VIA PRESS RELEASE | In celebration of its 20th anniversary, Keyshia Cole’s game-changing debut album, The Way It Is, is back on vinyl for the first time since its original release on June 21, 2005.
The new 20th Anniversary Edition is available now as both a double LP on black vinyl or on limited edition Rose Garden Pink translucent color vinyl via A&M/UMe. The limited edition color version features a gatefold sleeve with photos from the classic CD release and includes the rarity “Love (Acapella)” as a bonus track. The Way It Is is available to purchase HERE.
Two decades after her breakthrough debut album changed the R&B game, Keyshia Cole is taking it back to where it all started and going on the road to celebrate the anniversary.
The GRAMMY®-nominated singer, songwriter, and “Princess of Hip-Hop and R&B” will kick off The Way It is 20th Anniversary Tour, presented by AEG Presents and Free Lunch on July 1 at CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore.
The North American arena tour will visit key cities, including Brooklyn, Atlanta, New Orleans, Detroit, and Houston, before wrapping up August 8 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. After performing throughout the US and Canada, Keyshia will hit the road in Europe starting September 19 at Adidas Arena in Paris, continuing at arenas in Amsterdam, London, and Manchester, and finishing September 26 in Birmingham, UK.
“I’m so grateful to be celebrating The Way It Is 20 years later with the fans who have been with me since day one,” says Cole. “This album changed my life, and being able to take it on the road—from city to city, country to country—is truly a full circle moment, and blessing.”
Released in June 2005, The Way It Is marked a pivotal moment in R&B—introducing Keyshia Cole’s unfiltered storytelling, powerhouse vocals, and signature blend of vulnerability and strength. Twenty years later, she’s bringing that same energy back to the stage, giving fans a chance to reconnect with the songs that soundtracked so many real-life moments.
Fresh off a standout performance at this year’s Dreamville Festival in Raleigh, North Carolina, Keyshia is ready to take it nationwide. From “I Should Have Cheated” to “Love” and beyond, the tour will spotlight the records that helped define an era, delivered with the raw emotion and authenticity that made her one of the genre’s most impactful voices.
