Toni Braxton
Template:Infobox musical artist 2 Toni Michelle Braxton (born October 7, 1967 in Severn, Maryland)[1] is a six-time Grammy Award winning African American R&B singer. She is most notable for her dark, deep, thick contralto vocals, which are low even by contralto standards.
Biography
Early years
Braxton is the oldest of six children. She attended Quarterfield Elementary School, Corkran Middle School and Glen Burnie High School in Glen Burnie, Maryland. Her father was a clergyman, and the Braxton children were raised in a strict religious household. Braxton's first performing experience was singing with a church choir. She attended Bowie State University to obtain a teaching degree but decided to pursue a musical career.
Music Career
The Braxtons (1989-1991)
Toni and her four sisters (Traci, Trina, Towanda and Tamar) began performing as The Braxtons in the late 1980s, and were signed to Arista Records in 1989. Their first single, "The Good Life," was released in 1990. Though the song didn't make waves, it attracted the attention of producing team Antonio "LA" Reid & Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds.
With Toni's low register sounding similar to that of Anita Baker, LA & Babyface summonsed her to record a demo of "Love Shoulda Brought You Home," a song that they had written specifically for Baker to appear on the soundtrack to the Eddie Murphy film, Boomerang. Baker passed on the song, but suggested that Toni herself record the final version. The endorsement worked in Toni's favor, as her recording wound up being included on the album. As did "Give U My Heart," a duet with Toni and Babyface. Both songs garnered radio attention in the closing months of 1992 and effectively introduced Braxton to the record buying public. Toni, meanwhile, was signed to Reid and Edmonds' Arista-distributed imprint, LaFace Records, and immediately began recording her solo debut album.
Toni Braxton
On July 13, 1993, LaFace Records released Braxton's self-titled debut album, Toni Braxton. With a bulk of the production serviced by L.A. Reid, Babyface, and Daryl Simmons, the album became a critical and commercial success — peaking at #1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 albums chart, where it remained for two weeks. The first single, "Another Sad Love Song" peaked at #7 and #2 on Billboards Hot 100 Singles Chart and R&B Singles Chart respectively, and was certified Gold. The albums second single, "Breathe Again," fared better — going top five on both the Pop and R&B singles charts, and was also gold-certified. Into 1994, Toni Braxton continued to spin off more hit singles, including the top ten "You Mean The World To Me," as well as "Seven Whole Days," and "How Many Ways."
Braxton won several awards, including three Grammy Awards, one for Best New Artist, and two consecutive ones for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and three American Music Awards for Favorite Soul/R&B New Artist, Favorite New Adult Contemporary Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Album for her self-titled album. Toni Braxton was certified 8x platinum and sold over 10 million worldwide.
Secrets
Braxton entered the studio in 1995 to start recording her sophomore album, Secrets. The album, released in 1996, is her most successful work to date. Braxton, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, and Antonio "L.A." Reid stuck to the same formula with this album but added more soul to the music. 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. Kelly, 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 a Princess Diana memorial album.
With help from the first single from the album, "You're Makin' Me High" (which became Braxton's first #1hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 singles chart) the album debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200. "You're Makin' Me High" also topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart for two weeks and it also saw similar success in Europe and Asia, expanding the prominence of Braxton on an increasing international clientel. The album's second single, "Un-Break My Heart" (written by Diane Warren), which would later become the singer's signature song, outperformed the first single's triumph, spending eleven weeks at #1 on the Hot 100 and also topping the Hot Dance Singles chart for eleven weeks and the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart for four weeks.
Other singles from the album included double-side "I Don't Want To"/"I Love Me Some Him" (which also topped the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart), and the above-mentioned "How Could An Angel Break My Heart" which featured Kenny G, who Braxton later toured with. In the end Braxton topped the Billboard Year-End Charts as the Top Hot 100 Singles Artist - Female, Top R&B Artist - Female (singles & albums), Top Hot R&B Singles Artist - Female, Top Hot Dance Club Play Artist, Top Hot Adult Contemporary Artist, and with the Top Hot Dance Club Play Single and Top Hot Adult Contemporary Track ("Un-Break My Heart").
She won two Grammy Awards 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 Heat
In January 2000, LaFace Records released "He Wasn't Man Enough," the first single from Toni's forthcoming third studio album, The Heat. By June, the song peaked at #2 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles 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, meanwhile, was released on April 25. Debuting at #2 on Billboard 200 albums chart with first week sales of 205,000, it remained in the top 20 for fifteen consecutive weeks. Toni again worked with producers Babyface and David 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.
The albums second single, "Just Be A Man About It", peaked at a modest #32 on the Hot 100 Singles Chart — while the third and final single, "Spanish Guitar," peaked at a disappointing #98. By the end of the year, The Heat was certified double platinum…which, though respectable, was a noticeable decline from the two albums that came before. Braxton, meanwhile, 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.
More Than A Woman
On November 19, 2002, Braxton's fourth studio album More Than A Woman was released. Opening to an instant commercial disappointment, the albums peaked at #13, with first week sales were 95,000. The first single, the The Neptunes-produced, "Hit The Freeway" failed at radio — and would peak at #86 on the Hot 100. The three singles that followed ("Lies, Lies, Lies," "Give It Back," and "A Better Man") also failed to make a dent and missed the Hot 100 completely.
Prior to the release of the album a dispute erupted between Toni and Irv Gotti when he played a rough cut of "No More Love," a song that he'd produced for the album that was to be the first single. Disapproving of Gotti broadcasting the unfinished track, Toni withheld it from being released. The same year, Braxton was further annoyed when rapper Jay-Z used the same sample of 2Pac's "Me And My Girlfriend" that she had already used on her track "Me And My Boyfriend" for his and Beyonce's "'03 Bonnie & Clyde." Furious, Toni lashed out in a radio interview, accusing Jay-Z and producer Kanye West of taking money out of her children's college fund.
Many fans, and allegedly Toni herself, considers this to be Braxton's worst album. Unlike the albums that came before, with More Than A Woman, Toni awkwardly delved into hip hop with a bevy of guest MC's, including: Baby and Loon. The album sold approx. 435,000 — falling horribly short of expectation.
Libra
In April 2005, Braxton's new label, Blackground/Universal, released "Please" — the first single from her forthcoming 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 Toni, her troubles with weak album promotion and lack of label commitment weren't over. "Please" peaked at #36 on Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Tracks Chart, while altogether missing the Hot 100. The albums lack of promotion by Blackground, caused it to go under the radar of many.
Despite this, Libra still managed to debut at #4 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart, selling 114,593 copies in the first week. Libra also peaked at #2 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums; on November 4th, 2005 the album was certified Gold by RIAA for shipments of 500,000 copies. Although that is strong for an album with little to no promotion, it became yet another commercial disappointment for Toni.
The albums second single, "Trippin' (That's the Way Love Works)" received less airplay and it only peaked at #67 on Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Tracks Chart, even underquoting the moderate success of "Please". The failure was ascribed to the non-video presence of the single and nil label support. So far Libra has sold 420,000 copies[citation needed](Soundscan)and has been certified Gold for shipments of 500,000 copies.
Toni, meanwhile, recorded a song with Il Divo titled "The Time Of Our Lives" slated to be the official FIFA World Cup 2006 anthem. [1]
The song can be heard on Toni's official fan site www.toni-online.com
Career troubles
Bankruptcy
In January 1998, Toni filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Los Angeles. Although her bankruptcy petition ostensibly was filed on the grounds that her liabilities exceeded her assets, music industry pundits believe that the core reason she filed was so the bankruptcy court would void her existing recording agreement with her record label LaFace. The label countersued Braxton for breach of contract.
Braxton's 1993 debut album and her 1996 follow-up sold an estimated 15+ million units worldwide. According to her label, following the success of the 1996 release, Braxton demanded more money and said that she would no longer record for the label if it did not meet her demands. She made this demand even though she contractually owed the label more albums. The label did not acquiesce and Braxton apparently implemented the bankruptcy action in an attempt to extricate herself from what she viewed as an inequitable contract. Her publicist said of the action: "…the only sensible option… She is confident that with the court's protection, she will be able to make a fresh start." A bankruptcy judge ruled in Braxton's favor by denying the dismissal of the claim (as filed by her record label). Braxton has said of the lawsuit: "I can't talk about the suit, but I love those guys very much. It's just business."
Record sales decline
Braxton and LaFace resolved their legal conflict in early 1999. Issued with a brand contract worth a reported $25 million, a satisfied Toni continued to record for the label. Though the legalities with her LaFace and Arista subsided, Toni saw a steep sales decline with her fortcoming releases with the label.
While gearing up for the release of her fourth studio album, Toni discovered she was pregnant with her second child. Knowing that she wouldn't be able to promote the album properly, she unsuccessfully lobbied to get the label to postpone its release until after she was to give birth. Subsequently, the album was released as planned and received very little promotion from the label or Braxton herself, due to a complicated pregnancy that confined her to bed rest. Toni accused the company of being unwilling to compromise and punishing her from not putting her career over family.
[2] 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.
Label switch
In April 2003, Toni abruptly left Arista Records (her home of twelve years) and immediately signed with Blackground Records — 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 — Toni's fifth album, and first release on Blackground, Libra was released with scant promotion and accumulated poor sales.
Almost immediately after Libra's release, Blackground haulted promotion of the album and later scrapped plans for a re-release. Rumor has it, the label chose to use the money intended for continued promotion to instead promote other artists on the roster. Many of Toni's fans were furious, so much so that an online petition was created to encourage J Records to sign her. Toni's fans later hoped that "I Wanna Be (Your Baby)" would be a next single off from Libra due to her performing at numerous events, including "Good Morning America" in December 2005, but it was not to be. [3]
As of early 2006, rumor suggested that Toni was back in the studio recording new material for a re-packaging of Libra. Whether or not this is true remains to be seen. It has also been rumored that Universal Records (Blackground's parent label), from this point on, will have more dominance over Toni's future releases — while Blackground will remain involved, but will take a more submissive position.
Personal Life
Toni met musician Keri Lewis in 1997, when his group Mint Condition opened up for her while she was on tour. The two began dating following Toni's breakup with Curtis Martin of the New York Jets in 1998. In April 2001, they married. On December 2, 2001, she gave birth to their first child, a son named Denim Cole Braxton-Lewis. The couples second son, Diezel Ky Braxton-Lewis was born in April 2003.
Acting
Braxton has appeared on Broadway in two Disney shows: "Beauty and the Beast" (as Belle) in 1998 and "Aida" (as Aida) in 2003. In 2001, she made her acting debut in the feature film Kingdom Come. In August 2005, Braxton announced that she would be shooting a sitcom pilot for The WB's fall 2006 line-up.
Filmography
- Play'd: A Hip Hop Story (2002) (TV)
- Kingdom Come (2001)
Notes
- ^ Toni Braxton profile. Toni Braxton profile.
Related articles
See also
- List of best-selling music artists
- List of number-one hits (United States)
- List of artists who reached number one on the Hot 100 (U.S.)
- List of Number 1 Dance Hits (United States)
- List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance chart
- Toni Braxton's Unbreak My Heart by Il Divo