She first burst onto the contemporary music scene in 1991 with "Love Shoulda Brought You Home" (from the soundtrack of the hit movie "Boomerang").   Audiences everywhere were eager to hear more of Toni and her self-titled debut, released in the summer of 1993, spawned the classics "Another Sad Love Song" (gold, No. 2 R&B, No. 7 pop) and ‘Breathe Again' (gold, No 4 R&B, No. 3 pop).  The track "Seven Whole Days" achieved No. 1 status based on airplay; while two other singles, "You Mean the World To Me" (gold) and "I Belong To You" were also Top 10 R&B hits for ‘The First Lady of LaFace'. In all, TONI BRAXTON sold a astounding ten million sales internationally, garnering her first two Grammy Awards in 1993 for "Best New Artist" and "Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female" for "Another Sad Love Song."  Three American Music Awards and two Soul Train Music Awards followed and in 1994, Toni picked up her third Grammy when "Breathe Again" won her the "Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female" award.

In 1995, Toni began working on her all-important second album: SECRETS sold an incredible seven million copies domestically and an additional six million outside the U.S. following its July, 1996 release.  The hit streak continued with the provocative single "You're Makin' Me High," Toni's first across-the-board No. 1 pop and R&B hit and another Grammy winner for her ("Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female").  Aided by a steamy video, the record reflected what Toni called "another dimension of who I am, the more sexual side of me" and a controversial 1997 cover story and article in the magazine "Vibe" reinforced the earthy side of the young vocalist.

Released in the fall of 1996, the poignant, soulful ballad "Un-Break My Heart" became another pop chart-topper, earning Toni another Grammy Award (for "Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female") and Billboard Awards for "Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female" and "Adult Contemporary Single of the Year."  A third single, "I Don't Want To" also went gold and Toni embarked on a major international tour with Kenny G. in 1997.

The next year was more than challenging for the songstress:  a much-publicized bankruptcy provided "a major learning opportunity for me," Toni says.  "It all got resolved in 1998 and thankfully, I got offered the chance to appear on Broadway in "Beauty & The Beast."  That really helped my self-esteem and gave me a chance to get my life moving again."  By the time her run in the play ended, it was time to begin preparation for THE HEAT. The record-buying public responded immediately: "He Wasn't Man Enough" became a million-selling single adding to a collection of sales awards that also included the certified "Hit Video Collection."

Beyond the worldwide response to THE HEAT, making the album was a particularly satisfying creative experience for Toni: she wrote or collaborated on eight of the album's twelve tracks as well as producing or co-producing five songs including "The Art Of Love," "‘Speaking In Tongues" and the smouldering title track. The record was a global best-seller with over two million sales in the U.S., THE HEAT sold close to another two million copies internationally, topping the Canadian and Korean charts as well as achieving Top 10 status in over a dozen countries including the U.K., France, Germany, Holland, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Hong Kong, South Africa, Greece, Denmark, Austria, Belgium, Israel and Switzerland.  The album's gold single "He Wasn't Man Enough" earned Toni a 2000 Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance" while the album won two American Music Awards.

While doing promotion work on THE HEAT, Toni made her silver screen debut with "Kingdom Come" which featured an all-star cast.  The experience was both rewarding and challenging: "I really enjoyed it and it inspired me to want to do more film work," says Toni whose work in "Kingdom Come" earned her a BET Black Oscar and in 2000, she was also given the coveted Aretha Franklin Soul Train Award for career achievement.   

The October 2001 release of SNOWFLAKES, Toni's critically-acclaimed holiday album, provided further validation for her popularity: "It did really well and I was very excited about the reaction it received," she says.  "I still get very nervous every time I put out a record so it was very rewarding to get such a good response."  The nine-track set included production by Daryl Simmons and Babyface (who has played a key role in Toni's recording career since she signed to LaFace Records in 1992) and featured a duet with Shaggy as well as a number of original tunes co-penned by Toni.

In 2002, Toni began work on "More Than A Woman" which she described as "more ‘in your face' than my previous albums." At the time she explained, "My first love has always been R&B and I've been into hip-hop since it first started.  On each of the albums I've done since my first one, I've done things to introduce people to other aspects of what I'm about musically."

As she looks back on her first accomplishment-filled decade as a recording artist, performer and multi-faceted entertainer, Toni Braxton could easily rest on her laurels.  Rather, she is always looking for new challenges artistically, musically and personally, building on the solid foundation that includes cumulative sales of close to forty million albums and singles worldwide and the six Grammy Awards making her unquestionably one of the most successful female artists in contemporary music.

Contributed by David Nathan

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