Woman to Woman is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Keyshia Cole. It was released on November 19, 2012, through Geffen and Interscope Records. Recording sessions took place between early 2011 and mid-late 2012, following the release of her previous studio album Calling All Hearts (2010). Cole enlisted a variety of producers, such as Darhyl Camper, Harmony Samuels, Rodney Jerkins, T-Minus, Vidal, and Wonda. Woman to Woman is primarily an R&B album that incorporates elements of dance-pop, with lyrics centered on themes of love, trust, betrayal, heartbreak, female solidarity, and romantic relationships. The album 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" (featuring Lil Wayne), 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. The album's second single, "Trust and Believe" was also a critical success and peaked at number 74 on the US Hot 100 Airplay chart and number 32 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, while "I Choose You" served as the third and final single.

Upon its release, Woman to Woman received generally positive reviews from music critics, who praised Cole's emotionally driven songwriting, vocal performances, and viewed the album as a return to the sound of her earlier work, though some considered portions of the album formulaic. 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 recording In December 2010, Keyshia 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 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.

The development process of Woman to Woman took place between September 2011 and October 2012. On September 20, 2011, Cole confirmed via Twitter that she had begun working on her fifth studio album. She 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. In October 2011, Cole hosted a Ustream session where she previewed snippets of then newly recorded material and songs, some of which were eventually included on the album. Early production and recording sessions involved 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.

On August 1, Cole appeared on the BET countdown show 106 & Park and revealed that the album would be released in late 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 [to] make sure that they're gonna be happy". On August 9, 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 since her second studio album Just like You (2007). 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.

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 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 [my friends'] lives as well."

Music and lyrics Woman to Woman is primarily an R&B album centered on women's perspectives in romantic relationships. In an interview with M Music & Musicians, Cole described its creation as centered on themes of "love, trust and betrayal," developed through studio sessions in multiple cities. Cole stated that the recording process encouraged emotional openness, explaining, "when I think too much… I could be feeling something and not want to say it… when I drink, my emotions flow." She also noted that working with writers for the first time allowed her to better express "pain" drawn from both personal and external experiences. ThisIsRnB described the record as incorporating Cole's signature emotionally driven R&B style while balancing vulnerable ballads with more confident and sensual moments.

Reviewers also commented on the album's songwriting and vocal approach. Alex Macpherson of The Guardian highlighted the detailed songcraft found throughout the record and observed that its closing stretch adopts a lighter and more flirtatious tone than much of the preceding material. Gerrick D. Kennedy of the Los Angeles Times noted that the album continues Cole's focus on music intended to resonate with female listeners through stories about relationships and personal experiences.

Songs

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. 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?" The third track, "Missing Me", is a smooth upbeat R&B song about the aftermath of a failed relationship, with lyrics expressing frustration over a former partner. It is followed by "Trust and Believe", a sentimental ballad that centers on a woman confronting an unfaithful lover who has been having an affair with the woman's best friend. Featuring sparse instrumentation accented by wailing guitars, the song culminates with Cole singing, "Trust and believe me, you'll never be me / I'm so over you, go get lost."

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. Julia Cox of Atlanta Black Star viewed the song as a "girl power anthem with a twist" as the duet depicts two women discovering they are involved with the same man before confronting the situation together. "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.

"Hey Sexy" is a 1990s-inspired midtempo song where she expresses her excitement over a newfound love. BET characterized "Hey Sexy" as a "contemporary lovemaking 'til sunset" song. "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 from 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". The song is believed to be dedicated to her then-husband Daniel Gibson. Among the additional tracks released on the deluxe edition of Woman to Woman, "Who's Gonna Hold Me Down" features a throwback wah-wah groove and centers on moving on after betrayal.

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, 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, Cole revealed the covers for the standard and deluxe editions. When asked about the album cover, Cole stated: "It's literally me taking my face off. 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." In a post via Twitter, she further explained that the concept behind the photoshoot represented "stepping outside my own emotions" and channeling what her fans wanted to hear.

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, 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