A Different Me

A Different Me focuses less on heartache and more on maturity of her vocals and lyrics.[7] Cole explained that, "The first two albums were more…painful. It's a different me this time: a young woman who's still growing and finding myself, exploring life through different routes musically and in other areas. I wrote more about other people's situations than my own. I'm moving forward."[4] On the songwriting process, Cole stated, "When I hear something, I hear it—it doesn't take me three, four, five times to hear a song and say, 'OK, let's write.' If I don't write to it right off the bat, it's not working."[4] All the songs on the album were written or co-written by Cole.[5] Guest appearances include Amina, Nas, Monica and 2Pac.[5] Along with the album, Cole was developing a movie based on her life. A screenwriter has develop the script with Cole in 2009.[4]

Before the album was released, BET released the third and final season of her reality show, Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is which showed her in the process of finishing the album and writing a movie. Guests during the season include Ron Fair, Polow Da Don, Monica, and Shirley Murdock. Cole also embarked on the I Am Music Tour in late 2008 and A Different Me Tour in the summer of 2009. She was featured in magazines Billboard, WordUp and VIBE from winter of 2008 to spring of 2009.

The album was released on December 16, 2008. Earlier that week, Cole made an appearance on BET's 106 and Park being interviewed and introducing the video to lead single "Playa Cardz Right" featuring Tupac Shakur. The song was released on October 21, 2008 and originally appeared on Tupac's album Pac's Life, but was rearranged by Cole and producers Ron Fair and Carvin & Ivan. It peaked at number nine on Billboard's US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.[4] Second single "You Complete Me" featured on Cole's Myspace page in December and officially released on January 20, 2009. It peaked at number seven on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.

Third single "Trust" was originally recorded as a solo by Cole and released as an iTunes bonus track to her previous project, Just like You. The song was rerecorded featuring vocals from R&B singer and friend, Monica. It peaked at number five on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, becoming the most successful single of the album. "No Other" was to be the fourth and final single of the album. Although the single was never officially released, it did receive radio airplay and a music video.[8]

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	67/100[9]
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[10]
The Boston Globe	(favorable)[11]
Daily News	[12]
Entertainment Weekly	B[13]
The Hollywood Reporter	(favorable)[14]
New York Times	(mixed)[15]
Rolling Stone	[16]
Slant	[17]
Spin	[2]
USA Today	[18]

A Different Me received generallly positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has an average score of 67 based on 6 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews."[9] Album of the Year collected 5 reviews and calculated an average of 71 out of 100.[19]

Allmusic editor Andy Kellman called the album "Cole's most free-spirited and adventurous album to date," going on to say that there are "at least seven songs here that rate as highly as the best from the first two albums."[10] Jim Farber of Daily News noted that "Cole's assertions of sweetness and light hardly prove as seamless, or simple, as her songs declare". He declared that "her makeover feels less like a day at the spa than a night at the shrink," going on to say that "instead of seeming harrowing or dark", the album's result is "soulful and fulfilling".[12] Ken Capobiano from The Boston Globe said, "On her first two records, good grooves and great singing were matched by her healthy arrogance and fire. Here she's reining in some of the 'tude, and, along with her star producers, showing a sweeter and supremely sexy side [...] Cole emphatically dares to be different—and pretty great."[20]

Entertainment Weekly's Mikael Wood wrote that "on A Different Me, this Oakland-born belter turns her focus from heartbreak to happiness only a few years after Blige promised she was done with drama. Fortunately, Cole still sounds plenty intense singing about finding a guy who completes her; in her experience-ravaged vocals you can hear relief, but also the knowledge that stability has a way of attracting trouble."[13] USA Today writer Steve Jones found that Cole "is in a sexier, more playful mood on her third album. Her songs still wring the emotion, but there is much less pain than on previous works [...] It seems the still-evolving singer just keeps getting better."[18] Similarly, Barry Walters from Spin remarked that "despite her third full-length’s title, Cole doesn’t mess with the formula established on her previous platinum albums, and that’s a blessing. Matching street beats to stringed-up balladry, she narrows the gap between classic and contemporary soul with lived-in love songs that sidestep filler [...] Cole maintains an assured autobiographical voice. Accentuating joy over pain to reflect her ascent from troubled beginnings, this is the rare upbeat R&B disc that still feels real."[2] On the contrary, Jon Caramanica of The New York Times noted that Cole "let go of her doubt," going on to say that "it's missed."[15]

The album debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200, selling 322,000 copies in its first week, giving Cole her best week sales.[21] In its second week, A Different Me fell to number seven, selling further 127,000 copies.[22] In its third and fourth week, it remained at number seven, selling 54,000 and 37,000 copies, respectively.[23][24] In its fifth week, the album fell to number nine, selling 31,000 copies.[25] In its sixth week, the album climbed to number six, selling 31,000 copies.[26] In its seventh week, A Different Me fell to number eight, selling 31,000 copies.[27] In its eighth week, the album fell to number ten. The album sold over 1,000,000 copies in the US and has been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[28]

Credits adapted from the liner notes of A Different Me.[29]

Notes and sample credits

• ^{^[A]} denotes additional producer
• "Make Me Over" contains an interpolation of "Tina's Wish" as written by Ike & Tina Turner.