bevy Smith, Michaela Angela Davis, and Phillip Bloch in attendance. On October 11, 2012, Cole revealed the covers for the standard and deluxe editions. When asked about the album cover, Cole said: "I have to for a second step outside of myself. The pain I've experienced and the things I've been through, you don't forget."

Cole expressed her excitement for the album's release and guaranteed the enjoyment of her fans, deeming it a "dope album". ''Woman to Woman'' was first expected to be released in February 2012. However, more recording and production pushed the release to November 19, 2012, comprising the standard, deluxe, Target deluxe, and iTunes deluxe versions. On November 2, the album was made available for pre-order via iTunes. Afterwards, a listening party for it was held in Los Angeles on November 5, 2012.

Promotion

Live performances and tour

Cole began her promotion of ''Woman to Woman'' with a live performance of "Enough of No Love" at the Essence Music Festival on July 6, 2012. Two months later, she performed the song alongside Lil Wayne at the iHeartRadio Music Festival on September 22. Cole performed "Trust and Believe" for the first time at the Black Girls Rock! ceremony, which aired via BET on November 4, 2012. The performance was met with positive reviews from critics. On November 16, 2012, Cole performed at WGCI's Big Jam event, where her setlist included "Enough of No Love" and "Trust and Believe". Later the same month, she performed both songs again at the Soul Train Music Awards. Cole performed "Zero" for the first time at An Evening of Stars: Educating our Future, an annually-held event promoted by UNCF, which aired through BET on January 27, 2013. She later performed "Trust and Believe" and "I Choose You" on ''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'', in an appearance aired on March 18. On July 3, 2013, Cole performed at the Essence Music Festival, singing her previous singles as well as "Trust and Believe".

The album received further promotion from the Woman to Woman Tour, which started on March 28, 2013, in Westbury, New York. Prior to the inception of the tour, Cole expressed her desire to include strong vocalists as support acts, such as Brandy and Melanie Fiona

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