Toni Braxton
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Toni Braxton Biography
Toni Braxton was one of the most popular and commercially
successful female R&B singers of the '90s, thanks to her ability to
straddle seemingly opposite worlds. Braxton was soulful enough for
R&B audiences, but smooth enough for adult contemporary;
sophisticated enough for adults, but sultry enough for younger
listeners; strong enough in the face of heartbreak to appeal to women,
but ravishing enough to nab the fellas. Wielding such broad appeal,
Braxton managed to score not one, but two albums that sold over
eight million copies; naturally, they were accompanied by a long string
of hit singles on the pop and R&B charts, one of which -- Un-break
My Heart -- ranks among the longest-running number one pop hits of the
rock era.
Braxton was born in Severn, MD, on October 7, 1968. The daughter of a
minister, she was raised mostly in the strict Apostolic faith, which
prohibited not only all popular culture, but also pants in women's
wardrobes. Encouraged by their mother, an operatically trained
vocalist, Braxton and her four sisters began singing in church as
girls; although gospel was the only music permitted in the household,
the girls often watched Soul Train when their parents went shopping.
Braxton's parents later converted to a different faith, and eased their
restrictions on secular music somewhat, allowing Braxton more leeway to
develop her vocal style; because of her husky voice, she often used
male singers like Luther Vandross, Stevie Wonder, and Michael McDonald
as models, as well as Chaka Khan. Braxton had some success on the local
talent-show circuit, continuing to sing with her sisters, and after
high school studied to become a music teacher. However, Braxton soon
dropped out of college after she was discovered singing to herself at a
gas station by songwriter Bill Pettaway (who co-authored Milli
Vanilli's Girl You Know It's True ). With Pettaway's help, Braxton and
her sisters signed with Arista Records in 1990 as a group dubbed simply
the Braxtons.
The Braxtons released a single in 1990 called The Good Life, and
while it wasn't a hit, it caught the attention of L.A. Reid and
Babyface, the red-hot songwriting/production team who had just formed
their own label, LaFace (which was associated with Arista). Braxton
became the first female artist signed to LaFace in 1991, and the
following year she was introduced to the listening public with a
high-profile appearance on the soundtrack of Eddie Murphy's Boomerang.
Not only did her solo cut Love Shoulda Brought You Home become a
substantial pop and R&B hit, but she also dueted with Babyface
himself on Give U My Heart. Anticipation for Braxton's first album
ran high, and when her eponymous solo debut was released in 1993, it
was an across-the-board smash, climbing to number one on both the pop
and R&B charts. It spun off hit after hit, including three more Top
Ten singles in Another Sad Love Song, Breathe Again, and You Mean
the World to Me, plus the double-sided R&B hit I Belong to
You / How Many Ways. With eventual sales of over eight million copies,
Toni Braxton's run of popularity lasted well into 1995. By that time,
Braxton had scored Grammys for Best New Artist and Best Female R&B
Vocal ( Another Sad Love Song ) in 1994, and tacked on another win in
the latter category for Breathe Again in 1995.
To tide fans over until her next album was released, Braxton
contributed Let It Flow to the Whitney Houston-centered soundtrack of
Waiting to Exhale in 1995. Again working heavily with L.A. Reid and
Babyface, Braxton released her second album, Secrets, in the summer of
1996, and predictably, it was another enormous hit. The first single,
You're Makin' Me High, was Braxton's most overtly sexual yet, and it
became her biggest pop hit to date; however, its success was soon
eclipsed by the follow-up single, the Diane Warren-penned ballad
Un-break My Heart. Un-break My Heart was an inescapable juggernaut,
spending an amazing 11 weeks on top of the pop charts (and even longer
on the adult contemporary charts). Further singles I Don't Want To
and How Could an Angel Break My Heart weren't quite as successful
(not that that's an indictment), but that didn't really matter; by then
Secrets was well on its way to becoming Braxton's second straight
eight-million-seller. In 1997, she picked up Grammy awards for Best
Female Pop Vocal and Best Female R&B Vocal (for Un-break My Heart
and You're Makin' Me High, respectively).
Toward the end of 1997, Braxton filed a lawsuit against LaFace Records,
attempting to gain release from a contract she felt was no longer fair
or commensurate with her status. When LaFace countersued, Braxton filed
for bankruptcy, a move that shocked many fans (who wondered how that
could be possible, given her massive sales figures) but actually
afforded her protection from further legal action. Braxton spent most
of 1998 in legal limbo, and passed the time by signing on to portray
Belle in the Broadway production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast (a
role originally held by erstwhile teen queen Deborah Gibson). Braxton
and LaFace finally reached a settlement in early 1999, and the singer
soon began work on her third album. Heat was released in the spring of
2000, and entered the charts at number two, matching the highest
position held by Secrets. Lead single He Wasn't Man Enough was a Top
Ten hit (and an R&B chart-topper), although the follow-ups Just Be
a Man About It (a duet with Dr. Dre) and Spanish Guitar didn't
sustain the album's momentum as well as one might have expected. A
brisk seller out of the box, The Heat eventually cooled off around the
two-million mark; a disappointing showing compared to her previous
efforts, despite yet another Grammy win for Best Female R&B Vocal
( He Wasn't Man Enough ).
In 2001, Braxton made her feature film debut in the ensemble comedy
Kingdom Come, and married Mint Condition keyboardist Keri Lewis; by the
end of the year, they had a baby boy. Braxton also released her first
holiday album, Snowflakes. In early 2002, Braxton appeared in the VH1
movie Play'd, and recorded More Than a Woman for release later that
year. The singles Please and That's the Way Love Works (Trippin')
announced Braxton's 2005 return with the full-length Libra. ~ Steve
Huey, All Music Guide
Written by Steve Huey