Toni Braxton

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Lore & Background

Braxton and her four sisters—Traci, Towanda, Trina, and Tamar—signed with Arista Records as the Braxtons in 1989. The following year, the group released their debut single, "Good Life". Though the song was commercially unsuccessful, it attracted the attention of record executive Antonio "L.A." Reid and record producer Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, who were shopping around for talent for their new label LaFace Records. Instead of signing the quintet, they opted to offer Braxton a contract as a solo artist. With only one year to finish at Bowie State University, where she was studying to become a music teacher, she relocated to Atlanta to pursue a singing career. The album's first single, "Another Sad Love Song", peaked at numbers seven and two on the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts, respectively. The second single, "Breathe Again", reached the top five of both the Hot 100 and R&B charts and at number two on the UK Singles Chart. Other singles from 1994 include "You Mean the World to Me", "Seven Whole Days", and the double A-side "I Belong to You"/"How Many Ways". In Japan, the album was released as Love Affair, with the same track listing but an Obi strip and a bonus lyrics booklet written in Japanese.

Reader's Guide

Toni Braxton received positive reviews from music critics. Ron Wynn from AllMusic said the album showcased Braxton as "an elegant and earthy songstress, nicely balancing those seemingly divergent sentiments... Braxton's husky, enticing voice sounds hypnotic, dismayed, and disillusioned... but she's never out of control, indignant, or so anguished and hurt that she fails to retain her dignity." Los Angeles Times critic Connie Johnson wrote: "Sounding like an unlikely hybrid of Phyllis Hyman, Anita Baker and Tracy Chapman, Braxton's sultry, earthy delivery makes her a standout in today's R&B arena." People found that "when Braxton slides into her lower register she echoes Anita Baker, and when she skips around the higher notes there's also a hint of Whitney Houston. The influences are there, but Toni Braxton is most definitely her own woman." Mitchell May of the Chicago Tribune noted that "Braxton wisely lets the mood of a tune dictate her approach, allowing her to supply an emotional depth that perhaps even the songwriters didn't know was there," though he found "the disc loses steam around midpoint." Rolling Stone's John McAlley felt "Braxton has got chops and spunk... but there's not a poet in the house among LaFace's family of writer-producers." Marisa Fox of Entertainment Weekly found much of the album "generic" and concluded Braxton "can sing, but there's nothing in her songs or delivery to set her apart." Commercially, the album debuted at number 36 on the Billboard 200 for the week ending July 31, 1993. Following Braxton's appearance at the American Music Awards of 1994, the album rose from number seven to number one in its 31st week on the chart, on the issue dated February 26, 1994, becoming the first number-one album for LaFace Records. It spent a second non-consecutive week atop the Billboard 200 for the week ending March 19, 1994, following the 36th Annual Grammy Awards. To date, it is Braxton's sole chart-topping album in the US.

Did You Know?

• The album was released in Japan under the title Love Affair, with an Obi strip and a bonus lyrics booklet written in Japanese.
• The album became the first number-one album for LaFace Records on the Billboard 200, rising from number seven to number one in its 31st week.
• Braxton relocated to Atlanta to pursue a singing career with only one year left to finish at Bowie State University, where she was studying to become a music teacher.
• The album earned Braxton two consecutive Grammy Awards for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance in 1994 and 1995.
• The second single 'Breathe Again' reached number two on the UK Singles Chart.