Keyshia Cole couldn’t avoid the comparisons to Mary J. Blige early in her career. But the singer recently explained how their differences accounted for the distance that has grown between them. 

Cole looked up to Blige even before Cole’s 2005 debut The Way It Is. But she had not found the natural mentor in Mary she had hoped she would. 

“I feel that even if it’s not me saying I’m gonna record with you, I’m gonna work with you or let’s go hang out or anything like that,” Cole told Singersroom. “We don’t have to be friends, but at the end of the day, being able to give advice or help somebody that is coming under you is an amazing gift to be able to have. I wish I would have had that from Mary, but I’m not Mary, I’m a different person and if K. Michelle ever call me, or anybody for that matter, for advice, I would absolutely give it to them.”

The fiery singer also opened up about the content of her forthcoming album, Woman to Woman, noting that the release represents a growing artistic maturity for the Oakland born songstress.

“Writing this new album, I brought a couple of songwriters on and I decided to collaborate with a few because the girls wanted to hear some more, not angry, but I’m done with the foolishness types of songs,” Cole said. “I figured if I bring somebody on that are experienced in some of those things, I can always go back to a place where I’ve been hurt before; bring my ideas to the table.”

Cole recently dropped the single and video “Enough of No Love,” featuring Lil Wayne.—Keith Murphy, CBS Local