( ENSPIRE Entertainment ) Keyshia Cole: “This is My Story” Set to Premiere June 24
ENSPIRE Contributor: Madesen Amadeo
Multiple Grammy award nominee Keyshia Cole will executive produce and make her acting debut, playing herself, in a new Lifetime biopic. Directed by D’Angela Proctor and Manu BoyerFrom. The show follows her early days in Oakland perfecting her musical talents, her rise to a multi-platinum-selling artist and television personality, to her complicated yet warmhearted relationship with her mother Frankie Lons. Keyshia Cole: This is My Story will premiere Saturday, June 24 as part of Lifetime’s celebration of Black Music Month at 8p/7c. The show will debut Keyshia Cole’s new song titled “Forever is a Thing”. Ron Fair, Keyshia Cole’s long-standing A&R, and music collaborator supervised the new song. Grammy Award winner Warryn Campbell also composed the original score.
Keyshia Cole: This Is My Story, joins Lifetime’s roster of highly successful musical biopics including Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia, Patsy & Loretta, The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel, Toni Braxton: Unbreak My Heart, Whitney and Life is Not a Fairytale: The Fantasia Barrino Story.
“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,” said Cole. “Playing the role of myself was a unique opportunity to re-live special moments in my life that also gave me the chance to process her loss in ways I did not expect. I miss her every day and even though she is not here, her presence was felt throughout this film. Mom, I love you.”
Born in Oakland, California, Keyshia Cole was raised in a single-mom household by her adoring mother Frankie (Debbi Morgan). At two years old, Keyshia was placed into foster care because of Frankie’s struggle with substance abuse. Keyshia was then adopted by her foster parents, Leon (Joseph C. Phillips) and Yvonne Coles (Tonia Jackson). As a teen, Keyshia traveled to Los Angeles multiple times to pursue her dreams of becoming a singer, even providing background vocals for MC Hammer. Her path into a music career put her at odds with Leon and Yvonne, who kicked her out when she didn’t follow their rules. Left to fend for herself, Keyshia’s voice saved her from her misfortunes. She eventually returned to Los Angeles. At 21 years old, Grammy award-nominated producer and music executive Ron Fair signed her to A&M Records. Keyshia became a multiple-award-winning, chart-topping artist who fused R&B with Hip Hop. As the star rose, she was still faced with the stress of not knowing who her biological father was but found family again when she was reunited with Frankie and her sisters Neffe (Cindi Davis) and Elite (Brittney Level). Despite the success of her music and hit television shows following her life as an artist, mother, wife, and daughter, Keyshia struggled to keep Frankie in rehab and tragically, her worst fear became a reality when she lost her to an accidental opioid overdose in 2021 on Frankie’s 61st birthday. Keyshia Cole: This is My Story is a story of childhood trauma, tragedy, the complexity of love, and overcoming obstacles to become the best version of oneself. The movie is dedicated to honoring and in memory of Frankie Lons.
Keyshia Cole: This is My Story is produced for Lifetime by Swirl Films and Big Dreams. Executive producers are Eric Tomosunas, Leslie Greif, D’Angela Proctor, and Keyshia Cole herself. Co-Executive Producer is Ron Fair. D’Angela Proctor and Manu Boyer directed from a script written by Angelica Cheri.
About Lifetime
Celebrating over 35 years of entertaining audiences, Lifetime is a premier entertainment destination for women dedicated to offering the highest quality original programming, award-winning movies, high-quality scripted series, and non-fiction series. Lifetime has an impressive legacy in public affairs, bringing attention to social issues that women are passionate about with initiatives such as the long-running Stop Breast Cancer for Life, Stop Violence Against Women, and Broader Focus, a major global initiative dedicated to supporting and hiring female directors, writers, and producers, including women of color, to make its content. Lifetime Television®, LMN®, Lifetime Real Women® and Lifetime DigitalTM are part of Lifetime Entertainment Services, LLC, a subsidiary of A+E Networks. A+E Networks is a joint venture of the Disney- ABC Television Group and Hearst Corporation.
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