American R&B singer, songwriter, pianist, musician, actress, television personality, record producer, and humanitarian Toni Michele Braxton has won six Grammy Awards. She has so far put out six studio albums and has sold more than 66 million records worldwide, which has helped her establish herself as an R&B icon. As one of the best-selling female performers of the 1990s, she is occasionally referred to as the “Queen of R&B.” She debuted at the top of the charts in 1993 with her self-titled album, and she continued to enjoy great success with her follow-up album, “Secrets.” However, Braxton’s musical career has had its share of ups and downs due to a legal dispute she had with her record label following the release of her second album. She made a comeback at the beginning of the 2000s with a new album, a reality TV program, and a concert in Las Vegas. A few years later, she made the decision to leave the music business, claiming that she no longer had the same passion for it. She would still perform, but she would no longer record albums. However, in 2014, she returned to the music scene with her longtime partner Babyface and released a duet album titled Love, Marriage & Divorce.
Early Childhood & Life
On October 7, 1967, Toni Braxton was born in Severn, Maryland, to Michael and Evelyn Braxton. She was raised in an extremely rigorous religious setting because her father was a priest.
At their father’s church, Braxton and her four sisters began singing at a young age. Although they were forbidden from participating in popular culture, they were allowed to listen to artists like Stevie Wonder and Chaka Khan.
After graduating from high school, she participated in local talent events and made the decision to become a music teacher. She enrolled at Bowie State University but quit halfway through after being persuaded to pursue a career in singing by songwriter Bill Pettaway.
Toni Braxton’s Career
After signing a deal with Arista Records, Braxton’s group, “The Braxtons,” put out their debut hit, “The Good Life,” in 1990. Although it wasn’t a big hit, it helped her land a deal with LaFace Records.
Braxton’s illustrious career began in 1992 when she was requested to sing in place of Anita Baker for Eddie Murphy’s film “Boomerang.” Love Shoulda Brought You Home, her first hit tune, became a success.
This resulted in the 1993 publication of her self-titled debut album. The album went on to sell more than 8 million copies. It featured singles including “Breathe Again,” “You Mean the World to Me,” and “Another Love Song.”
In 1996, she published “Secrets,” which featured the singles “Un-Break My Heart” and “You Make Me High.” Both the best female R&B vocal performance and the best female R&B pop vocal performance Grammys went to her for the album.
The third album from Braxton was anticipated after such a tremendous success, but she got into a legal dispute with Arista Records because she did not receive a sufficient share from her record sales. In 1998, she announced her bankruptcy.
In that year, Braxton began performing, making history as the first black actress to portray “Belle” in a Broadway production of “Beauty and the Beast.” It contained a song that was created specifically for her and ended up being a great hit.
In 2000, Braxton released her third album, “The Heat,” following a three-year court struggle. Instead of featuring her as a broken-hearted person, this album emphasized her boldness. It featured popular tunes like “Just Be a Man About It,” among others.
After releasing her fourth studio album, “More Than a Woman,” in 2002, she signed with Blackground Records and released her fifth album, “Libra,” with them in 2005.
Her sixth album, “Pulse,” was released in 2010. Following this, she made the decision to cease releasing albums and focus on other entertainment endeavors, such as her own show in Vegas, “Toni Braxton: Revealed,” and a brief stint on “Dancing with the Stars.”
Braxton appeared in the WE tv reality series “Braxton Family Values” in 2011, which examined the personal connections of each member of the Braxton family. It tracked Braxton and her sisters as they pursued their individual showbiz careers.
Together with her longtime partner Babyface, she published her most recent album, “Love, Marriage & Divorce,” in 2014.
2014 saw the publication of her memoir, “Unbreak My Heart: A Memoir,” by Harper Collins.
Toni’s Bigger Works
Unquestionably, Braxton’s single from the album Secrets (1996), “Un-break My Heart,” is her most well-known piece of work. She received a Grammy Award for the song, which spent 11 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Recognition & Achievements
Six Grammy Awards, seven American Music Awards, five Billboard Music Awards, four Soul Train Music Awards, the NAACP Image Award, the BRIT Award, and the Echo Award are just a few of the accolades Braxton has received throughout the course of her 20-year musical career.
Personal Legacy & Life
In 2001, Braxton wed musician Keri Lewis. Denim Cole Braxton-Lewis and Diezel Ky Braxton-Lewis were the couple’s two sons. Lewis and Braxton split up in 2009 after dating for more than 8 years.
Braxton was given a microvascular angina diagnosis in 2008, and a few years later she received a diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a highly serious autoimmune condition.
Estimated Net Worth
With a net worth of $10 million, Toni Braxton is an American singer, songwriter, pianist, record producer, actress, television personality, and philanthropist. Over 67 million records have been sold globally by Braxton. She is among the most successful female R&B performers in history. Braxton has received numerous Grammy Awards.
Trivia
Braxton allegedly received a breast cancer diagnosis in 2007, however, this was untrue.
Because of her younger son Diezel’s autism, Braxton got heavily involved with the group “Autism Speaks.” She serves as their spokesperson abroad.
She is also known for wearing gowns with extremely high splits.
In 2012, she appeared in the movie “The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure.” She portrayed a singer, a part
that is supposed to have been modeled after Mariah Carey.
She was the first black woman to ever play the lead role in a Disney musical on Broadway.