Toni Braxton
Encyclopedia
Toni Michelle Braxton is an American R&B
singer-songwriter
, record producer
, and actress. Braxton has won six Grammy Award
s, seven American Music Awards
, and five Billboard Music Awards and has sold over 60 million records worldwide. She has a contralto
vocal type.
Braxton topped the Billboard 200
with her 1993 self-titled debut album and continued that streak with her second studio album Secrets, which spawned the number-one hits "You're Makin' Me High
" and "Un-Break My Heart
". Although she had successful albums and singles, Braxton shortly filed for bankruptcy, but then returned with her chart-topping third album, The Heat. In 2009, she returned to the spotlight with "Yesterday
", a #12 R&B hit which serves as the first single off her new album Pulse
, released on May 4, 2010, which debuted at #1 on Billboard
R&B Album Chart. Braxton was involved in the 7th season
of the reality show Dancing with the Stars
. Her professional partner was Alec Mazo
. She was voted off in week five of the competition. It was announced on October 6, 2010 that Braxton once again had filed for bankruptcy. A reality series entitled Braxton Family Values
, starring Toni and her sisters, debuted April 12, 2011 on WE tv
. WE tv
ordered a 13-episode second season of the show after the third episode of the first season.
, was a former opera singer and cosmetologist, as well as a pastor. The Braxton children were raised in a strict religious household. Braxton's first performing experience was singing in her church choir.
Toni and brother Michael Braxton Jr. are the eldest of the siblings, followed by younger sisters Traci, Towanda, Trina, and Tamar.
She attended Bowie State University
to obtain a teaching degree but decided to sing professionally after she was discovered by William E. Pettaway Jr., who heard her singing to herself while pumping gas.
) began performing as The Braxtons
in the late 1980s and were signed to Arista Records
in 1989. Their first single, "Good Life
", was released in 1990. Though the song was not successful, it attracted the attention of Antonio "L.A." Reid and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds.
With Braxton's low register sounding similar to that of Anita Baker
, Reid and Babyface recruited her to record a demo of "Love Shoulda Brought You Home", a song that they had written for Anita Baker for the soundtrack of Eddie Murphy
's film, Boomerang. Baker, who was pregnant at the time, did not record the song but suggested that Braxton record it. Her recording was later included on the soundtrack along with "Give U My Heart
", a duet by Braxton and Babyface. Braxton, meanwhile, was signed to Reid and Edmonds' Arista-distributed imprint, LaFace Records
, and immediately began recording her solo debut album.
. The album, which was primarily produced by Reid, Babyface, and Daryl Simmons
, peaked at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200
albums chart. The first single, "Another Sad Love Song
", peaked at number seven and number two on the Billboard Hot 100
and R&B Singles charts respectively. The album's second single, "Breathe Again
" peaked in the top five of both the Hot 100 and R&B singles charts and no 2 in the UK. More singles from Toni Braxton were released in 1994, including "You Mean the World to Me
", "Seven Whole Days
", "I Belong to You
", and "How Many Ways
".
Braxton's debut album won her several awards, including three Grammy Award
s (for Best New Artist
and two consecutive awards for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
in 1994 and 1995). She also won two American Music Awards (for Favorite Soul/R&B New Artist and Favorite New Adult Contemporary Artist) in 1994 and another one in 1995 (for Favorite Soul/R&B Album). Toni Braxton was certified 8x platinum in USA and has sales of over 10 million worldwide.
, Tony Rich, and David Foster
on the album. Braxton was the co-executive producer of the album and co-wrote two of its songs, including the 1997 single "How Could an Angel Break My Heart", which was also later included on Diana Princess of Wales Tribute, a Princess Diana memorial album.
With help from the album's first single, "You're Makin' Me High
" (which became Braxton's first number-one hit on the Hot 100 singles chart), the album peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 albums chart. "You're Makin' Me High" also topped the R&B singles chart for two weeks and saw similar success in Europe
and Asia
. The album's second single, "Un-Break My Heart
" (written by Diane Warren
)—which would later become the singer's signature song—became the biggest hit of her career spending eleven weeks at number one on the Hot 100 and also topping the Hot Dance Singles Sales
chart for eleven weeks and the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart for four weeks as well as reaching no 2 in the UK The song is the second biggest selling single by a female singer in Billboard history behind Whitney Houston's
, "I Will Always Love You
". Other singles from the album included the double A-side "I Don't Want To
"/"I Love Me Some Him" (which peaked at number one on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart) and "How Could an Angel Break My Heart" which featured Kenny G
, with whom Braxton later toured. After 92 weeks in the charts, Secrets is certified 8x platinum, becoming Braxton's second straight 8 million seller. Internationally, Secrets sold more than 15 million copies, thus cementing Braxton's superstar status.
Braxton topped the Billboard Year-End Charts as the Top Hot 100 Singles Artist — Female, Top R&B Artist — Female (singles and albums), Top Hot R&B Singles Artist — Female, Top Hot Dance Club Play Artist, and Top Hot Adult Contemporary Artist, while "Un-Break My Heart" became the Top Hot Dance Club Play Single and the Top Hot Adult Contemporary Track of the year. She won two Grammy Awards; one for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and two American Music Awards for Favorite Female Soul/R&B Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Album.
", the first single from Braxton's third studio album, The Heat. By June 2000, the song peaked at number two on the Hot 100 chart. Braxton's music video for "He Wasn't Man Enough", which also featured actress Robin Givens
, was nominated for two MTV Video Music Awards
including Best Female Video
and Best R&B Video
and a Billboard Music Video Award for Best R&B Clip of the Year.
The Heat was released on April 25, 2000. Debuting at number two on the Billboard 200 albums chart with first week sales of 194,448 copies sold, it remained in the top 20 for fifteen consecutive weeks. Braxton again worked with producers Babyface and Foster; also included in the staple were Rodney Jerkins
, and new beau musician Keri Lewis. Braxton herself also took a more hands-on approach, co-writing and co-producing a handful of the tracks. "Gimme Some", a track on "The Heat", featured a rap verse from TLC
star Lisa "Left-Eye" Lopes
.
The albums second single, "Just Be a Man About It
", peaked at number 32 on the Hot 100 and number six on the R&B Charts. The third single, "Spanish Guitar
", peaked at number 98 on the Hot 100 and number one on the Hot Dance & Club charts. The fourth single, "Maybe", peaked at 74 on the R&B charts.
The Heat was certified double platinum in the US with over 3 million copies sold worldwide. In February 2000, Braxton performed alongside Enrique Iglesias
and Christina Aguilera
during the Super Bowl
Halftime show. Braxton topped the Billboard Year-End Charts as the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Artist — Female, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Album Artist — Female, and Top Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks Artist — Female. She also received the 2000 Aretha Franklin Award for Entertainer of the Year at the Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards. Braxton also picked up her sixth Grammy Award
for "He Wasn't Man Enough" which won the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and the album was nominated for Best R&B Album. It won Best R&B/Soul Album at the 2001 American Music Awards, her third win in a row.
In 2002, while gearing up for the release of her fourth studio album, Braxton discovered she was pregnant with her second child. Knowing that she wouldn't be able to promote the album properly, she unsuccessfully lobbied Arista Records
to get the label to postpone its release until after she was to give birth. Arista Records
refused and the album was released as planned in November 2002. It received very little promotion from Arista and Braxton herself, due to a complicated pregnancy that confined her to bed rest
. Braxton accused the company of being unwilling to compromise and punishing her from not putting her career over family. On the show VH1
Inside Out — Family Comes First, she documented the hardships of being pregnant with her second child at the same time as promoting an album.
was released. Opening to an instant commercial disappointment, the album peaked at number 13. The first single, The Neptunes
-produced "Hit the Freeway
", failed at radio and peaked at number 86 on the Hot 100. The two singles that followed ("A Better Man", "Lies, Lies, Lies") also failed to make a dent and missed the Hot 100 completely. Meanwhile, a promotional vinyl was sent out to DJs for "Give It Back"/"Let Me Show You the Way (Out)".
More Than A Woman was certified gold by RIAA and sold more 800,000 copies worldwide.
Prior to the release of the album, a dispute erupted between Braxton and Irv Gotti when he played a rough cut of "No More Love", a song that he produced for the album that was to be the first single. Disapproving of Gotti broadcasting the unfinished track, Braxton withheld it from being released. The same year, Braxton was further annoyed when Jay-Z
used the same sample of 2Pac
's "Me And My Girlfriend" that she had already used on her track "Me & My Boyfriend" for his and Beyoncé's "'03 Bonnie & Clyde
". Furious, Braxton lashed out in a radio interview, accusing Jay-Z and producer Kanye West
of taking money out of her children's college fund.
—headed by Barry Hankerson
, her manager at the time. The change of scenery, however, did not ultimately help her recording career. As had been the case during her final years at Arista—Braxton's fifth album, and first release on Blackground, Libra was released with scant promotion and accumulated poor sales.
In April 2005, Braxton's new label, Blackground/Universal, released "Please
"—the first single from her fifth album, Libra. The album was originally planned for a June release, but it was pushed back several times and was finally issued on September 27. Unfortunately for Braxton, her troubles with weak album promotion and lack of label commitment weren't over. "Please" peaked at number 36 on Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, while altogether missing the Hot 100. The album lacked promotion by Blackground, causing it to go under the radar of many.
Despite this, Libra still managed to debut at number four on the Billboard 200 selling 114,593 copies in the first week. Libra also peaked at number two on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Although that is strong for an album with little to no promotion, it became yet another commercial disappointment for Braxton. The album's second single, "Trippin' (That's the Way Love Works)
" received less airplay and peaked at number 67 on the R&B chart. The failure was ascribed to the non-video presence of the single and lack of label support. The album was certified gold in late 2005 and has since sold 679,000 copies worldwide.
Braxton, meanwhile, recorded a song with Il Divo
titled "The Time of Our Lives
". The song was used as the official 2006 FIFA World Cup
anthem and was performed at the championship's opening day in Berlin, Germany on June 9. The song was also performed at the closing ceremonies making Braxton and Il Divo the first artists to be asked to perform for the opening and closing ceremonies. The song peaked at number 17 in Germany. As a result Edel Records
decided to re-release Libra in Germany, including a new album cover, artwork, and the new anthem.
Braxton made an appearance on the season finale of American Idol 5
where she performed Elvis Presley
's "In the Ghetto
" with soon-to-be winner Taylor Hicks
.
On May 19, 2006, the Flamingo Hotel and Casino
in Las Vegas
announced that Braxton would replace Wayne Newton
as the casino's new headlining act on August 3, 2006. The show, entitled Toni Braxton: Revealed, was to be performed six nights a week and was scheduled to run through March 2007. Braxton Later confirmed that she was extending her show through August 2007. The show became the first headlining show from an African American performer in Las Vegas to enter the top ten Vegas shows charting. Due to the success of the show, it was reported that Braxton would extend her show through August 2008. The singer subsequently took time off after being hospitalized for chest pains in April 2008.
The show was later cancelled, and it was announced that the show was officially shut down in order for the singer to focus on her health.
Braxton has been released from her contract with Blackground after a number of disputes with former manager Barry Hankerson.
On January 12, 2007, Braxton filed a lawsuit in the U.S District Court in Manhattan against Hankerson for $10 million, alleging "fraud, deception and double dealing," in addition to mismanaging her relationship with Arista Records. According to Braxton, Hankerson placed his own personal financial interests ahead of hers by using "double-talk" to compromise the relationship between Braxton and her former recording label, Arista Records
, with Hankerson allegedly telling Arista that "Braxton no longer wanted to record for Arista" and telling Braxton that "Arista was not interested in working with her anymore". Braxton also accused Hankerson of failing to send her on request copies of accounting statements, lying about deals that he made on her behalf and engaging in a vendetta against her by refusing to provide information to other managers that she sought to employ to manage her career.
The suit was settled with Braxton returning a $375,000 advance to Hankerson—who would also receive a percentage of the sales of her next album—and Hankerson releasing Braxton from her contract with him. The settlement also temporarily limited the companies in which Braxton can sign with.
In early August, various internet websites including TMZ.com
and In Touch Weekly
magazine began announcing that Braxton would be appearing on the seventh season
of Dancing with the Stars. The full cast of the next season of the show was confirmed on August 25, 2008 on Good Morning America, which confirmed Braxton as a contestant in the season with her partner being Alec Mazo
. They were voted off in the fifth week of the competition.
Braxton, Lance Bass
, Maurice Greene
and Marlee Matlin
headlined Dancing with the Stars
winter tour starting in December 2008 and finishing in February 2009.
. In the November 2008 issue of Jet
, Braxton discussed her time spent on Dancing with the Stars as well as dealing with her son's autism. Braxton also talked about being signed to Atlantic Records and the debut of her upcoming single. She added that the complete CD is scheduled to come out in some time in 2009. She also hinted at a cooking show with fellow Dancing with the Stars competitor, Rocco DiSpirito
.
The DJ Frank E produced song "Yesterday
" premiered on September 11, 2009 and features Trey Songz
. It was released as the lead single from her sixth studio album Pulse
. "Yesterday" peaked at #12 on the U.S. Billboard
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
chart making it her highest chart performance since her 2000's single "Just Be a Man About It
", which peaked at #6. The single has been released worldwide on May 3, 2010. In the UK, "Yesterday" became Braxton's first hit single since the release of "Hit the Freeway
", peaking at #50 on the UK Singles Chart
and at #17 on the UK R&B Singles Chart
. The song also became a moderate hit in Europe, peaking at #20 on the German Singles Chart, at #17 on the Swiss Singles Chart and charting at #50 on the European Hot 100.
On January 29, Braxton's official website posted two new songs from the upcoming album, "Hands Tied
" and "Make My Heart". The former peaked at #29 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
, the latter was sent to dance/club radio.
She performed Make My Heart on The Wendy Williams Show
.
Videos for both songs "Make My Heart" and "Hands Tied" have been shot.
Braxton released her sixth studio album Pulse
on May 4, 2010 in the US and on May 10, 2010 in the UK.
The album debuted at #9 on the US Billboard 200 chart and hit #1 on Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, becoming Braxton's fifth US top-ten album. It also achieved moderate chart success around the world. In Canada it debuted at #72 on the Top 100 Albums chart and in the United Kingdom it debuted at #28 on the Top 40 Albums and at #7 on the R&B Albums chart. It entered at #18 on the German Album Chart. In Switzerland, the album hit #9. Pulse became Toni's first album to chart inside the European Top 100 Albums
since her 2000 album The Heat.
On June 28, Braxton posted a video for Woman.
Toni Braxton was included as part of the "We Are the World 25 for Haiti
" remake of the 1985 hit "We Are the World
" to help benefit the people of Haiti following the January 12, 2010 magnitude 7.0 MW earthquake in Haiti. The new version of the song was recorded on February 1, 2010. Music legends Quincy Jones
and Lionel Richie
act as Executive Producers as well as Wyclef Jean
. Artists involved included Celine Dion
, Barbra Streisand
, Janet Jackson
, Tony Bennett
, Wyclef Jean
, Josh Groban
, Pink
, Usher
, Mary J. Blige
, Jennifer Hudson
, Adam Levine
, Justin Bieber
, LL Cool J
, among others.
Network confirmed that it had signed Braxton for a reality series, Braxton Family Values
, which will be marketed as one of the network's flagship shows. The series debuted April 12, 2011, and looks at the relationship between the singer/songwriter Braxton, her mother, and her four sisters; Trina, Tamar
, Traci and Towanda — all aspiring singers themselves — along with the interpersonal relationships of each family member. The show will also look at Braxton's heavily publicized separation from estranged husband, singer Keri Lewis. Toni parted ways with her long time manager Vincent Herbert, who is also husband of sister Tamar Braxton, and signed a new music deal with upcoming music label 'The Collective'. Braxton has confirmed work on her seventh studio album and that L.A. Reid would be producing on the album.
Broadway
shows: She made her Broadway debut as Belle in "Beauty and the Beast" beginning September 9, 1998 where she replaced Kim Huber. During her run in the show Alan Menken
wrote a new song for the musical called "A Change in Me," which was specially written for Braxton and was used in the musical ever since. She left the production on February 28, 1999 and was succeeded by Andrea McArdle
. Her role in "Beauty and the Beast" marked the first (and only) time a black woman commanded the leading role of Belle on Broadway. (In the UK, Michelle Gayle
played the role in the West End.) It also marked the first time a black woman would star in a Disney musical on Broadway. She then starred in "Aida
" as Aida beginning June 30, 2003 where she replaced Simone
and left the cast on November 16, 2003 where she was replaced by Michelle Williams
. In 2001, she made her movie acting debut in the feature film Kingdom Come
. In 2004, Braxton appeared as herself, voicing a singing character named Toni, in a special episode and DVD release of the children's television show Blue's Clues
. In August 2005, Braxton announced that she would be shooting a sitcom pilot for The WB's fall 2006 line-up, though plans to put the show into full-production fell through when The WB announced it would cease to exist in fall 2006 (as part of a merger with UPN
to form The CW), She has also starred in the TV sitcom, Kevin Hill. Braxton has recently completed filming of "The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure" alongside Jaime Pressly
and Cloris Leachman
due to be released 2010. Her character - Rosalie Rosebud - is a singer, whose over-the-top personality was apparently inspired by Mariah Carey
.
, opened for her on tour. On April 21, 2001, they were married. On December 2, 2001, she gave birth to their first child, a son named Denim Cole Braxton-Lewis. The couple's second son, Diezel Ky Braxton-Lewis, was born on March 31, 2003.
In an October 2006 concert at the Flamingo in Las Vegas, it was reported that Braxton broke down in tears discussing her son, Diezel, who had recently been diagnosed with autism
. Braxton has been outspoken regarding her doctor's failure to diagnose Diezel's condition earlier, contending that if he had been diagnosed earlier, he could have been helped.
As well as becoming a spokeswoman for Autism Speaks
, she is also a spokeswoman for the American Heart Association
.
In November 2009, through her attorney Antavius Weems, Braxton announced that she and Lewis had separated.
that the breast cancer rumors were false and that her health is in great condition. However, in 2008, she had a benign lump removed from her breast.
On April 8, 2008, near the end of her two-year run at the Flamingo Hotel, Braxton was briefly hospitalized and the remaining dates on the show, which was scheduled to end on August 23, 2008, were canceled. Later, while appearing on Season 7 of Dancing with the Stars, she stated that she has been diagnosed with microvascular angina (small vessel disease).
On November 18, 2010, Braxton admitted to CBS News that she suffers from systemic lupus erythematosus
, a potentially life threatening autoimmune disease. Braxton's brother also suffers from the disease, and her uncle died of complications from lupus.
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
, record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, and actress. Braxton has won six Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
s, seven American Music Awards
American Music Awards
-Conception:The AMAs were created by Dick Clark in 1973 to compete with the Grammys after the move of that year's show to Nashville, Tennessee led to CBS picking up the Grammy telecasts after its first two in 1971 and 1972 were broadcast on ABC...
, and five Billboard Music Awards and has sold over 60 million records worldwide. She has a contralto
Contralto
Contralto is the deepest female classical singing voice, with the lowest tessitura, falling between tenor and mezzo-soprano. It typically ranges between the F below middle C to the second G above middle C , although at the extremes some voices can reach the E below middle C or the second B above...
vocal type.
Braxton topped the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
with her 1993 self-titled debut album and continued that streak with her second studio album Secrets, which spawned the number-one hits "You're Makin' Me High
You're Makin' Me High
"You're Makin' Me High" is the lead single from Toni Braxton's second studio album, Secrets . A joint collaboration between the Grammy Award-winning producer Babyface and Bryce Wilson resulted in this mid-tempo song...
" and "Un-Break My Heart
Un-Break My Heart
"Un-Break My Heart" is a song by American recording artist Toni Braxton from her second studio album, Secrets . Written by Diane Warren and produced by David Foster, the ballad was released as the album's second single...
". Although she had successful albums and singles, Braxton shortly filed for bankruptcy, but then returned with her chart-topping third album, The Heat. In 2009, she returned to the spotlight with "Yesterday
Yesterday (Toni Braxton song)
"Yesterday" is a song by American R&B singer–songwriter Toni Braxton. The track is the lead single from her album, Pulse, which has been released May 4, 2010. Trey Songz appears on the American version released to radio, "Troy Taylor Radio Edit"...
", a #12 R&B hit which serves as the first single off her new album Pulse
Pulse (Toni Braxton album)
Pulse is the sixth studio album by American R&B singer–songwriter Toni Braxton, released May 4, 2010, on Atlantic Records. It is her first album in five years and serves as her debut for the Atlantic label after signing a new record deal...
, released on May 4, 2010, which debuted at #1 on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
R&B Album Chart. Braxton was involved in the 7th season
Dancing with the Stars (U.S. season 7)
The seventh season of Dancing with the Stars premiered on September 22, 2008 as a part of ABC's fall line-up. Instead of 12 couples like previous seasons, this was the first season to showcase a lineup of 13 couples...
of the reality show Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars is the name of several international television series based on the format of the British TV series Strictly Come Dancing, which is distributed by BBC Worldwide – the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the format has been licensed to over 35 countries...
. Her professional partner was Alec Mazo
Alec Mazo
Alec Mazo is a Russian-born American professional ballroom dancer based in San Francisco. He became known for his participation in the American edition of the reality television series Dancing with the Stars, the first season of which he won with partner Kelly Monaco.-Early life and...
. She was voted off in week five of the competition. It was announced on October 6, 2010 that Braxton once again had filed for bankruptcy. A reality series entitled Braxton Family Values
Braxton Family Values
Braxton Family Values is an American reality series on WEtv starring Grammy-winner Toni Braxton and her sisters. The series premiered on April 12, 2011....
, starring Toni and her sisters, debuted April 12, 2011 on WE tv
WE TV
We TV is the third TV channel from Malayalam Communications Ltd, in Kerala and based at Trivandrum. The other two channels of this company are Kairali TV and People TV. WE TV is mainly aimed at the youth and was officially launched on April 14, 2007. Mr...
. WE tv
WE TV
We TV is the third TV channel from Malayalam Communications Ltd, in Kerala and based at Trivandrum. The other two channels of this company are Kairali TV and People TV. WE TV is mainly aimed at the youth and was officially launched on April 14, 2007. Mr...
ordered a 13-episode second season of the show after the third episode of the first season.
Early life and education
Braxton was born in Severn, Maryland. Toni's father, Michael Conrad Braxton, was a Methodist clergyman and power company worker, and her mother, Evelyn, a native of South CarolinaSouth Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, was a former opera singer and cosmetologist, as well as a pastor. The Braxton children were raised in a strict religious household. Braxton's first performing experience was singing in her church choir.
Toni and brother Michael Braxton Jr. are the eldest of the siblings, followed by younger sisters Traci, Towanda, Trina, and Tamar.
She attended Bowie State University
Bowie State University
Bowie State University , is a public university located on 355½ acres in unincorporated Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, north of the suburban city of Bowie. Bowie State is part of the University System of Maryland...
to obtain a teaching degree but decided to sing professionally after she was discovered by William E. Pettaway Jr., who heard her singing to herself while pumping gas.
1989–92: The Braxtons
Braxton and her four sisters (Traci, Trina, Towanda, and TamarTamar Braxton
Tamar Braxton-Herbert is an American R&B singer, songwriter, and reality television personality. She rose to fame in the 1990s as a founding member of the R&B group, The Braxtons. Braxton is the youngest sister of prominent R&B singer Toni Braxton.In 2011, Tamar Braxton reunited with her sisters,...
) began performing as The Braxtons
The Braxtons
The Braxtons were an American R&B girl group consisting of sisters Toni Braxton, Traci Braxton, Towanda Braxton, Trina Braxton, and Tamar Braxton...
in the late 1980s and were signed to Arista Records
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
in 1989. Their first single, "Good Life
Good Life (The Braxtons song)
"Good Life" is a 1990 single by The Braxtons, featuring Toni Braxton and her four sisters: Towanda, Trina, Traci, and Tamar Braxton. "Good Life", written by the German songwriting/production team Klarmann/Weber, was Toni Braxton's first professional recording.Toni Braxton and her sisters signed...
", was released in 1990. Though the song was not successful, it attracted the attention of Antonio "L.A." Reid and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds.
With Braxton's low register sounding similar to that of Anita Baker
Anita Baker
Anita Baker is an American R&B/soul jazz singer-songwriter. To date, Baker has won eight Grammy Awards, and has four platinum albums and two gold albums to her credit....
, Reid and Babyface recruited her to record a demo of "Love Shoulda Brought You Home", a song that they had written for Anita Baker for the soundtrack of Eddie Murphy
Eddie Murphy
Edward Regan "Eddie" Murphy is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, singer, director, and musician....
's film, Boomerang. Baker, who was pregnant at the time, did not record the song but suggested that Braxton record it. Her recording was later included on the soundtrack along with "Give U My Heart
Give U My Heart
"Give U My Heart" is a song recorded by American R&B singers Babyface and Toni Braxton for the soundtrack to the 1992 film Boomerang. The collaboration was released as a single the same year, reaching number twenty-nine on the Billboard Hot 100 and number two on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs...
", a duet by Braxton and Babyface. Braxton, meanwhile, was signed to Reid and Edmonds' Arista-distributed imprint, LaFace Records
LaFace Records
LaFace Records is an American record label, owned and operated by Sony Music Entertainment.-Company history:LaFace was formed in 1989 as a joint venture between the producing duo Antonio "L.A." Reid & Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, and Arista Records. The combined nicknames of the duo's successful...
, and immediately began recording her solo debut album.
1993–95: Toni Braxton
On July 13, 1993, LaFace Records released Braxton's self-titled debut album, Toni BraxtonToni Braxton (album)
Toni Braxton is the self-titled debut album by American recording artist Toni Braxton. It was released in the United States on July 13, 1993 by LaFace Records.-Overview:...
. The album, which was primarily produced by Reid, Babyface, and Daryl Simmons
Daryl Simmons
Daryl Simmons is an American Grammy Award winning R&B songwriter, musician and record producer who is best known for his association with the LaFace Records production duo of Antonio ‘L.A.’ Reid and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds....
, peaked at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
albums chart. The first single, "Another Sad Love Song
Another Sad Love Song
"Another Sad Love Song" is the first official single from Toni Braxton's self-titled debut album, Toni Braxton . After the success of "Love Shoulda Brought You Home", Braxton followed up with this R&B mid-tempo single. The song proved to be a success, giving Braxton her first U.S...
", peaked at number seven and number two on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
and R&B Singles charts respectively. The album's second single, "Breathe Again
Breathe Again
"Breathe Again" is a song by American R&B singer Toni Braxton from her self-titled debut album, Toni Braxton . Written by Babyface and produced by L. A. Reid, Babyface, and Daryl Simmons, the ballad was released as the album's second single, garnering heavy airplay during late 1993 and early 1994,...
" peaked in the top five of both the Hot 100 and R&B singles charts and no 2 in the UK. More singles from Toni Braxton were released in 1994, including "You Mean the World to Me
You Mean The World To Me
"You Mean the World to Me" is the fourth single from Toni Braxton's self-titled debut album, Toni Braxton . The track was released in March 1994 and was a radio hit, peaking at number seven on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and number three on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs...
", "Seven Whole Days
Seven Whole Days
"Seven Whole Days" is the third single from Toni Braxton's self-titled debut album, Toni Braxton . The track describes a romance that was fading. As the single was not commercially released in the United States, it was ineligible to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, and only managed to chart on the...
", "I Belong to You
I Belong to You
I Belong to You may refer to:*"I Belong to You" , 1974*"I Belong to You" , 1991*"I Belong to You" , 1992*"I Belong to You" , 1993*"I Belong to You" , 1998...
", and "How Many Ways
How Many Ways
"How Many Ways" is a song by American contemporary R&B singer Toni Braxton from her self-titled debut album, Toni Braxton . The protagonist of the composition, co-written by Braxton herself, declares there are many ways in which she loves her man...
".
Braxton's debut album won her several awards, including three Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
s (for Best New Artist
Grammy Award for Best New Artist
The Grammy Award for Best New Artist has been awarded since 1959. Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were handed out, for records released in the previous year. The award was not presented in 1967...
and two consecutive awards for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance was an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to female recording artists for quality R&B songs...
in 1994 and 1995). She also won two American Music Awards (for Favorite Soul/R&B New Artist and Favorite New Adult Contemporary Artist) in 1994 and another one in 1995 (for Favorite Soul/R&B Album). Toni Braxton was certified 8x platinum in USA and has sales of over 10 million worldwide.
1996–98: Secrets
In June 1996, Braxton released her second and most successful album, Secrets. Braxton has said about the album: "The motivation for this album was to include a little bit of everything. Our aim was to come up with material that would have a familiar 'feel' to the people who bought the first album without being musically redundant." Along with Babyface, Braxton also worked with R. KellyR. Kelly
Robert Sylvester Kelly , better known by his stage name R. Kelly, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. A native of Chicago, Kelly began performing during the late 1980s and debuted in 1992 with the group Public Announcement. In 1993, Kelly went solo with the album 12 Play...
, Tony Rich, and David Foster
David Foster
David Walter Foster, OC, OBC , is a Canadian musician, record producer, composer, singer, songwriter, and arranger, noted for discovering singers such as Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, and Charice Pempengco; and for producing some of the most successful artists in the world, such as Céline Dion, Toni...
on the album. Braxton was the co-executive producer of the album and co-wrote two of its songs, including the 1997 single "How Could an Angel Break My Heart", which was also later included on Diana Princess of Wales Tribute, a Princess Diana memorial album.
With help from the album's first single, "You're Makin' Me High
You're Makin' Me High
"You're Makin' Me High" is the lead single from Toni Braxton's second studio album, Secrets . A joint collaboration between the Grammy Award-winning producer Babyface and Bryce Wilson resulted in this mid-tempo song...
" (which became Braxton's first number-one hit on the Hot 100 singles chart), the album peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 albums chart. "You're Makin' Me High" also topped the R&B singles chart for two weeks and saw similar success in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. The album's second single, "Un-Break My Heart
Un-Break My Heart
"Un-Break My Heart" is a song by American recording artist Toni Braxton from her second studio album, Secrets . Written by Diane Warren and produced by David Foster, the ballad was released as the album's second single...
" (written by Diane Warren
Diane Warren
Diane Eve Warren , is a US songwriter. Her songs have received six Academy Award nominations, five Golden Globe nominations, including one win and seven Grammy Award nominations, including one win. She was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001...
)—which would later become the singer's signature song—became the biggest hit of her career spending eleven weeks at number one on the Hot 100 and also topping the Hot Dance Singles Sales
Hot Dance Singles Sales
Hot Dance Singles Sales is a chart released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States, established in 1985. It measures the sale of commercially released singles that deal with dance music and remixes...
chart for eleven weeks and the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart for four weeks as well as reaching no 2 in the UK The song is the second biggest selling single by a female singer in Billboard history behind Whitney Houston's
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
, "I Will Always Love You
I Will Always Love You
"I Will Always Love You" is a song written by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton in 1973, who first released the song as a single in 1974.-Dolly Parton version:...
". Other singles from the album included the double A-side "I Don't Want To
I Don't Want To
"I Don't Want To" is a song by American R&B singer Toni Braxton, released as the third single from her second studio album, Secrets . Written and produced by R. Kelly, this ballad describes the agony of a break-up. The single—released in the U.S...
"/"I Love Me Some Him" (which peaked at number one on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart) and "How Could an Angel Break My Heart" which featured Kenny G
Kenny G
Kenneth Bruce Gorelick , better known by his stage name Kenny G, is an American, adult contemporary and smooth jazz saxophonist. His fourth album, Duotones, brought him breakthrough success in 1986...
, with whom Braxton later toured. After 92 weeks in the charts, Secrets is certified 8x platinum, becoming Braxton's second straight 8 million seller. Internationally, Secrets sold more than 15 million copies, thus cementing Braxton's superstar status.
Braxton topped the Billboard Year-End Charts as the Top Hot 100 Singles Artist — Female, Top R&B Artist — Female (singles and albums), Top Hot R&B Singles Artist — Female, Top Hot Dance Club Play Artist, and Top Hot Adult Contemporary Artist, while "Un-Break My Heart" became the Top Hot Dance Club Play Single and the Top Hot Adult Contemporary Track of the year. She won two Grammy Awards; one for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance is the latest in a series of awards recognizing superior vocal performance by a female in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. The award goes to the artist...
and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and two American Music Awards for Favorite Female Soul/R&B Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Album.
1999–01: The Heat
In March 2000, LaFace Records released "He Wasn't Man EnoughHe Wasn't Man Enough
"He Wasn't Man Enough" is a song from American R&B recording artist and songwriter Toni Braxton, and was released as the lead single from her third studio album, The Heat . The song was released on March 7, 200 by LaFace Records. The song was produced by Rodney 'Darkchild' Jenkins. "He Wasn't Man...
", the first single from Braxton's third studio album, The Heat. By June 2000, the song peaked at number two on the Hot 100 chart. Braxton's music video for "He Wasn't Man Enough", which also featured actress Robin Givens
Robin Givens
Robin Simone Givens is an American model and film, television, and stage actress. She is best known for her role as Darlene Merriman on the television series Head of the Class.-Early life:...
, was nominated for two MTV Video Music Awards
MTV Video Music Awards
An MTV Video Music Award , is an award presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in music videos...
including Best Female Video
MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video
The MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video is one of the original general awards that has been handed out every year since the first annual MTV Video Music Awards in 1984. In 2007, however, the award was briefly renamed Female Artist of the Year, and it awarded the artist's whole body of work...
and Best R&B Video
MTV Video Music Award for Best R&B Video
The MTV Video Music Award for Best R&B Video was first awarded in 1993, and was given every year until 2006, as the following year MTV revammped the VMAs and eliminated all of the genre categories. The following year, though, when MTV returned the VIdeo Music Awards to their previous format, Best...
and a Billboard Music Video Award for Best R&B Clip of the Year.
The Heat was released on April 25, 2000. Debuting at number two on the Billboard 200 albums chart with first week sales of 194,448 copies sold, it remained in the top 20 for fifteen consecutive weeks. Braxton again worked with producers Babyface and Foster; also included in the staple were Rodney Jerkins
Rodney Jerkins
Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins is an American songwriter, record producer, and musician. Jerkins received two Grammy nominations in 2011.-Biography:...
, and new beau musician Keri Lewis. Braxton herself also took a more hands-on approach, co-writing and co-producing a handful of the tracks. "Gimme Some", a track on "The Heat", featured a rap verse from TLC
TLC (band)
TLC is an American musical trio whose repertoire spanned R&B, hip-hop, soul, funk, and new jack swing. Originally consisting of singer Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, rapper-singer Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes and singer Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas it found success in the 1990s while also enduring a series of spats...
star Lisa "Left-Eye" Lopes
Lisa Lopes
Lisa Nicole Lopes better known by her stage name Left Eye, was an American rapper, singer, dancer, actress, television host, and songwriter...
.
The albums second single, "Just Be a Man About It
Just Be a Man About It
"Just Be a Man About It" is the second single from Toni Braxton's third studio album, The Heat . It was released as a DVD single in the United States on November 21, 2000 and in Canada on February 6, 2001.-Music video:...
", peaked at number 32 on the Hot 100 and number six on the R&B Charts. The third single, "Spanish Guitar
Spanish Guitar (song)
"Spanish Guitar" is the third single from Toni Braxton's third studio album, The Heat . Released in 2000, the song was written by Diane Warren and produced by David Foster, the same team behind Braxton's 1996 smash hit "Un-Break My Heart"...
", peaked at number 98 on the Hot 100 and number one on the Hot Dance & Club charts. The fourth single, "Maybe", peaked at 74 on the R&B charts.
The Heat was certified double platinum in the US with over 3 million copies sold worldwide. In February 2000, Braxton performed alongside Enrique Iglesias
Enrique Iglesias
Enrique Iglesias is a Spanish pop music singer, a son of singer Julio Iglesias.Enrique started his musical career on Mexican label Fonovisa...
and Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994...
during the Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
Halftime show. Braxton topped the Billboard Year-End Charts as the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Artist — Female, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Album Artist — Female, and Top Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks Artist — Female. She also received the 2000 Aretha Franklin Award for Entertainer of the Year at the Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards. Braxton also picked up her sixth Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for "He Wasn't Man Enough" which won the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and the album was nominated for Best R&B Album. It won Best R&B/Soul Album at the 2001 American Music Awards, her third win in a row.
In 2002, while gearing up for the release of her fourth studio album, Braxton discovered she was pregnant with her second child. Knowing that she wouldn't be able to promote the album properly, she unsuccessfully lobbied Arista Records
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
to get the label to postpone its release until after she was to give birth. Arista Records
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
refused and the album was released as planned in November 2002. It received very little promotion from Arista and Braxton herself, due to a complicated pregnancy that confined her to bed rest
Bed rest
Bed rest is a medical treatment involving a period of consistent recumbence in bed. It is used as a treatment for an illness or medical condition, especially when prescribed or chosen rather than resulting from severe prostration or imminent death...
. Braxton accused the company of being unwilling to compromise and punishing her from not putting her career over family. On the show VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
Inside Out — Family Comes First, she documented the hardships of being pregnant with her second child at the same time as promoting an album.
2002–04: More Than a Woman
In November 2002, Braxton's fourth studio album More Than a WomanMore Than a Woman (album)
More Than a Woman is the fourth studio album by American recording artist Toni Braxton. It was released in the United States on November 19, 2002 by Arista Records. Most of the songs were written by Braxton, her husband Keri Lewis, and her sister Tamar Braxton...
was released. Opening to an instant commercial disappointment, the album peaked at number 13. The first single, The Neptunes
The Neptunes
The Neptunes are a record production duo consisting of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, who are credited with contributing the sound for many successful hip hop, R&B and pop artists in the late-1990s and 2000s...
-produced "Hit the Freeway
Hit the Freeway
"Hit the Freeway" is the only single from American recording artist Toni Braxton's fourth studio album, More Than a Woman , featuring American rapper Loon. As a result of the poor chart performance of "Hit the Freeway", no more singles from More Than a Woman were released...
", failed at radio and peaked at number 86 on the Hot 100. The two singles that followed ("A Better Man", "Lies, Lies, Lies") also failed to make a dent and missed the Hot 100 completely. Meanwhile, a promotional vinyl was sent out to DJs for "Give It Back"/"Let Me Show You the Way (Out)".
More Than A Woman was certified gold by RIAA and sold more 800,000 copies worldwide.
Prior to the release of the album, a dispute erupted between Braxton and Irv Gotti when he played a rough cut of "No More Love", a song that he produced for the album that was to be the first single. Disapproving of Gotti broadcasting the unfinished track, Braxton withheld it from being released. The same year, Braxton was further annoyed when Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
used the same sample of 2Pac
Tupac Shakur
Tupac Amaru Shakur , known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. Shakur has sold over 75 million albums worldwide as of 2007, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world...
's "Me And My Girlfriend" that she had already used on her track "Me & My Boyfriend" for his and Beyoncé's "'03 Bonnie & Clyde
'03 Bonnie & Clyde
"03 Bonnie & Clyde" is a song by American rapper Jay-Z featuring R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles. It incorporates elements from the songs "Me and My Girlfriend" by Tupac Shakur, and "If I Was Your Girlfriend" by Prince and uses the theme from "Pasttime Paradise" by Stevie Wonder for the refrain...
". Furious, Braxton lashed out in a radio interview, accusing Jay-Z and producer Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
of taking money out of her children's college fund.
2003–06: Libra
In April 2003, Braxton abruptly left Arista Records, having been there for fourteen years, and immediately signed with Blackground RecordsBlackground Records
Blackground Records is an American record label owned by entertainment attorney and artist manager Barry Hankerson and his son Jomo Hankerson.-History:...
—headed by Barry Hankerson
Barry Hankerson
Barry Hankerson is an American record producer and manager who founded and runs Blackground Records. He was once a television producer and a politician in Detroit, Michigan. He managed and produced The Winans and produced Ron Milner's play Don't Get God Started in 1988.At one time Hankerson was...
, her manager at the time. The change of scenery, however, did not ultimately help her recording career. As had been the case during her final years at Arista—Braxton's fifth album, and first release on Blackground, Libra was released with scant promotion and accumulated poor sales.
In April 2005, Braxton's new label, Blackground/Universal, released "Please
Please (Toni Braxton song)
"Please" is a song by American recording artist Toni Braxton from her fifth studio album, Libra. It was written by Scott Storch, Makeba Riddick, Vincent Herbert, and Kameron Houff and produced by Storch....
"—the first single from her fifth album, Libra. The album was originally planned for a June release, but it was pushed back several times and was finally issued on September 27. Unfortunately for Braxton, her troubles with weak album promotion and lack of label commitment weren't over. "Please" peaked at number 36 on Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, while altogether missing the Hot 100. The album lacked promotion by Blackground, causing it to go under the radar of many.
Despite this, Libra still managed to debut at number four on the Billboard 200 selling 114,593 copies in the first week. Libra also peaked at number two on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Although that is strong for an album with little to no promotion, it became yet another commercial disappointment for Braxton. The album's second single, "Trippin' (That's the Way Love Works)
Trippin' (That's the Way Love Works)
"Trippin' " is a song by American R&B singer–songwriter Toni Braxton from her fifth studio album, Libra . Written by Bryan-Michael Cox, Kendrick Dean, Johntá Austin, and Braxton and produced by Cox, the song was released to U.S. radio on September 26, 2005 as the album's second single...
" received less airplay and peaked at number 67 on the R&B chart. The failure was ascribed to the non-video presence of the single and lack of label support. The album was certified gold in late 2005 and has since sold 679,000 copies worldwide.
Braxton, meanwhile, recorded a song with Il Divo
Il Divo
Il Divo is a multinational operatic pop vocal group created by music manager, executive, and reality TV star Simon Cowell. Formed in the United Kingdom, they are also signed to Cowell's record label, Syco Music...
titled "The Time of Our Lives
The Time of Our Lives
"The Time of Our Lives" is a song recorded by multinational operatic pop quartet Il Divo and American R&B singer Toni Braxton to serve as the official theme song for the 2006 FIFA World Cup football tournament...
". The song was used as the official 2006 FIFA World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
anthem and was performed at the championship's opening day in Berlin, Germany on June 9. The song was also performed at the closing ceremonies making Braxton and Il Divo the first artists to be asked to perform for the opening and closing ceremonies. The song peaked at number 17 in Germany. As a result Edel Records
Edel Music
-History:Edel Music was founded in 1986 by Michael Haentjes in Germany as a mail order record company selling mostly soundtracks. With artists such as Scooter, SASH!, Holly Johnson and many others, it became a very successful pop music label...
decided to re-release Libra in Germany, including a new album cover, artwork, and the new anthem.
Braxton made an appearance on the season finale of American Idol 5
American Idol (season 5)
The fifth season of American Idol began on January 17, 2006 and concluded on May 24, 2006. Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell returned to judge, and Ryan Seacrest returned to host. It is the most successful season to date ratings-wise and also with 18 contestants getting record deals -...
where she performed Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
's "In the Ghetto
In the Ghetto
"In the Ghetto" is a song recorded by Elvis Presley and published by Elvis Presley Music in 1969. It was written by Mac Davis and made famous by Elvis Presley who had a major comeback hit with the song in 1969. It was released in 1969 as a 45 rpm single with "Any Day Now" as the flip side...
" with soon-to-be winner Taylor Hicks
Taylor Hicks
Taylor Reuben Hicks is an American singer who achieved fame in 2006, when he won the fifth season of American Idol. Hicks got his start as a professional musician in his late teens and performed around the Southeastern United States for well over the span of a decade, during which he also released...
.
2006–08: Toni Braxton: Revealed
Flamingo Las Vegas
The Flamingo Las Vegas is a hotel casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada and is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment Corp.. The property offers a casino along with 3,626 hotel rooms...
in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
announced that Braxton would replace Wayne Newton
Wayne Newton
Wayne Newton is an American singer and entertainer based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He performed over 30,000 solo shows in Las Vegas over a period of over 40 years, earning him the nicknames The Midnight Idol, Mr. Las Vegas and Mr. Entertainment...
as the casino's new headlining act on August 3, 2006. The show, entitled Toni Braxton: Revealed, was to be performed six nights a week and was scheduled to run through March 2007. Braxton Later confirmed that she was extending her show through August 2007. The show became the first headlining show from an African American performer in Las Vegas to enter the top ten Vegas shows charting. Due to the success of the show, it was reported that Braxton would extend her show through August 2008. The singer subsequently took time off after being hospitalized for chest pains in April 2008.
The show was later cancelled, and it was announced that the show was officially shut down in order for the singer to focus on her health.
Braxton has been released from her contract with Blackground after a number of disputes with former manager Barry Hankerson.
On January 12, 2007, Braxton filed a lawsuit in the U.S District Court in Manhattan against Hankerson for $10 million, alleging "fraud, deception and double dealing," in addition to mismanaging her relationship with Arista Records. According to Braxton, Hankerson placed his own personal financial interests ahead of hers by using "double-talk" to compromise the relationship between Braxton and her former recording label, Arista Records
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
, with Hankerson allegedly telling Arista that "Braxton no longer wanted to record for Arista" and telling Braxton that "Arista was not interested in working with her anymore". Braxton also accused Hankerson of failing to send her on request copies of accounting statements, lying about deals that he made on her behalf and engaging in a vendetta against her by refusing to provide information to other managers that she sought to employ to manage her career.
The suit was settled with Braxton returning a $375,000 advance to Hankerson—who would also receive a percentage of the sales of her next album—and Hankerson releasing Braxton from her contract with him. The settlement also temporarily limited the companies in which Braxton can sign with.
In early August, various internet websites including TMZ.com
TMZ.com
TMZ.com is a celebrity news website that debuted on November 8, 2005. It was a collaboration between America Online and Telepictures Productions, a division of Warner Bros., until Time Warner divested AOL in 2009. However, it is still affiliated with AOL News and has the AOL News logo affixed in...
and In Touch Weekly
In Touch Weekly
In Touch Weekly is an American celebrity gossip magazine. The magazine is focused on celebrity news, fashion, beauty, relationships and lifestyle, and is geared towards a younger readership, billing itself as "fast and fun", along with making claims about their lower cover price on their front...
magazine began announcing that Braxton would be appearing on the seventh season
Dancing with the Stars (U.S. season 7)
The seventh season of Dancing with the Stars premiered on September 22, 2008 as a part of ABC's fall line-up. Instead of 12 couples like previous seasons, this was the first season to showcase a lineup of 13 couples...
of Dancing with the Stars. The full cast of the next season of the show was confirmed on August 25, 2008 on Good Morning America, which confirmed Braxton as a contestant in the season with her partner being Alec Mazo
Alec Mazo
Alec Mazo is a Russian-born American professional ballroom dancer based in San Francisco. He became known for his participation in the American edition of the reality television series Dancing with the Stars, the first season of which he won with partner Kelly Monaco.-Early life and...
. They were voted off in the fifth week of the competition.
Braxton, Lance Bass
Lance Bass
James Lance Bass , best known as Lance Bass, is an American pop singer, dancer, actor, film and television producer, and author. He grew up in Mississippi and rose to fame as the bass singer for the American pop boy band 'N Sync. 'N Sync's success led Bass to work in film and television...
, Maurice Greene
Maurice Greene (athlete)
Maurice Greene is a retired American track and field sprinter who specialized in the 100 meters and 200 meters. He is a former 100 m world record holder with a time of 9.79 seconds. During the height of his career he won four Olympic medals and was a five-time World Champion...
and Marlee Matlin
Marlee Matlin
Marlee Bethany Matlin is an American actress. She is the only deaf actress to win the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, which she won for Children of a Lesser God. Her work in film and television has resulted in a Golden Globe award, with two additional nominations, and four Emmy...
headlined Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars is the name of several international television series based on the format of the British TV series Strictly Come Dancing, which is distributed by BBC Worldwide – the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the format has been licensed to over 35 countries...
winter tour starting in December 2008 and finishing in February 2009.
| Week # | Dance/Song | Judges' score | Result | ||
| Inaba | Goodman | Tonioli | |||
| 1A | Cha-Cha-Cha Cha-cha-cha (dance) The Cha-cha-cha is the name of a dance of Cuban origin.It is danced to the music of the same name introduced by Cuban composer and violinist Enrique Jorrín in 1953... / "Smooth Smooth Smooth means having a texture that lacks friction. Not rough.Smooth may also refer to:-In mathematics:* Smooth function, a function that is infinitely differentiable; used in calculus and topology... " |
7 | 7 | 8 | Safe |
| 1B | Quickstep Quickstep The quickstep is a light-hearted member of the standard ballroom dances. The movement of the dance is fast and powerfully flowing and sprinkled with syncopations. The upbeat melodies that quickstep is danced to make it suitable for both formal and informal events... / "Blue Skies Blue Skies (song) -History:The song was composed in 1926 as a last minute addition to the Rodgers and Hart musical, Betsy. Although the show only ran for 39 performances, "Blue Skies" was an instant success, with audiences on opening night demanding 24 encores of the piece from star, Belle Baker. During the final... " |
8 | 7 | 8 | Last to Be Called Safe |
| 2 | Rumba Rumba Rumba is a family of percussive rhythms, song and dance that originated in Cuba as a combination of the musical traditions of Africans brought to Cuba as slaves and Spanish colonizers. The name derives from the Cuban Spanish word rumbo which means "party" or "spree". It is secular, with no... / "I Can't Make You Love Me I Can't Make You Love Me "I Can't Make You Love Me" is a 1991 popular song, written by Mike Reid and Allen Shamblin and recorded by Bonnie Raitt on her Luck of the Draw album from that year. In August 2000, Mojo magazine voted "I Can't Make You Love Me" #8 on its The 100 Greatest Songs Of All Time list... " |
7 | 8 | 8 | Safe |
| 3 | Viennese Waltz Viennese Waltz Viennese Waltz is the genre of a ballroom dance. At least three different meanings are recognized. In the historically first sense, the name may refer to several versions of the waltz, including the earliest waltzes done in ballroom dancing, danced to the music of Viennese Waltz.What is now called... / "Für Elise Für Elise Bagatelle No. 25 in A minor for solo piano, commonly known as "Für Elise" , is one of Ludwig van Beethoven's most popular compositions. It is usually classified as a bagatelle, but it is also sometimes referred to as an Albumblatt.- History :The score was not published until 1867, 40 years after... " |
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| 4 | Samba Samba Samba is a Brazilian dance and musical genre originating in Bahia and with its roots in Brazil and Africa via the West African slave trade and African religious traditions. It is recognized around the world as a symbol of Brazil and the Brazilian Carnival... / "De Donde Soy" |
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| 5 | West Coast Swing West Coast Swing West Coast Swing is a partner dance with roots in Lindy Hop. It is characterized by a distinctive elastic look that results from its basic extension-compression technique of partner connection, and is danced primarily in a slotted area on the dance floor... / "The Way You Make Me Feel The Way You Make Me Feel "The Way You Make Me Feel" is a song by American recording artist Michael Jackson. Released by Epic Records in November 1987, it was the third single from Jackson's seventh studio album Bad. Written and composed by Jackson, and produced by Quincy Jones , the song is credited as being a pop and R&B... " |
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2009–10: Pulse
In October 2008, it was announced that Braxton signed to Atlantic RecordsAtlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
. In the November 2008 issue of Jet
Jet (magazine)
Jet is an American weekly marketed toward African-American readers, founded in 1951 by John H. Johnson of Johnson Publishing Company in Chicago, Illinois...
, Braxton discussed her time spent on Dancing with the Stars as well as dealing with her son's autism. Braxton also talked about being signed to Atlantic Records and the debut of her upcoming single. She added that the complete CD is scheduled to come out in some time in 2009. She also hinted at a cooking show with fellow Dancing with the Stars competitor, Rocco DiSpirito
Rocco DiSpirito
Rocco DiSpirito is an Italian American chef based in New York City.-Life and career:DiSpirito was born in Queens, New York City, New York. He graduated in 1986 from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, and in 1990 from Boston University with a bachelor's degree in business...
.
The DJ Frank E produced song "Yesterday
Yesterday (Toni Braxton song)
"Yesterday" is a song by American R&B singer–songwriter Toni Braxton. The track is the lead single from her album, Pulse, which has been released May 4, 2010. Trey Songz appears on the American version released to radio, "Troy Taylor Radio Edit"...
" premiered on September 11, 2009 and features Trey Songz
Trey Songz
Tremaine "Trey" Aldon Neverson , better known by his stage name Trey Songz, is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer and actor. His debut album, I Gotta Make It, was released in 2005, while his second album, Trey Day, was released in 2007...
. It was released as the lead single from her sixth studio album Pulse
Pulse (Toni Braxton album)
Pulse is the sixth studio album by American R&B singer–songwriter Toni Braxton, released May 4, 2010, on Atlantic Records. It is her first album in five years and serves as her debut for the Atlantic label after signing a new record deal...
. "Yesterday" peaked at #12 on the U.S. Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
chart making it her highest chart performance since her 2000's single "Just Be a Man About It
Just Be a Man About It
"Just Be a Man About It" is the second single from Toni Braxton's third studio album, The Heat . It was released as a DVD single in the United States on November 21, 2000 and in Canada on February 6, 2001.-Music video:...
", which peaked at #6. The single has been released worldwide on May 3, 2010. In the UK, "Yesterday" became Braxton's first hit single since the release of "Hit the Freeway
Hit the Freeway
"Hit the Freeway" is the only single from American recording artist Toni Braxton's fourth studio album, More Than a Woman , featuring American rapper Loon. As a result of the poor chart performance of "Hit the Freeway", no more singles from More Than a Woman were released...
", peaking at #50 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
and at #17 on the UK R&B Singles Chart
UK R&B Chart
The Official UK R&B Chart is a forty-position R&B/Hip-Hop chart compiled by The Official UK Charts Company. Although the chart does not receive any airplay, its compilation is viewed on BBC Radio 1's website and publications such as ChartsPlus and Music Week...
. The song also became a moderate hit in Europe, peaking at #20 on the German Singles Chart, at #17 on the Swiss Singles Chart and charting at #50 on the European Hot 100.
On January 29, Braxton's official website posted two new songs from the upcoming album, "Hands Tied
Hands Tied
"Hands Tied" is a song by American singer Toni Braxton. Written by Heather Bright, Warren Felder, and Harvey Mason, Jr. and produced by Oak for Braxton's sixth studio album Pulse , it was premiered on January 29, 2010 on her official website....
" and "Make My Heart". The former peaked at #29 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
, the latter was sent to dance/club radio.
She performed Make My Heart on The Wendy Williams Show
The Wendy Williams Show
The Wendy Williams Show is a syndicated talk show hosted by Wendy Williams that premiered on July 14, 2008, as six-week sneak peek, in Detroit, Dallas, Los Angeles, and New York City. The test run was picked up for a full season that began its run on July 13, 2009 in over 70% of the country in...
.
Videos for both songs "Make My Heart" and "Hands Tied" have been shot.
Braxton released her sixth studio album Pulse
Pulse (Toni Braxton album)
Pulse is the sixth studio album by American R&B singer–songwriter Toni Braxton, released May 4, 2010, on Atlantic Records. It is her first album in five years and serves as her debut for the Atlantic label after signing a new record deal...
on May 4, 2010 in the US and on May 10, 2010 in the UK.
The album debuted at #9 on the US Billboard 200 chart and hit #1 on Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, becoming Braxton's fifth US top-ten album. It also achieved moderate chart success around the world. In Canada it debuted at #72 on the Top 100 Albums chart and in the United Kingdom it debuted at #28 on the Top 40 Albums and at #7 on the R&B Albums chart. It entered at #18 on the German Album Chart. In Switzerland, the album hit #9. Pulse became Toni's first album to chart inside the European Top 100 Albums
European Top 100 Albums
The European Top 100 Albums chart is the European adaptation of the Billboard 200 albums chart. It was created in March 1984.The European Top 100 Albums, commonly referred to as Eurochart Top 100 Albums shows the sales of an act in 19 European countries based on IFPI data.The European Top 100...
since her 2000 album The Heat.
On June 28, Braxton posted a video for Woman.
Toni Braxton was included as part of the "We Are the World 25 for Haiti
We Are the World 25 for Haiti
"We Are the World 25 for Haiti" is a charity single recorded by the supergroup Artists for Haiti in 2010. It is a remake of the 1985 hit song "We Are the World", which was written by American musicians Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, and was recorded by USA for Africa to benefit famine relief in...
" remake of the 1985 hit "We Are the World
We Are the World
"We Are the World" is a song and charity single originally recorded by the supergroup USA for Africa in 1985. It was written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, and produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian for the album We Are the World...
" to help benefit the people of Haiti following the January 12, 2010 magnitude 7.0 MW earthquake in Haiti. The new version of the song was recorded on February 1, 2010. Music legends Quincy Jones
Quincy Jones
Quincy Delightt Jones, Jr. is an American record producer and musician. A conductor, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter. His career spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend...
and Lionel Richie
Lionel Richie
Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr. , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Since 1968, he has been a member of the musical group Commodores signed to Motown Records...
act as Executive Producers as well as Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean is a Haitian musician, record producer, and politician. At age nine, Jean moved to the United States with his family and has spent much of his life in the country...
. Artists involved included Celine Dion
Celine Dion
Céline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...
, Barbra Streisand
Barbra Streisand
Barbra Joan Streisand is an American singer, actress, film producer and director. She has won two Academy Awards, eight Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Special Tony Award, an American Film Institute award, a Peabody Award, and is one of the few entertainers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy,...
, Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
, Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett is an American singer of popular music, standards, show tunes, and jazz....
, Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean is a Haitian musician, record producer, and politician. At age nine, Jean moved to the United States with his family and has spent much of his life in the country...
, Josh Groban
Josh Groban
Joshua Winslow "Josh" Groban is an American singer-songwriter, musician, actor, and record producer. His four solo albums have been certified at least multi-platinum, and in 2007, he was charted as the number-one best selling artist in the United States with over 21 million records in that country...
, Pink
Pink (singer)
Alecia Beth Moore , better known by her stage name Pink , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and actress....
, Usher
Usher (entertainer)
Usher Terry Raymond IV , who performs under the mononym Usher, is an American singer-songwriter, and actor. He is considered around the world to be the reigning King of R&B. Usher rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his second album My Way, which spawned his first Billboard Hot 100...
, Mary J. Blige
Mary J. Blige
Mary Jane Blige is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and occasional actress. She is a recipient of nine Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards, and has recorded eight multi-platinum albums. She is the only artist with Grammy Award wins in Pop, Rap, Gospel, and R&B. Blige has...
, Jennifer Hudson
Jennifer Hudson
Jennifer Kate Hudson is an American recording artist, actress and spokesperson. She came to prominence in 2004 as one of the finalists on the third season of American Idol coming in seventh place...
, Adam Levine
Adam Levine
Adam Noah Levine is an American singer-songwriter and musician, best known as the front man and guitarist for the pop rock band Maroon 5. He is also a coach on the American talent show The Voice.-Early life:...
, Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber
Justin Drew Bieber is a Canadian pop/R&B singer, songwriter and actor. Bieber was discovered in 2008 by Scooter Braun, who came across Bieber's videos on YouTube and later became his manager...
, LL Cool J
LL Cool J
James Todd Smith , better known as LL Cool J , is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and actor...
, among others.
2011-present : Braxton Family Values
In January 2011, WE tvWE TV
We TV is the third TV channel from Malayalam Communications Ltd, in Kerala and based at Trivandrum. The other two channels of this company are Kairali TV and People TV. WE TV is mainly aimed at the youth and was officially launched on April 14, 2007. Mr...
Network confirmed that it had signed Braxton for a reality series, Braxton Family Values
Braxton Family Values
Braxton Family Values is an American reality series on WEtv starring Grammy-winner Toni Braxton and her sisters. The series premiered on April 12, 2011....
, which will be marketed as one of the network's flagship shows. The series debuted April 12, 2011, and looks at the relationship between the singer/songwriter Braxton, her mother, and her four sisters; Trina, Tamar
Tamar Braxton
Tamar Braxton-Herbert is an American R&B singer, songwriter, and reality television personality. She rose to fame in the 1990s as a founding member of the R&B group, The Braxtons. Braxton is the youngest sister of prominent R&B singer Toni Braxton.In 2011, Tamar Braxton reunited with her sisters,...
, Traci and Towanda — all aspiring singers themselves — along with the interpersonal relationships of each family member. The show will also look at Braxton's heavily publicized separation from estranged husband, singer Keri Lewis. Toni parted ways with her long time manager Vincent Herbert, who is also husband of sister Tamar Braxton, and signed a new music deal with upcoming music label 'The Collective'. Braxton has confirmed work on her seventh studio album and that L.A. Reid would be producing on the album.
Acting career
Braxton has appeared on two DisneyThe Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
shows: She made her Broadway debut as Belle in "Beauty and the Beast" beginning September 9, 1998 where she replaced Kim Huber. During her run in the show Alan Menken
Alan Menken
Alan Menken is an American musical theatre and film composer and pianist.Menken is best known for his numerous scores for films produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. His scores for The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and Pocahontas have each won him two Academy Awards...
wrote a new song for the musical called "A Change in Me," which was specially written for Braxton and was used in the musical ever since. She left the production on February 28, 1999 and was succeeded by Andrea McArdle
Andrea McArdle
Andrea McArdle is an American singer and actress best known for playing Annie in the Broadway musical Annie, as well as for her alto range and strong vocal belt.-Career:She was born in Philadelphia...
. Her role in "Beauty and the Beast" marked the first (and only) time a black woman commanded the leading role of Belle on Broadway. (In the UK, Michelle Gayle
Michelle Gayle
Michelle Patricia Gayle is a British recording artist, actress and author. Gayle had success as a Soul and R&B singer in the 1990s. She achieved seven Top 40 singles in the UK Singles Chart, her two biggest hits to date being "Sweetness" and "Do You Know"...
played the role in the West End.) It also marked the first time a black woman would star in a Disney musical on Broadway. She then starred in "Aida
Aida (musical)
Aida is a musical with music by Elton John, lyrics by Tim Rice, and book by Linda Woolverton, Robert Falls, and David Henry Hwang, and produced by Walt Disney Theatrical....
" as Aida beginning June 30, 2003 where she replaced Simone
Simone (actress)
Simone is a Broadway actress/singer and the daughter of Nina Simone.Prior to her acting career, Simone served in the United States Air Force as an engineering assistant...
and left the cast on November 16, 2003 where she was replaced by Michelle Williams
Michelle Williams (singer)
Tenitra Michelle Williams , commonly known as Michelle Williams, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and actress...
. In 2001, she made her movie acting debut in the feature film Kingdom Come
Kingdom Come (2001 film)
Kingdom Come is a 2001 comedy-drama film, written by David Bottrell and Jessie Jones, and directed by Doug McHenry. This film stars LL Cool J, Jada Pinkett Smith, Vivica A...
. In 2004, Braxton appeared as herself, voicing a singing character named Toni, in a special episode and DVD release of the children's television show Blue's Clues
Blue's Clues
Blue's Clues is an American children's television show airing on the Nickelodeon family of channels. The show premiered on September 8, 1996 and airs on Nick Jr. and other channels, although production of new episodes ceased by 2006. Versions of the show have been produced in other countries,...
. In August 2005, Braxton announced that she would be shooting a sitcom pilot for The WB's fall 2006 line-up, though plans to put the show into full-production fell through when The WB announced it would cease to exist in fall 2006 (as part of a merger with UPN
UPN
United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...
to form The CW), She has also starred in the TV sitcom, Kevin Hill. Braxton has recently completed filming of "The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure" alongside Jaime Pressly
Jaime Pressly
Jaime Elizabeth Pressly is an American actress and model. She is best known for playing Joy Turner on the NBC sitcom My Name Is Earl, for which she was nominated for two Emmy Awards, winning one, as well as a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award...
and Cloris Leachman
Cloris Leachman
Cloris Leachman is an American actress of stage, film and television. She has won eight Primetime Emmy Awards—more than any other performer—and one Daytime Emmy Award...
due to be released 2010. Her character - Rosalie Rosebud - is a singer, whose over-the-top personality was apparently inspired by Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
.
Marriage, family, and son's autism
Braxton met musician Keri Lewis when his group, Mint ConditionMint Condition
Mint Condition is an R&B band from Saint Paul, Minnesota. Formed in the late 1980s, its original members were lead singer Stokley Williams, bassist Ricky Kinchen, guitarist Homer O'Dell, pianist Larry Waddell, keyboardist Keri Lewis, and keyboardist/saxophonist Jeffrey Allen...
, opened for her on tour. On April 21, 2001, they were married. On December 2, 2001, she gave birth to their first child, a son named Denim Cole Braxton-Lewis. The couple's second son, Diezel Ky Braxton-Lewis, was born on March 31, 2003.
In an October 2006 concert at the Flamingo in Las Vegas, it was reported that Braxton broke down in tears discussing her son, Diezel, who had recently been diagnosed with autism
Autism
Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their...
. Braxton has been outspoken regarding her doctor's failure to diagnose Diezel's condition earlier, contending that if he had been diagnosed earlier, he could have been helped.
As well as becoming a spokeswoman for Autism Speaks
Autism Speaks
Autism Speaks is the world's largest autism advocacy organization that sponsors autism research and conducts awareness and outreach activities aimed at families, governments, and the public. It was founded in February 2005 by Bob Wright, vice chairman of General Electric, and by his wife Suzanne, a...
, she is also a spokeswoman for the American Heart Association
American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is a non-profit organization in the United States that fosters appropriate cardiac care in an effort to reduce disability and deaths caused by cardiovascular disease and stroke. It is headquartered in Dallas, Texas...
.
In November 2009, through her attorney Antavius Weems, Braxton announced that she and Lewis had separated.
Health problems
As of August 2007, rumors surfaced that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Toni stated to Access HollywoodAccess Hollywood
Access Hollywood is a weekday television entertainment news program covering events and celebrities in the entertainment industry. It was created by former Entertainment Tonight executive producer Jim Van Messel, and is currently directed by Robert Silverstein. In previous years, Doug Dougherty and...
that the breast cancer rumors were false and that her health is in great condition. However, in 2008, she had a benign lump removed from her breast.
On April 8, 2008, near the end of her two-year run at the Flamingo Hotel, Braxton was briefly hospitalized and the remaining dates on the show, which was scheduled to end on August 23, 2008, were canceled. Later, while appearing on Season 7 of Dancing with the Stars, she stated that she has been diagnosed with microvascular angina (small vessel disease).
On November 18, 2010, Braxton admitted to CBS News that she suffers from systemic lupus erythematosus
Systemic lupus erythematosus
Systemic lupus erythematosus , often abbreviated to SLE or lupus, is a systemic autoimmune disease that can affect any part of the body. As occurs in other autoimmune diseases, the immune system attacks the body's cells and tissue, resulting in inflammation and tissue damage...
, a potentially life threatening autoimmune disease. Braxton's brother also suffers from the disease, and her uncle died of complications from lupus.
Discography
- 1993: Toni BraxtonToni Braxton (album)Toni Braxton is the self-titled debut album by American recording artist Toni Braxton. It was released in the United States on July 13, 1993 by LaFace Records.-Overview:...
- 1996: Secrets
- 2000: The Heat
- 2001: Snowflakes
- 2002: More Than a WomanMore Than a Woman (album)More Than a Woman is the fourth studio album by American recording artist Toni Braxton. It was released in the United States on November 19, 2002 by Arista Records. Most of the songs were written by Braxton, her husband Keri Lewis, and her sister Tamar Braxton...
- 2005: Libra
- 2010: PulsePulse (Toni Braxton album)Pulse is the sixth studio album by American R&B singer–songwriter Toni Braxton, released May 4, 2010, on Atlantic Records. It is her first album in five years and serves as her debut for the Atlantic label after signing a new record deal...
Filmography
- 2001: Kingdom ComeKingdom Come (2001 film)Kingdom Come is a 2001 comedy-drama film, written by David Bottrell and Jessie Jones, and directed by Doug McHenry. This film stars LL Cool J, Jada Pinkett Smith, Vivica A...
- Juanita Slocumb - 2002: Play'd: A Hip Hop StoryPlay'd: A Hip Hop StoryPlay'd: A Hip Hop Story is 2002 television drama film starring Rashaan Nall, Faizon Love, Toni Braxton and Merlin Santana. The film was directed by Oz Scott-Synopsis:...
(TV) - Shonda - 2005: Kevin HillKevin HillKevin Hill is an American legal drama that aired on UPN during the 2004-2005 TV season.-Synopsis:The series stars Taye Diggs as the title character, a lawyer who has to balance his professional career and his love life with having custody of Sarah, his 10 month old cousin...
(3 Episodes, TV Series) - Terry Knox - 2010: The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure - Rosalie Rosebud