31 Years: Toni Braxton debut album

 

It's July 13, 1993, SWV claimed their first #1 single with "Weak", the 64th All Star Baseball Game: AL wins 9-3 at Camden Yards, Baltimore, and Toni Braxton has released her self titled debut album. 

So, let's start at the beginning.

Toni Braxton along with her sisters, Traci, Towanda, Trina, and Tamar, signed to Arista Records in 1989. When their debut single "Good Life", didn't go well as expected, Babyface and L.A. Reid signed Toni to their LaFace sublabel. Braxton who would then provide to demo's for the motion picture Boomerang, "Love Shoulda Brought You Home", and the duet with Babyface "Give U My Heart" which were intended originally for Anita Baker. However, when Baker had listened to the demo whilst very pregnant, suggested "use the girl singing the demo". This became the birth of the alto powerhouse Toni Braxton.

"As hungry as I was, I didn't mind taking Anita Baker's or anybody's leftovers", Braxton said to the LA Times. 

On July 7, 1992, "Give U My Heart" featuring Babyface, was released. Peaking at #29 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #2 on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs Chart. The song was promoted on the Arsenio Hall Show and various tv shows across the United States. Months later, Braxton released her debut single "Love Shoulda Brought You Home". The song was also featured on the Boomerang soundtrack along side "Give U My Heart" and peaked at #33 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #4 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Song Chart respectively. 

  

Since Braxton succeeded with "Love Shoulda Brought You Home", LaFace was eager to issue another single which became the lead single "Another Sad Love Song". The song entered radio stations early June of 1993 and was officially released on 11 June, 1993. The song entered the Billboard Hot 100 at #88 and later peaked at #7 becoming Braxton's first Top 10 hit. The song also peaked at #2 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart. The song was promoted by Braxton through various televised shows, including a performance at the famous Apollo Theatre in Harlem, New York City. The song won Braxton her first Grammy Award in 1994 for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and won against Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, and Patti Labelle.

Two months later had passed and Braxton had released her second single, "Breathe Again". It would then become Braxton's biggest hit to date at the time. This was the first single to have hit major countries around the world becoming a big success. Peaking at #1 in Zimbabwe, #2 in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, El Salvador, #3 in the U.S., and reaching the Top 10 in Canada, Netherlands, Norway, and Ireland. Also reaching the Top 40 in Scotland, Belgium, Sweden, and Iceland. Selling over 1 million copies worldwide.

The song earned a Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance in 1995, becoming Braxton's second consecutive Grammy Award in the same category. Winning against Anita Baker, Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, and Meshell Ndegeocello. 

After the release of the successful single, Braxton later released 2 more singles "Seven Whole Days", "You Mean the World to Me" and 1 double single "I Belong to You/"How Many Ways" in 1994. "Seven Whole Days" was not released commercially in the U.S. and was ineligable to chart on the Billboard Hot 100. However, the song charted and peaked at #1 on the US Adult R&B Songs, US R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, and #23 on the US Rhythmic Chart. The music video for "Seven Whole Days" featured Braxton's sisters Traci, Towanda, Trina, and Tamar as background singers.

"You Mean the World to Me" did have some commercial success and peaked at #4 in the Netherlands, #6 in Canada, #7 in the U.S., and also the Top 40 in the United Kingdom, and New Zealand. The double single "I Belong to You"/"How Many Ways" only charted within the U.S. peaking at #28 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #6 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart. Unfortunatley there was no music video made for "I Belong to You" but there was for "How Many Ways". 

Following the release of the album, Braxton won 2 Grammy Awards, Best R&B Female Vocal Performance (1994 & 1995) and 3 American Music Awards. 2 in 1994, for Favorite Soul/R&B New Artist, and for Favorite New Adult Contemporary Artist and 1 in 1995 for Favorite Soul/R&B Album. Also, a NAACP Award for Best Female Artist (1994), 2 Soul Train Awards, 1 for Best R&B Album of the Year (Toni Braxton), and 1 for Best R&B/Soul Single, Female (Breathe Again).

To date, the album has sold over 16,678,000 million copies worldwide becoming her second biggest album seller to her sophomore album Secrets (1996). 

Fun fact: The album was released as “Love Affair” in Japan named after track 4 from the album. It is unknown why the album was named “Love Affair” instead of the self titled name. 

What is your favourite song from the album? Let us know in the comments below.