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| Toni Braxton |
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"I'm not a diva. I'm a tadpole trying to be a frog." -Toni Braxton
| Date of Birth: October 7, 1968 |
| Birthplace: Severn, Maryland |
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| At first hailed as "the new Whitney Houston," Toni Braxton has soared to the top of the R&B charts numerous times, making her a certified Lady of Soul. |
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| One of LaFace's first prodigy's, Toni broke into the music scene in 1993 with her hit "Another Sad Long Song", and made a monstrous comeback in Spring, 2000 with the first single off The Heat, "He Wasn't Man Enough". |
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Toni Braxton was born October 7, 1968, in Severn, Maryland, the daughter of an Apostolic minister and a vocalist. Toni, her four sisters and her brother were forced to live under the strict rules of their family's faith. The girls of the Braxton family were not allowed to wear pants, sandals or makeup, were not allowed to have boyfriends, and the children were not allowed to listen to mainstream music. That didn't stop them from listening to music; when their parents were out, they watched Soul Train and listened to music.
Toni and her siblings no longer had to sneak around to watch television once her parents joined the United Methodist Church, which had less strict rules. Watching soul greats such as Stevie Wonder and Chaka Khan eventually contributed to Toni's musical style.
Doe-eyed Toni discovered her talent as a member of the church choir, which her mother encouraged her to join. Although Toni knew she wanted to pursue a singing career, she received a college education at Bowie State University.
While studying teaching, Toni never gave up music. She took singing lessons to fulfill her true passion in life.
Remaining true to her love for music, Toni and her sisters formed a group called the Braxtons. Signed with Arista, the Braxtons released a single entitled "The Good Life". Although the song was a commercial success, it did manage to catch the ear of Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and Antonio "L.A. Reid", of LaFace Records.
"The Good Life" was good enough for Toni's career, as it led to her record contract with LaFace. The aspiring singer broke into the music industry when she had the opportunity to contribute to the Boomerang soundtrack, when Anita Baker backed out because she was pregnant. Singles such as "Give U My Heart" (a duet with Babyface) and "Love Shoulda Brought You Home" both appeared on the Billboard charts.
Her work on Boomerang was only an inkling of what listeners would hear from the soulful artist. Her debut album, the self-entitled Toni Braxton, was released in 1993, and spawned the hits "Another Sad Love Song", "You Mean The World To Me" and "Breathe Again". Her critically acclaimed album and Aretha Franklin/Whitney Houston style garnered her the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1993. |
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© Steve Granitz
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