Toni Braxton

Toni Braxton Headshot

Singer • Actor • Personality

Birth Date: October 7, 1966

Age: 57 years old

Birth Place: Severn, Maryland

Siblings: Tamar Braxton, Trina Braxton, Traci Braxton, Towanda Braxton

A successful, remarkably talented Grammy-winning R&B singer, Toni Braxton made the most of a four-year break between her second and third albums by taking on the role of Belle in the Broadway production of Disney's "Beauty and the Beast," beginning her acting career. Sultry, shapely and strikingly attractive, this African-American daughter of a minister was a diminutive (5'2") woman with a great big voice. While a single released by The Braxtons (Toni and three of her four younger sisters) didn't go very far on the R&B charts in 1989, her performance caught the attention of legendary songwriters and producers Antonio 'L.A.' Reid and Kenneth 'Babyface' Edmonds, who signed the young vocalist to their LaFace Records, a subsidiary of Arista. Replacing Anita Baker, who was unable to fulfill her commitment, Braxton lent her talents to the "Boomerang" (1992) soundtrack, scoring a hit with the single "Love Shoulda Brought You Home." She followed up with a self-titled debut album chock full of lovelorn hits, including the sweetly sincere "You Mean the World to Me," the delightfully dramatic "Breathe Again" and the somewhat ironic "Just Another Sad Love Song." While Braxton was certainly no stranger to such formulaic sad love songs, her appearance on the scene was a breath of fresh air, using her husky and powerful voice to celebrate rather than overshadow her material.

Braxton's deep voice, mature material and tendency to shy away from vocal acrobatics resulted in the marketing of the performer as an adult contemporary artist, all glamour and sequined gowns at the relatively young age of twenty-five. This smart marketing matched with Braxton's undeniable talent led to multiplatinum sales for the record, but Braxton's follow-up album "Secrets" (1996) had the artist skewing younger with a fresh, more playful look and attitude. Still, alongside slinky beat-driven songs like "You're Making Me High" stood the tried and true melancholic ballads like "Un-break My Heart." In the year after the release of the multiplatinum success "Secrets," Braxton was involved in contract disputes with her record company over what she saw as an unfair lack of compensation considering the sales she was generating for the label. Explaining that she only saw something in the neighborhood of thirty-five cents per unit sold, Braxton sought a way out of her contract, and in February of 1998 filed for bankruptcy.

In the midst of contract talks with LaFace and Arista and unable to put out another record, Braxton headed to Broadway, where she took over the role of Belle in Disney's "Beauty and the Beast." Promising to add some edge to the sunshiny role, Braxton was presented with a new song written especially for her in the production, and enjoyed a successful run on stage. Reconciling with LaFace and Arista in 1999 meant that her third album "The Heat" was set for a 2000 release. Boasting the vocal abilities that made her a superstar and showcasing a new more proactive attitude, Braxton wasn't lamenting lost love on this release so much as asserting her own power. With two hit singles in succession questioning the subject's masculinity ("He Wasn't Man Enough" and "Just Be a Man About It"), Braxton no longer seemed the beautifully tragic victim, but rather a mature woman coming into her own. Wearing a dress to the 2001 Grammys that rivaled the previous year's scanty offering by Jennifer Lopez, Braxton went out of her way to shrug her previous image and succeed both in raising eyebrows and selling records.

Braxton more literally took on a whole new character later that year, making her feature acting debut in "Kingdom Come" (2001). An irreverent but heartwarming comedy, the film chronicled the events and emotions surrounding an African-American family reuniting for their patriarch's wake. Playing the glamorous cousin who marries the Mister Right that the deceased's daughter-in-law (Jada Pinkett Smith) let get away, Braxton succeeded in making the most of both her snarky sultriness and graceful elegance, and turned in a fine performance. Studying under trained stage actor and former "Roc" (Fox) star Ella Joyce and counting singer-actress Vanessa L Williams as an inspiration, Braxton seemed to be taking the possibility of pursuing an acting career seriously, and could ostensibly emerge as a viable double threat.

Credits

LIFETIME: A Christmas Spark

Executive Producer
Show
2022

Holiday Gift Faves with Marlo

Guest
Show
2022

Sherri

Guest
Talk
2022

The Jennifer Hudson Show

Guest
Talk
2022

Access Daily With Mario & Kit

Guest
Show
2022

Nude Sugar by Toni Braxton Bath & Body Premiere - All on Free Shipping

Guest
Show
2022

Beauty Report With Amy Morrison & Toni Braxton

Guest
Show
2022

Fallen Angels Murder Club: Friends to Die ForStream

Actor
Hollis Morgan
Movie
2022

Fallen Angels Murder Club: Friends to Die ForStream

Executive Producer
Movie
2022

Fallen Angels Murder Club: Heroes and Felons

Actor
Hollis Morgan
Movie
2022

Fallen Angels Murder Club: Heroes and Felons

Executive Producer
Movie
2022

A Christmas Spark

Executive Producer
Movie
2022

Breathe by Toni Braxton Fragrance Gifts

Guest
Show
2021

Toni Braxton's R&B Party

Host
Show
2020

Toni Braxton & Missy Elliott: Do It

Music Performer
Show
2020

GMA3: What You Need to Know

Guest
Show
2020

The Bachelor Presents: Listen to Your HeartStream

Guest
Reality
2020

Wake Up Beautiful With Valerie

Guest
Show
2020

Toni Braxton: Do It

Music Performer
Show
2020

Toni Braxton: Dance

Music Performer
Show
2020

Toni Braxton: Gotta Move On

Music Performer
Show
2020

Tamron Hall

Guest
Talk
2019

Today With Hoda & Jenna

Guest
Show
2019

Women of R&B

Music Performer
Show
2019

1 R&B

Music Performer
Show
2019

R&B Idols

Music Performer
Show
2019

Vibe: R&B Essentials Vol.II

Music Performer
Show
2019

Soul Train Awards: Extras

Actor
Show
2018

Remy's Icons

Music Performer
Show
2018

Toni Braxton: Long as I Live

Music Performer
Show
2018

Best Comebacks

Music Performer
Show
2018

Women of R&B '18

Music Performer
Show
2018

Faith Under Fire: The Antoinette Tuff StoryStream

Actor
Antoinette Tuff
Movie
2018

Faith Under Fire: The Antoinette Tuff StoryStream

Executive Producer
Movie
2018

Every Day Is Christmas

Actor
Alexis Taylor
Movie
2018

Every Day Is Christmas

Executive Producer
Movie
2018

Megyn Kelly Today

Guest
Talk
2017

Sister Circle

Guest
Talk
2017

STEVE on Watch

Guest
Talk
2017

Daily Pop

Guest
News
2017

Live with Kelly and Ryan

Guest
Talk
2017

A Very Soul Train Valentine's Day 2017

Music Performer
Show
2017

Toni Braxton: Deadwood

Music Performer
Show
2017

Toni Braxton: Yesterday (feat. Trey Songz)

Music Performer
Show
2016

McDonalds 365 Black Awards 2016

Actor
Show
2016

Toni Braxton: Unbreak My Heart

Executive Producer
Movie
2016

Toni Braxton: Unbreak My Heart

Self
Movie
2016

Celebrity Family FeudStream

Guest
Game Show
2015

UNCF: An Evening of Stars

Music Performer
Show
2015

Backstage With Disney on Broadway: Celebrating 20 Years

Guest
Show
2014

The Meredith Vieira Show

Guest
Talk
2014

Babyface & Toni Braxton: Roller Coaster

Music Performer
Show
2014

Toni Braxton & Babyface: Hurt You

Music Performer
Show
2014

Babyface & Toni Braxton: Where Did We Go Wrong?

Music Performer
Show
2013

The Queen Latifah Show

Guest
Talk
2013

The Arsenio Hall Show

Guest
Show
2013

The Arsenio Hall Show

Music Performer
Show
2013

Bethenny

Guest
Show
2013

Twist of Faith

Actor
Nina
Movie
2013

The Jeff Probst Show

Guest
Show
2012

Anderson Live

Host
Show
2012

Live! With Kelly and Michael

Music Performer
Talk
2012

Beauty Report With Amy Morrison

Guest
Show
2012

Braxton Family Reunion: Season 2

Guest Star
Show
2012

The Revolution

Guest
Show
2012

Toni Braxton: Let It Flow

Music Performer
Show
2012

The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure

Actor
Rosalie Rosebud
Movie
2012

The Chew

Guest
Talk
2011

Anderson

Guest
Show
2011

Big Morning Buzz Live

Guest
Show
2011

Braxton Family ValuesStream

Self
Reality
2011

The Gayle King Show

Guest
Show
2011

ConanStream

Music Performer
Talk
2010

The Talk

Guest
Talk
2010

Access Hollywood Live

Guest
Show
2010

The Nate Berkus Show

Guest
Talk
2010

Toni Braxton: Hands Tied

Music Performer
Show
2010

Toni Braxton: Make My Heart

Music Performer
Show
2010

Toni Braxton: Woman

Music Performer
Show
2010

Lopez Tonight

Guest
Show
2009

Lopez Tonight

Music Performer
Show
2009

The Mo'Nique Show

Actor
Show
2009

The Joy Behar Show

Guest
Show
2009

The Dr. Oz Show

Guest
Talk
2009

Watch What Happens Live With Andy CohenStream

Guest
Talk
2009

Feel the Beat

Music Performer
Show
2009

Toni Braxton Feat. Trey Songz: Yesterday (Remix)

Music Performer
Show
2009

Il Divo feat. Toni Braxton: The Time of Our Lives (2006 World Cup)

Music Performer
Show
2009

Toni Braxton: Yesterday

Music Performer
Show
2009

The Doctors

Guest
Talk
2008

The Wendy Williams Show

Guest
Talk
2008

The Wendy Williams Show

Music Performer
Talk
2008

Today With Kathie Lee & Hoda

Guest
Show
2007

Chelsea Lately

Guest
Talk
2007

The Better Show

Guest
Show
2007

The Tyra Show

Guest
Talk
2005

Dancing With the StarsStream

Contestant
Reality
2005

Toni Braxton: Please

Music Performer
Show
2005

Kevin Hill

Guest Star
Show
2004

The Insider

Guest
Show
2004

Tavis Smiley

Guest
Talk
2004

Kenny G & Toni Braxton: How Could An Angel Break My Heart

Music Performer
Show
2004

Toni Braxton: How Many Ways

Music Performer
Show
2004

Toni Braxton: I Don't Want To

Music Performer
Show
2004

Toni Braxton: Just Be a Man About It

Music Performer
Show
2004

Toni Braxton: Love Shoulda Brought You Home

Music Performer
Show
2004

Toni Braxton: Spanish Guitar (Remix)

Music Performer
Show
2004

Toni Braxton: Spanish Guitar

Music Performer
Show
2004

Toni Braxton: You're Makin' Me High

Music Performer
Show
2004

Toni Braxton Feat. Loon: Hit the Freeway

Music Performer
Show
2004

Toni Braxton: Un-Break My Heart (Spanish Version)

Music Performer
Show
2004

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

Guest
Talk
2003

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

Music Performer
Talk
2003

Dr. PhilStream

Guest
Talk
2002

Baby Feat. Toni Braxton: Baby You Can Do It

Music Performer
Show
2002

Play'd: A Hip Hop Story

Actor
Shonda
Movie
2002

Toni Braxton: I Don't Want To (Stereo)

Music Performer
Show
2001

Kingdom ComeStream

Actor
Juanita Slocumb
Movie
2001
27%

Toni Braxton: He Wasn't Man Enough

Music Performer
Show
2000

The View

Guest
Talk
1997

The View

Music Performer
Talk
1997

Toni Braxton: Un-Break My Heart

Music Performer
Show
1996

Toni Braxton: How Could an Angel Break My Heart

Music Performer
Show
1996

Christmas at Home With the Stars

Self
Show
1994

Toni Braxton: Another Sad Love Song

Music Performer
Show
1993

Toni Braxton: Seven Whole Days

Music Performer
Show
1993

Toni Braxton: You Mean the World to Me

Music Performer
Show
1993

Toni Braxton: Breathe Again

Music Performer
Show
1993

The Tonight Show With Jay Leno

Music Performer
Talk
1992

Montel Williams

Guest
Show
1991

Entertainment Tonight

Guest
News
1981

20/20Stream

Guest
News
1978

Good Morning America

Guest
News
1975

Good Morning America

Music Performer
News
1975

Today

Guest
News
1952

Today

Music Performer
News
1952

News aboutToni Braxton