Behind Toni Braxton's angelic façade is a prodigious R&B singer who has collaborated with the short list of the who's who in R&B today. On her second album, the 1996 LaFace Records release Secrets, Braxton worked with such luminaries as Babyface, R. Kelly, David Foster, Keith Crouch, Tony Rich, Soul Shock & Karlin and Bryce Wilson (of Groove Theory) to produce grooves such as "You're Making Me High," "Come On Over Here" and "I Love Me Some Him;" as well as the pop/R&B balladry of "Unbreak My Heart" and "In The Late Of Night."
Braxton soared to incredible popularity with her self-titled 1993 debut. Racking up close to 10 million sales worldwide. Toni Braxton earned the sultry-voiced singer three Grammy Awards (including the 1993 Best New Artist Award), three American Music Awards and two Soul Train Music Awards. In all, the album spawned three hit singles: "Another Sad Love Song," "Breathe Again" and "You Mean The World To Me." All these tunes achieved gold status and became Top 5 R&B and Top 10 pop smashes for Braxton.
Born in Severn, Md., Braxton used her natural musical ability to sing in church with her four sisters. Entering and winning local talent contests and sneaking to watch Soul Train whenever her parents weren't around inspired her to pursue her dreams, with influences like Quincy Jones, Chaka Khan, Whitney Houston and Stevie Wonder.
While studying at Bowie State University to become a teacher, Braxton's career plans were sidetracked when she became the first female artist to sign with LaFace Records in early 1991. Label owners and super hit-making producers L.A. Reid and Babyface provided Toni with her first opportunity to taste success when she was featured on the soundtrack for Eddie Murphy's 1992 hit movie "Boomerang." The song from the movie, "Give U My Heart," a duet with Babyface, became an instant R&B and pop hit while a second single, "Love Shoulda Brought You Home," followed suit.
