Lifetime Hosted a Special Screening of "Keyshia Cole This Is My Story" at the LA Grammy Museum

Words: Marisa Truitt
Photography: Splash News and Marisa Truitt

On Wednesday, June 21st I attended the “Keyshia Cole: This Is My Story” Premiere Screening at LA’s Grammy Museum.

The Clive Davis Theater was filled with a multitude of industry professionals and fans, including Cole’s fellow Oakland native, rapper Kamaiyah.

Keyshia plays herself in this biopic and tribute to her mother that follows her rough upbringing to her life currently as a multi-platinum recording artist.

Now, there is a certain dramatization to Lifetime movies that usually makes them hard to digest no matter how serious or sensitive the subject. However, the audience’s reactions throughout the screening from laughter and cheering to heartfelt sighs and crying, proved that this movie is worth the watch. It was inspiring to learn about Keyshia’s journey as an artist and her rise to fame, but I think the main takeaway is how necessary it is to have faith and resilience when pursuing your dreams.

Personally, my favorite part about the movie was being able to connect it to moments in my own life. Like singing “Love” at the top of my lungs in my room over my elementary school heartbreak or watching her BET reality show “Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is” after school, and later her family’s brief spin off.

The post-screening conversation with Keyshia Cole and Ron Fair, who discovered her, gave us additional insight into where Keyshia has been and where she plans to go in her career. My mind was blown when Keyshia revealed that the infamous run in “Love” was a mistake that her team pushed her to keep. More music, more acting, but “definitely no more reality TV,” Keyshia joked when asked what fans should expect in the near future.

If you missed the film’s official release on Saturday, June 24th, it is available for streaming here on Lifetime.

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