Toni Braxton
Debut album by American singer Toni Braxton, released July 13, 1993.
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Toni Braxton is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality who rose to prominence in the 1990s. Born on October 7, 1967, in Severn, Maryland, she was the eldest of six siblings raised in a strict religious household, where her first performing experiences came from singing in her church choir. She briefly attended Bowie State University to pursue a teaching degree before being discovered by William E. Pettaway Jr., who recognized her from local performances while she was refueling at a gas station and offered to produce her. Braxton’s professional career began in the late 1980s when she performed with her four sisters in the R&B group the Braxtons, signed to Arista Records.
1989–1995: The Braxtons, Toni Braxton and breakthrough
Though their single "Good Life" was unsuccessful, it caught the attention of producers Antonio "L.A." Reid and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds. They recruited Braxton to record a demo for the soundtrack of the film Boomerang, leading to her signing with their LaFace Records label. Her self-titled debut album, released in 1993, reached number one on the Billboard 200, sold 10 million copies worldwide, and produced hit singles including "Another Sad Love Song" and "Breathe Again." The album earned her three Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist. Her 1996 follow-up, Secrets, yielded two Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles: "You're Makin' Me High/Let It Flow" and "Un-Break My Heart." Later albums, such as The Heat and More Than a Woman, were released amid contractual disputes and health issues.
In 2014, she collaborated with Babyface on the duet album Love, Marriage & Divorce, which won a Grammy for Best R&B Album. Braxton also executive produced and starred in the reality series Braxton Family Values and competed on Dancing with the Stars. She has won seven Grammy Awards, nine Billboard Music Awards, and seven American Music Awards, and was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 2011. In 2017, she received the Legend Award at the Soul Train Music Awards.
Background
Braxton and her four sisters—Traci, Towanda, Trina, and Tamar—signed with Arista Records as the Braxtons in 1989. The following year, the group released their debut single, "Good Life". Though the song was commercially unsuccessful, it attracted the attention of record executive Antonio "L.A." Reid and record producer Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, who were shopping around for talent for their new label LaFace Records.
Instead of signing the quintet, they opted to offer Braxton a contract as a solo artist. With only one year to finish at Bowie State University, where she was studying to become a music teacher, she relocated to Atlanta to pursue a singing career. The album's first single, "Another Sad Love Song", peaked at numbers seven and two on the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts, respectively.
The second single, "Breathe Again", reached the top five of both the Hot 100 and R&B charts and at number two on the UK Singles Chart. Other singles from 1994 include "You Mean the World to Me", "Seven Whole Days", and the double A-side "I Belong to You"/"How Many Ways". In Japan, the album was released as Love Affair, with the same track listing but an Obi strip and a bonus lyrics booklet written in Japanese.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Toni Braxton?
Toni Braxton is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality born on October 7, 1967. She became one of the defining R&B and pop vocalists of the 1990s and has sustained a multi-decade career across music, film, and television.
What is Braxton Family Values?
Braxton Family Values is a reality television series that followed Toni and her siblings through their daily lives and music careers. The show ran for multiple seasons on E! and gave fans an inside look at the Braxton family's dynamics and professional work.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Toni Braxton (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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