How Toni Braxton……. Became Toni Braxton!

Before the release of her new album, we go back in time to see how the Grammy Award winning singer and songwriter became so successful!

Toni Braxton, a powerhouse everyone has loved for years, and even decades, is set to release her tenth studio album “Spell My Name” next Friday (Aug. 28). The songstress has released two singles with the album called “Do it” featuring Missy Elliot and “Dance.” Let’s take a look back on how the soulful

Braxton is a seven-time Grammy Award winning singer, songwriter, and producer who career expands three decades. She started her career with her four sisters - Traci, Towanda, Trina, and Tamar – with their group “The Braxtons.” After being with them for a few years, Braxton decided to go solo and signed to LaFace records with BabyFace and L.A Reid.

She released her self-titled debut album in 1993. The album charted number one on Billboard and that’s when Toni’s career took off. Since then she released Secrets in 1996, The Heat in 2000, and More Than A Women in 2002.

After splitting with her label Arista in 2003, she signed to Blackground Records – which was started by her manager Barry Hankerson. She released her sixth studio album Libra (named after her zodiac sign) under her new label. The album charted in the top ten and has sold over 700,000 copies worldwide.

In 2006, Braxton became the headlining act at the Flamingos Las Vegas hotel replacing singer Wayne Newton. The shows would run from 2006 to 2008. Unfortunately, the shows would come to an end in February 2008 due to health problems. Braxton was diagnosed with microvascular angina and was forced to cancel her remaining shows. Braxton revealed that she was diagnosed with the lupus in her book Unbreak My Heart: A Memoir.

Running into problems with her finances, health, record labels, Braxton still manager to release her seventh studio album Pulse in 2010. A few years later, she reconnected with fellow singer songwriter Babyface on their 2014 album Love, Marriage & Divorce. The album received a Grammy for Best R&B Album.

In 2016, Braxton biographical film Toni Braxton: Unbreak My Heart came out on Lifetime. She was the executive producer and writer for the film. The movie starred actress Lex Scott Davis who portrayed Braxton throughout her life. The film had over three million viewers the night of the premiere.

In 2018, Braxton released Sex and Cigarettes, her first solo project in eight years. She regrouped again with Babyface as a producer on the album.

Braxton has made her appearances on TV shows and Films such as Kingdom Come, Mad TV, and Braxton Family Values – which she is an executive producer of the show.

Braxton is the mother of two boys, Denim Cole Braxton-Lewis born in 2001 and Diezel Ky Braxton-Lewis born in 2003.

Braxton’s new album will be released on Aug. 28. You can pre-save the album on Apple Music and Spotify