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. Braxton has said about the album: "The motivation for this album was to include a little bit of everything. In June 1996, Braxton released her second and most successful album, Secrets. Toni Braxton was certified 8x platinum in USA and has sales of over ten million worldwide. 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). More singles from Toni Braxton were released in 1994, including "You Mean the World to Me", "Seven Whole Days", and "I Belong to You/How Many Ways".īraxton's debut album won her several awards, including three Grammy Awards (for Best New Artist and two consecutive awards for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance in 19). 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. 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, which was primarily produced by Reid, Babyface, and Daryl Simmons, peaked at number one on the U.S. On 13 July 1993, LaFace Records released Braxton's self-titled debut album, Toni Braxton. Braxton, meanwhile, was signed to Reid and Edmonds' Arista-distributed imprint, LaFace Records, and immediately began recording her solo debut album. Her recording was later included on the soundtrack along with "Give U My Heart", a duet by Braxton and Babyface. Baker, who was pregnant at the time, did not record the song but suggested, that Braxton record it. 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. Though the song was not successful, it attracted the attention of Antonio "L.A." Reid and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds. Their first single, "Good Life", was released in 1990. Though skeptical, Braxton decided to, in her words, "take a chance" and accepted.īraxton and her four sisters (Traci, Towanda, Trina, and Tamar) began performing as The Braxtons in the late 1980s and were signed to Arista Records in 1989. Pettaway, working as an attendant at the Annapolis service station where she was refueling, recognized her from local performances and introduced himself, saying he wanted to produce her. Don't Tell Me!, she stated that she was not singing to herself at the gas station. Pettaway, Jr., who reportedly heard her singing to herself while pumping gas. They were raised in a strict religious household, and Braxton's first performing experience was singing in her church choir.īraxton attended Bowie State University to obtain a teaching degree, but decided to sing professionally after she was discovered by William E. (born 1968) and four younger sisters, Traci (born 1971), Towanda (born 1973), Trina (born 1974), and Tamar (born 1977). Braxton's maternal grandfather was also a pastor. Her father, Michael Conrad Braxton, was a Methodist clergyman and power company worker, and her mother, Evelyn Jackson, a native of South Carolina, was a former opera singer and cosmetologist, as well as a pastor. Toni Michelle Braxton was born in Severn, Maryland.