Brandy | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Norwood performing in 2019 | |
| Born | Brandy Rayana Norwood (1979-02-11)February 11, 1979 (age 46) McComb, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Other names |
|
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1993–present |
| Works | |
| Children | 1 |
| Parents |
|
| Relatives | Ray J (brother) |
| Awards | Full list |
| Musical career | |
| Origin | Carson, California, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Labels | |
| Website | Official website |
Musical artist | |
| Signature | |
 | |
Brandy Rayana Norwood (born February 11, 1979), better known by hermononymBrandy, is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, model and actress. Born into a musical family inMcComb, Mississippi, Norwood was raised inCarson, California, beginning her career as abacking vocalist for teen groups. After signing withAtlantic Records in 1993, she released herself-titled debut album the following year, which sold six million copies worldwide. Norwood gained fame by starring in theUPN sitcomMoesha, and further recognition for her role in the television filmCinderella (1997) and the slasher filmI Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998). Her 1998 duet with fellowR&B contemporaryMonica, "The Boy Is Mine", won a Grammy Award and became one of the best-selling female duets of all time. Her second album,Never Say Never (1998), sold 16 million copies worldwide.
Norwood saw continued critical and commercial success with her third and fourth albums,Full Moon (2002) andAfrodisiac (2004). She served as a judge on thefirst season ofAmerica's Got Talent. Soon after, Norwood released her fifth album,Human (2008) to modest but declined commercial success.
Norwood returned to television as a contestant on on theeleventh season ofDancing with the Stars and starred in the reality seriesBrandy & Ray J: A Family Business. In 2012, she became a series regular in theBET seriesThe Game, and released her sixth albumTwo Eleven. In 2015, Norwood made herBroadway debut asRoxie Hart in the musicalChicago, followed by her seventh and eighth studio albums,B7 (2020), and the holiday albumChristmas With Brandy (2023).
Norwood has sold over 40 million records worldwide, with approximately 8.62 million albums sold in the United States alone. Through theRIAA she has a total of 10.5 million certified album units. Her accolades include a Grammy Award and an American Music Award. She has become known for her distinctive sound, characterized by her peculiar timbre,voice-layering, and intricateriffs, which has earned her the nickname "the Vocal Bible" from industry peers and critics.[1]
Brandy Rayana Norwood was born on February 11, 1979, inMcComb, Mississippi, the daughter ofWillie Norwood, agospel singer and choir director, and Sonja Norwood (née Bates), a district manager forH&R Block.[2] Norwood is the older sister of entertainerRay J. Through her mother, she is related to guitarist and singerBo Diddley, her third cousin.[3] RapperSnoop Dogg has claimed that he and Norwood are cousins, though Norwood has stated she is unsure if they are actually related.[4][5] She is also reported to be a cousin of wrestlerMercedes Moné and rapperDaz Dillinger.[6][7][8]
Raised in a Christian household, Norwood started singing through her father's work as part of the choir at Southside Church of Christ, performing her first gospel solo at the age of two.[9] In 1983, her parents relocated toCarson, California, where she was schooled at Bancroft Junior High School and later attended theHollywood High Performing Arts Center.[10] Norwood's interest in music and performing increased after becoming a fan of singerWhitney Houston at the age of seven,[11][12] but at school, she experienced trouble with persuading teachers to send her on auditions as she found no support among the staff.[10]
Norwood began entering talent shows by the time she was eleven, and, as part of a youth singing group, performed at several public functions.[12] In 1990, she signed with Teaspoon Productions, headed byChris Stokes and Earl Harris, who gave her work as a backing vocalist for their R&B boy bandImmature and arranged the production of a demo tape.[12][13] In 1993, amid ongoing negotiations withEast West Records, Norwood's parents organized a recording contract with theAtlantic Recording Corporation after auditioning for Darryl Williams, the company's director of A&R.[10] To manage her daughter, Norwood's mother resigned from her job,[13] while Norwood herself dropped out of Hollywood High School, and was tutored privately from tenth grade onward.[10]
During the early production stages of her debut album, Norwood was selected for a role in the short-livedABC sitcomThea, portraying the daughter of a single mother played by comedianThea Vidale.[9] Initially broadcast to high ratings, the series' viewership dwindled and ended up running for only one season, but earned her aYoung Artists Award nomination for Outstanding Youth Ensemble alongside her co-stars.[14] Norwood recalled that she appreciated the cancellation of the show as she was unenthusiastic about acting at the time, and the taping caused scheduling conflicts with the recording of her album. She stated, "I felt bad for everybody else but me. It was a good thing, because I could do what I had to do, because I wanted to sing."[15][16]
Norwood'sself-titled debut album was released in late September 1994 and peaked at number twenty on the U.S.Billboard 200.[17] Critical reaction toBrandy was generally positive, withAllMusic writer Eddie Huffman declaring Brandy "a lower-keyJanet Jackson or a more stripped-downMary J. Blige [...] with good songs and crisp production."[18] Anderson Jones ofEntertainment Weekly asserted, "Teen actress Norwood acts her age. A premature effort at best, that seems based on the philosophy 'IfAaliyah can do it, why can't I?'."[19]Brandy went on to sell over six million copies worldwide,[20] and produced three top ten hits on theBillboard Hot 100, including "I Wanna Be Down" and "Baby", both of which reached the top of theHot R&B Singles chart and were both certified platinum by theRecording Industry Association of America.[21] "Brokenhearted", a duet withWanya Morris ofBoyz II Men, became a number-two hit on the charts.[17] The album earned Norwood twoGrammy Award nominations forBest New Artist andBest Female R&B Vocal Performance the following year, and won her fourSoul Train Music Awards, twoBillboard Awards, and the New York Children's Choice Award.[14] In 1995, she finished a two-month stint as theopening act on Boyz II Men's national tour,[22] and contributed songs to the soundtracks of the filmsBatman Forever andWaiting to Exhale, with the single "Sittin' Up in My Room" becoming another top-two success.[17] In 1996, Norwood also collaborated withTamia,Chaka Khan, andGladys Knight on the single "Missing You", released from the soundtrack of the F. Gary Gray filmSet It Off. The single won her a third Grammy nomination in theBest Pop Collaboration with Vocals category.[14]
In 1996, her short-lived engagement onThea led Norwood to star in her own show, theUPN-produced sitcomMoesha. Appearing alongsideWilliam Allen Young andSheryl Lee Ralph, she played the title role ofMoesha Mitchell, a Los Angeles girl coping with a stepmother as well as the pressures and demands of becoming an adult.[23] Originally bought byCBS, the program debuted on UPN in January 1996, and soon became their most-watched show.[24] While the sitcom managed to increase its audience every new season and spawned aspin-off titledThe Parkers, the network decided to cancel the show after six seasons on the air, leaving it ending with acliffhanger for a scrapped seventh season.[25] Norwood was awarded anNAACP Image Award for Outstanding Youth Actor/Actress for her performance.[14] In 1997, Brandy, Ray J, and their parents started The Norwood Kids Foundation, which helps disadvantaged, at-risk youths in Los Angeles and Mississippi through the arts and self-help programs.[26]
In 1997, Norwood was hand-picked by producerWhitney Houston to play the title character inRodgers and Hammerstein's television version ofCinderella featuring a multiracial cast that also includedJason Alexander,Whoopi Goldberg, and Houston.[27] The two-hourWonderful World of Disney special garnered an estimated 60 million viewers, giving the network its highest ratings in the time period in 16 years, and won anEmmy Award for Outstanding Art Direction for a Variety or Music Program the following year.[28]
Fledgling producerRodney "Darkchild" Jerkins was consulted to contribute to Norwood's second albumNever Say Never. Norwood co-wrote and produced six songs for the record, including her first number-one song on the U.S.BillboardHot 100, "The Boy Is Mine", a duet with singerMonica that has become the most successful song by a female duo in the music industry. Exploiting the media's presumption of a rivalry between the two young singers, the song was one of the most successful records in the United States of all time,[29] spending a record-breaking thirteen weeks atop theBillboard charts, and eventually garnering the pair aGrammy Award forBest R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.Never Say Never was released in June 1998 and became Norwood's biggest-selling album, selling over 16 million copies worldwide and reaching number two on theBillboard 200.[30] Critics rated the album highly, with AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine praising Norwood and her team for wisely finding "a middle ground betweenMariah Carey andMary J. Blige—it's adult contemporary with a slight streetwise edge."[31] Altogether, the album spawned seven singles, including Norwood's second number-one song, theDiane Warren-penned "Have You Ever?"[17] To promote the album she went on theNever Say Never World Tour in 1999, consisting of shows in Europe, Asia, and the United States.[32][33]
After backing out of a role inF. Gary Gray's 1996 filmSet It Off,[34] Norwood made herbig screen debut in the supporting role of Karla Wilson in theslasher film,I Still Know What You Did Last Summer.[34] The movie outperformedthe original with a total of $16.5 million at its opening weekend, but critical reaction to the film was largely disappointing, with the film review siteRotten Tomatoes calculating a poor rating of 7% based on 46 reviews.[35] Norwood, however, earned positive reviews for her "bouncy" performance,[36] which garnered her both aBlockbuster Entertainment Award and anMTV Movie Award nomination forBest Breakthrough Female Performance.[14] In 1999, she co-starred withDiana Ross in thetelefilmdramaDouble Platinum about an intense, strained relationship between a mother and daughter.[37] Shot in only twenty days inNew York City, both Norwood and Ross served as executive producers of the movie which features original songs from their respective albumsNever Say Never (1998) andEvery Day Is a New Day (1999), as well as previously unreleased duets. The same year, Norwood headlinedVH-1's Divas Live '99, alongside Whitney Houston,Tina Turner, andCher.[37]
After a lengthy hiatus following the end ofMoesha, and a number of tabloid headlines discussing her long-term battle withdehydration, Norwood returned to music in 2001, when she and brotherRay-J were asked to record acover version ofPhil Collins' 1990 hit "Another Day in Paradise" for thetribute albumUrban Renewal: A Tribute to Phil Collins.[38] Released as the album's first single in Europe and Oceania, the song became an instant international success overseas, scoring top-ten entries on the majority of all charts it appeared on.[39] Norwood also contributed the Mike City track “Open” to the soundtrack fromOsmosis Jones. The track remained unavailable on digital download and streaming sites until its rerelease twenty years later on October 8, 2021.[40]
Full Moon, Norwood's third studio album, was released in February 2002. It was composed of R&B and pop-oriented songs, many of them co-created with Jerkins, Warryn Campbell andMike City. The album debuted at number two on theBillboard 200 and topped theTop R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.[30] Its lead single "What About Us?" became a worldwide top-ten hit, and the album's title track was a Top 20 hit in the United States and the UK.[41][42] Media reception was generally lukewarm, withRolling Stone describing the album as "frantic, faceless, fake-sexy R&B."[43] Within the coming year, Norwood and Robert "Big Bert" Smith began writing and producing for other artists such asToni Braxton,Kelly Rowland, andKiley Dean.[44] Norwood's foray into reality television began in 2002 with theMTV seriesDiary Presents Brandy: Special Delivery; the show documented the final months of Norwood's pregnancy and the birth of her daughter Sy'rai.
Returning from yet another hiatus, Norwood's fourth albumAfrodisiac was released in June 2004, amid the well-publicized termination of her short-lived business relationship with entertainment managerBenny Medina.[45] Norwood ended her contract with his Los Angeles-based Handprint Entertainment after less than a year of representation following controversies surrounding Medina's handling of the lead single "Talk About Our Love", and failed negotiations of a purported co-headlining tour with R&B singerUsher.[45] Despite the negative publicity,Afrodisiac became Norwood's most critically acclaimed album,[46] with some highlighting the "more consistently mature and challenging" effect of Timbaland on Norwood's music,[47] and others calling it "listenable and emotionally resonant", comparing it to "Janet Jackson at her best."[48] A moderate seller, the album debuted at number three on theBillboard 200, and received certifications in the United States, Europe and Japan.[49] "Talk About Our Love" reached number six in theUnited Kingdom, but subsequent singles failed to score successfully on the popular music charts.[50] Later that year, she guest-starred asGladys Knight in the third-season premiere ofAmerican Dreams, in which she performed "I Heard It Through the Grapevine".[51]
After eleven years with the company, Norwood asked for and received an unconditional release from Atlantic Records at the end of 2004, citing her wish "to move on" as the main reason for her decision.[52] Completing her contract with the label, a compilation album titledThe Best of Brandy was released in March 2005. Released without any promotional single, it reached the top 30 in Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, where the collection was appreciated by contemporary critics who noted the creativity of Norwood's back catalogue.[53] Andy Kellman ofAllMusic expressed, "This set, unlike so many other anthologies from her contemporaries, hardly confirms dwindling creativity or popularity."[54] Thereupon she reportedly began shopping a new record deal under the auspices ofKnockout Entertainment, her brother'svanity label.[55]
In February 2006, Norwood began appearing in a recurring role onUPN sitcomOne on One, playing the sister to brotherRay J's character D-Mack.[56] In June, she was cast as one of three talent judges on thefirst season ofAmerica's Got Talent, an amateur talent contest onNBC executive-produced bySimon Cowell and hosted byRegis Philbin. The broadcast was one of the most-watched programs of the summer, and concluded on August 17, 2006, with the win of 11-year-old singerBianca Ryan. Norwood was originally slated to return for a second season in summer 2007, but eventually decided not to, feeling that she "couldn't give the new season the attention and commitment it deserved," following the fatal 2006 car accident in which she was involved.[57] She was replaced by reality TV starSharon Osbourne.[57]
Norwood's fifth studio album,Human, was released in December 2008, produced byToby Gad, Brian Kennedy, andRedOne.[58][59] Distributed byKoch Records andSony Music, the album marked Norwood's debut on theEpic Records label,[60] and her reunion with long-time contributor and mentor Rodney Jerkins, who wrote and executive produced most of the album.[58] Generally well received by critics,Human debuted at number fifteen on the U.S.Billboard 200 with opening week sales of 73,000 copies.[61] With a domestic sales total of 214,000 copies, it failed to match the success of its predecessors.[62] While lead-off single "Right Here (Departed)" scored Norwood her biggest chart success since 2002's "Full Moon", the album failed to impact elsewhere, resulting in lackluster sales in general and the end of her contract with the label, following the controversial appointment ofAmanda Ghost as president of Epic Records, and Norwood's split with rapperJay-Z'sRoc Nation management.[63][64][65]
In December 2009, she officially introduced her rapping alter-ego Bran'Nu with two credits on Timbaland's albumTimbaland Presents Shock Value 2,[66] and was cast in the pilot episode for theABC seriesThis Little Piggy, also starringRebecca Creskoff andKevin Rahm, which was recast the following year.[67]
.jpg)
In April 2010, Norwood and Ray J debuted in theVH1 reality seriesBrandy and Ray J: A Family Business along with their parents. The show chronicled the backstage lives of both siblings, while taking on larger roles in their family's management and production company, R&B Productions.[68] Executive produced by the Norwood family, the season concluded after eleven episodes, and was renewed for a second season, which began broadcasting in fall 2010.[69]A Family Business, a compilation album with previously unreleased content from the entire cast was released onSaguaro Road Records in June 2011.[70] Critics such asThe Washington Post declared it an "awkward and adorable and really, really wholesome collection."[71] While the album failed to chart, it produced three promotional singles, including the joint track "Talk to Me".[72]
In fall 2010, Norwood appeared as a contestant onseason 11 of theABCreality showDancing with the Stars, partnered withMaksim Chmerkovskiy. She ultimately placed fourth in the competition, which was a shock to the judges, viewers, studio audience, and other contestants that considered her one of the show's frontrunners throughout the entire competition.[73] In August 2011, it was confirmed that Norwood had signed a joint record deal withRCA Records and producer Breyon Prescott's Chameleon Records.[74][75][76] In September, a new talent show,Majors & Minors, created by musicianEvan Bogart, premiered onThe Hub. It followed a group of young performers age 10–16 and their chance to be mentored by some established artists such as Norwood,Ryan Tedder andLeona Lewis.[77] Later that same year, Norwood returned to acting roles with recurring appearances onThe CW'steen drama series90210, and in the fourth season of theLifetime's comedy seriesDrop Dead Diva, in which she played the role of Elisa Shayne.[78]
In 2011, Norwood joined the cast of theBET comedy seriesThe Game, playing the recurring role of Chardonnay, a bartender.[79] She became a regular cast member by the next season.[80] In February 2012, Norwood reteamed with Monica on "It All Belongs to Me", which was released as a single from the latter's albumNew Life.[81] Norwood's own comeback single "Put It Down" featuring singerChris Brown was released later that year. The song reached number three onBillboard'sHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, becoming her first top ten entry in ten years.[82] Her sixth albumTwo Eleven, which was released in October, saw a return to her R&B sound, but with what Norwood described a "progressive edge".[83] A moderate commercial success, it was viewed as a humble comeback from Norwood, reaching number three on the USBillboard 200, and the top of theBillboard USTop R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.[84]
In March 2013, Norwood returned to film, joining an ensemble cast consisting ofJurnee Smollett-Bell,Lance Gross andVanessa L. Williams inTyler Perry's dramaTemptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor.[85] Norwood plays supporting character Melinda, a woman with secrets. The film received generally negative reviews from critics but became a moderate US box office success.[86][87] In June 2013, Norwood signed withCreative Artists Agency, headquartered in Los Angeles,[88] and in early 2014, she arranged a management deal with MBK Entertainment with CEO Jeff Robinson.[89] In July, she was also inducted as an honorary member ofAlpha Kappa Alpha sorority.[90] The same month, Norwood released a cover version ofColdplay's song "Magic" to herTwitMusic account; it peaked at number one onBillboard'sTrending 140 chart.[91][92] Also in 2014, Norwood made guest appearances on VH1'sLove and Hip Hop: Hollywood and theTV Land sitcomThe Soul Man. At the2014 BET Hip Hop Awards, she reunited withQueen Latifah,MC Lyte, andYo-Yo to perform the hip hop remix of "I Wanna Be Down" in celebration of its 20th anniversary.[93]
After finishing the filming of the final season ofThe Game, Norwood made herBroadway debut in the musicalChicago, in which she played the lead role ofRoxie Hart, beginning in April 2015.[94] Although initially a six-week run, her engagement was extended until August 2015,[95] prompting Norwood to reprise the role on several occasions in 2016 and 2017.[96][97][98] Also in 2015, Norwood appeared on British house duo99 Souls's mashup single "The Girl Is Mine", for which she re-recorded her vocals from "The Boy Is Mine".[99] The song reached the top five in Belgium and the United Kingdom as well as the top 40 on other international charts, where it became her highest-charting single in years.[100]
In January 2016, Norwood co-executive produced and starred as the lead in theBET sitcomZoe Ever After,[101] a multi-camera romantic comedy about a newly single mom stepping out of the shadow of her famous boxer ex-husband.[102] While it debuted to respectable ratings,[103] Norwood decided not to return to the show, and it was soon after cancelled.[104] The same month, Norwood released the standalone single "Beggin & Pleadin" through her own label Slayana Records, after receiving a positive response to initially unveiling the track onSoundCloud.[105][106][107] That February, Norwood announced herSlayana World Tour, which highlighted stops in both Europe and Oceania.[108] Her first headlining tour in eight years, it was ended ahead of schedule on June 30 after Norwood was hospitalized due to exhaustion.[109] In March, Norwood sued Chameleon Entertainment Group and its president, Breyon Prescott, after the label reportedly refused to allow her to record and release new albums. After the lawsuit wasthrown out of court due to one particular clause, Norwood filed another one several months later, demanding $270,000 in compensation and a "court declaration that she is contractually freed from Chameleon." Both parties reached a settlement in 2017.[110]
In November 2016, Norwood became the second recipient of theLady of Soul Award at theSoul Train Music Awards. Her stripped-down nine-minute song medley was met with praise.[111] Two months later, Norwood competed with her brother Ray J on theFOX reality cooking seriesMy Kitchen Rules.[112] In July 2018, Norwood became a series regular on the Fox musical drama television seriesStar. She played the role of Cassie, starting as a recurring role in the second season, and remained a series regular until the series' ending in 2019.[113] The same year, she appeared on "Optimistic", aSounds of Blackness cover that preceded the self-titled debut of supergroupAugust Greene, consisting ofCommon,Robert Glasper andKarriem Riggins,[114] as well as on Dutch DJ'sLucas & Steve's "I Could Be Wrong", adance-heavy rework of her 1994 single "I Wanna Be Down" that became a minor hit on the dance charts.[115]
In 2019, Norwood was honored with the BMI President's Award at theBMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards, organized byBroadcast Music, Inc.[116] In June, she appeared on Canadian singerDaniel Caesar's second albumCase Study 01, lending vocals to their duet "Love Again". Released as a single, it earned them aGrammy Award nomination forBest R&B Performance at the62nd awards ceremony and reached the top of theBillboardAdult R&B Songs chart, becoming Norwood's first song to do so.[117] In September 2019, she released the buzz single "Freedom Rings" which was released to coincide with the 25th anniversary of her self-titled debut album.[118] in August 2019, Norwood revealed she had been in the recording studio working on a song withJustin Timberlake, Ray J andPharrell Williams.[119] As of 2024, however, the song has not been released.
Norwood's seventh studio albumB7, her first album in eight years, was released in July 2020. Her first project as an independent artist, it was released through her own label Brand Nu Inc., with distribution handled byeOne Music. A departure from her previous work, Norwood co-wrote and co-produced the majority of the album, which was chiefly produced byDarhyl Camper.[120] The release was preceded by lead single "Baby Mama" featuringChance the Rapper.[121]B7 debuted at number 12 on theBillboard 200, also reaching number 2 on UK R&B Albums.[122][123] The album received generally positive reviews from critics, with numerous publications including it on their lists of the best albums of 2020, and earned a nomination in the Album of the Year category at the2020 Soul Train Awards.[124]
In August 2020, Norwood and Monica battled in the webcast seriesVerzuz. Filmed atTyler Perry Studios inAtlanta, Georgia,[125][126] it was watched by a record-breaking 1.2 million viewers on the Instagram live stream alone.[127][128]BET listed the moment as number one on its "The 20 Most OMG Viral Moments of 2020" list.[129] Two months later, Norwood performed a medley at theBillboard Music Awards, which were held at theDolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California.[130]
In March 2021, Norwood was chosen byJohn Legend as a mentor on thetwentieth season of the singing competition seriesThe Voice.[131][132][133] Also that month, Norwood collaborated withDisney on the single "Starting Now",[134][135][136][137][138][139] the theme song for the music specialDisney Princess Remixed — An Ultimate Princess Celebration, released in August 2021.[140][141] Also that month, Norwood, alongsideNaturi Naughton,Eve andNadine Velazquez, joined the cast ofABC's music drama seriesQueens in which she played one-fourth of a veteran hip-hop group.[142][143][144][145] Norwood recorded several new songs for the series which debuted to reviews largely positive reviews in October 2021; withVariety praising the quartet's musical offering, calling their raps “sharp and distinct […] making clear their talent as both individuals and a swaggering collective,” but was not renewed the following year.[146]
In March 2022, Norwood released "Nothing Without You", a duet alongside daughter Sy'Rai,[147] recorded for the soundtrack to the comedy filmCheaper by the Dozen (2022).[148] In April, singerMariah Carey revealed "The Roof (When I Feel the Need)," a re-recorded and re-imagined version of her 1998 single "The Roof (Back in Time)" featuring new vocals from Norwood,[149] for the former's course onMasterClass.[150] In October 2022, Norwood was nominated for Best Global Act at theAll Africa Music Awards 2022 for "Somebody's Son," her collaboration with Nigerian singerTiwa Savage.[151][152][153]
_(cropped).jpg)
In April 2023, Norwood's daughter, Sy'Rai, confirmed that her mother would be the vocal and executive producer on her forthcoming debut EP.[154] In November 2023, Norwood released her eighth studio album,Christmas with Brandy, a collection of six original songs and six cover versions ofChristmas standards.[155][156] The project marked her major label return after signing withMotown Records in June 2022 and reached the top thirty on the USTop Holiday Albums chart.[157] Its release coincided with the release of theNetflix Christmas comedy filmBest. Christmas. Ever!, directed byMary Lambert and starring Norwood alongsideHeather Graham,Jason Biggs, andMatt Cedeño.[158] While the film became hit in its first week on the streaming service, it earned largely negative reviews from critics and audiences, withThe Guardian calling it one of "worst" comedies of the season.[159] On November 23, 2023, Norwood performed "Someday at Christmas" at the 2023Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.[160][161][162][163]
On February 4, 2024, Norwood performed at the66th Annual Grammy Awards;Burna Boy's single, "Sittin' on Top of the World", which heavily sampled Norwood's own "Top of the World", had been nominated forBest Melodic Rap Performance.[164][165][166] On June 7, Norwood made a cameo appearance as a news anchor inAriana Grande's "The Boy Is Mine" music video, alongside Monica.[167] On June 21, 2024, Grande released "The Boy Is Mine (Remix)", which features both Norwood and Monica.[168][169] In July 2024,Descendants: The Rise of Red, astandalone sequel to theDescendants franchise, was released onDisney+, in which Norwood reprised the role of Cinderella,[170] and appeared on the film's soundtrack, contributing vocals to "Love Ain't It" alongsideRita Ora,Malia Baker andKylie Cantrall, and "So This Is Love" alongsidePaolo Montalban.[171]A24'sThe Front Room, a psychological horror film from directors Max and Sam Eggers and based on the original short story bySusan Hill, was released in September 2024, starring Norwood as Belinda;[172][173][174] the film grossed just over $3.1million worldwide.[175]
On January 8, 2025, it was announced Norwood would release her memoir, which would "share her full story". The memoir will release on October 7 of the same year, byHanover Square Press.[176] On February 12, 2025, British artistsAJ Tracey andJorja Smith released the single "Crush", which heavily samples Norwood's 2002Full Moon track "Love Wouldn't Count Me Out".[177]
Norwood has been classified as some to have acontralto vocal range.[178][179][180] Her voice has often been described as soft, raspy, and husky by music critics and Norwood herself.[181] Music critic andSlant Magazine writer Andrew Chan describes Norwood's vocal tone as having "an unusual mix of warmth and cold, hard edges". He further describes her vocal quality, saying, "Like little else in pop-music singing, Brandy's subtle manipulation of timbre and texture rewards close listening. [...] Her main claim of technical virtuosity has always been her long, cascading riffs, a skill many R&B die-hards revere her for."[182] Norwood is also noted for her use ofmultitrack recording to create intricate vocal arrangements and layering. Terry Sawyer ofPopMatters writes on this skill, remarking, "While it's been said that Brandy's voice isn't exactly a barn burner, it's not mentioned enough that she does more than enough with what she's got. She never leaves her voice hanging in spotlit scarcity, folding its variegated terracing, whispering out the lead track, shouting in the back-up, and piling each song with enough interlocking sounds to create the tightly packed illusion of vocal massiveness."[183] In 2023,Rolling Stone ranked Brandy at number 193 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.[184]
Norwood's initial sound on her eponymous debut album was "street-oriented"R&B,[185] that incorporated elements ofhip hop[185][186] andpop-soul.[186] She sang about love while also highligting other topics such as, "tributes to her little brother ("Best Friend"), God ("Give Me You"), the perfect man ("Baby") and older crooners like Aretha and Whitney ("I Dedicate")".[186] On her second albumNever Say Never, she went for a moreadult contemporary oriented direction while maintaining "a slight streetwise edge".[31] Her third studio albumFull Moon saw Norwood, and her then-creative partnerRodney Jerkins, experiment with blending her previous R&B sounds with futuristic, forward-thinking productions, including influences of2-step garage andelectro-funk.[187][188][189] Along with her style, her voice had gone through an evolution, with her light, girlish voice becoming much deeper, warmer, and smokier than it had been throughout the 1990s.[190] The lyrics also reflected the change, as the album explored more adult, sexual topics and focused on both physical and emotional aspects of an intimate relationship.[188]
In 2004, her recent motherhood, life experiences, and growing affinity for British rock bandColdplay, caused her to shift toward a more experimental vision for her fourth studio albumAfrodisiac. The album, a collaboration with producersTimbaland andKanye West, utilized the distinctiveillbient aesthetic, which fusesambient pop,dub, andbreakbeat soundscapes with progressive sampling methods.[191] A four-year hiatus and a few life-changing occurrences caused Norwood to return to the music industry in late 2008 withHuman, her fifth studio album, which discussed topics of love, heartache and honesty.[192] Experiencing a career and personal rejuvenation in 2012, Norwood was eager to scale back her previous album's pop style and return to R&B on her sixth studio albumTwo Eleven. The album was a melding of both Norwood's1990s R&B sound and the bass-heavy trends ofpost-2000s contemporary hip-hop.[193]
Since the start of her career, Norwood has namedWhitney Houston as her most prominent music and entertainment influence. Early in her career, she would often describe Houston as her "idol", crediting her voice, music, and performances as critical to her, both personally and professionally. In a 2014 interview, Brandy stated that, "as a professional musician, I would say that Whitney Houston is the greatest voice of all time."[194] She elaborates, saying "She was always the idea for me. I wanted to be like her, sing like her, and do everything she was doing."[195] Beginning in the late 1990s, Houston would evolve as a personal friend and mentor to Brandy, with Houston nicknaming herself as Norwood's "godmother".[196]
Norwood also names her father, vocal coachWillie Norwood, as instrumental to her discovery and development as a musician. She exclaims that her dad "taught me everything that I know [about singing]". About her dad, Norwood states: "I grew up singing in church with my dad, where he was the musical director and we sang gospel songs in a cappella almost exclusively. He bought me my first 4-track tape recorder. At first, I didn't like my own voice, but he encouraged me to embrace the unique qualities of my voice."[197]
While developing her own style and vocal sound, Norwood would credit gospel-jazz singerKim Burrell,new age artistEnya, and English singer-songwriterSade as major influences. In speaking about them, she said, "... it was listening to those women, along with my own creative voice, that helped me to find my niche, my own sound."[198][197]Norwood has also noted several other musical inspirations, includingMichael Jackson,Mariah Carey,Boyz II Men,the Clark Sisters,Stevie Wonder,Aretha Franklin,Coldplay,Janet Jackson,Timbaland, and her brotherRay J.[197][199][200][201]
Over the course of her acting career, Norwood has notedLucille Ball,Jenifer Lewis,Gabrielle Union,Niecy Nash, andKim Fields as being integral to her development as an actress, and the discovery of her strength in comedic roles.[202][203]
Since her 1994 debut album, Brandy has sold more than 40 million records worldwide with over 8.62 million albums sold in the United States alone.[204][205] According to theRIAA, Brandy has 10.5 million certified units.[206] In 2008,Billboard ranked her song "The Boy Is Mine" third on a specialThe 40 Biggest Duets of All Time listing.[207] In 1999,Billboard ranked Norwood among the top 20 of the Top Pop Artists of the1990s.[208] In 2010,Billboard included Norwood in their Top 50 R&B and Hip Hop Artists list of the past 25 years.[209] Norwood was one of the youngest artists nominated for theGrammy Award for Best New Artist.[210] Her second albumNever Say Never appeared in the "Top 100 Certified Albums" list by the RIAA.[211]
Norwood's vocal stylings have had a significant impact on the music industry, most notably withcontemporary R&B,pop andgospel genres, where she is often subjectively referred to as the "Vocal Bible".[212] Her work has influenced numerous artists,[213] includingJessie J,JoJo,Bridget Kelly,Olivia,Ariana Grande,[214]Emeli Sandé,Jordin Sparks,Ryan Destiny,Tank,Teyana Taylor,Lil' Mo,Megan Rochell,Keyshia Cole,[215]Jhené Aiko,[216]Raven-Symoné,Eric Bellinger,[217]Chris Brown,[218]Elle Varner,Rihanna,[219]Angel,Normani,[220] andKehlani[221] while Norwood's vocals have been praised by several of her peers, includingNatasha Bedingfield,Missy Elliott,Jennifer Hudson,Syleena Johnson,Gladys Knight,Brian McKnight,Jill Scott,Angie Stone,Tamia,[213]Ty Dolla Sign,[222]Jazmine Sullivan,[223] andTamar Braxton[224] among others. Additionally, on many occasions, Norwood has been thought of as a talented artist that music producers and songwriters have used to enhance their own artistic and creative energies.[225][226][227]
SongwriterSean Garrett credits the vocal work on the albumFull Moon for his approach to writing, saying "I take a lot from what [Brandy] andRodney did on theFull Moon album. I was extremely impressed with it and I always try to outdo that album".[228]B.Slade spoke of the album, commentingFull Moon single-handedly changed the vocal game. "It has been the template for vocal choices and background vocal arrangements [for years]."[229] R&B singerMelanie Fiona, especially admired the singer's work on that album.[230]Neo soul singerIndia.Arie often cites the album, particularly the song "He Is" as being the template for a wide array of singers."[231] The oft-praised vocal work on the album sparked the idea of Norwood gaining the subjective nickname the"vocal bible".[232][233][234] Canadian R&B singerKeshia Chanté credited the album for inspiring her writing for her albumNight & Day, while American singerLuke James referred toFull Moon as the "bible" of 2000s contemporary R&B, calling it the "blueprint of how to do vocals."[213]
Afrodisiac has been credited as one of predecessors to theAlternative R&B subgenre. In a 2014 music and fashion conversation withNPR, singer and modelSolange discussed the album, saying "Brandy is really the foundation of a lot of this very innovative, progressive, experimental R&B. Brandy really influenced a lot of that.Frank Ocean will say it.Miguel will say it."[235] In an interview withMalcolmMusic, Miguel revealed that he was a "huge fan growing up", stating that Brandy had "killed it from the first album".[236]
Americanneo soul singerErykah Badu noted that her 1997 debut album,Baduizm, was partly influenced by Norwood's debut album,[237] while Barbadian singerRihanna said of her 2007 albumGood Girl Gone Bad, "[Brandy] really helped inspire that album. I listened to [Afrodisiac] every day [while in the studio]."[238]Kelly Rowland cited Norwood, who also wrote and produced for Rowland'sdebut album, as one of the inspirations for her second studio albumMs. Kelly (2007).[239]John Frusciante, guitarist forRed Hot Chili Peppers, cited Norwood as the "main inspiration" behind the guitar work on Red Hot Chili Peppers' 2006 album,Stadium Arcadium.[240] When discussing the work on her debut projectH.E.R., singerH.E.R., who worked with the producerDJ Camper, revealed that Brandy was a "huge inspiration" to her, and that her being inspired Brandy impacted her musical output.[241]
Norwood has made her impact in the film and television industry as well. Norwood was the first African American to play the role of Cinderella.[242] Her role as Cinderella in the1997 film inspired many African American actors. Speaking on the role, Keke Palmer said "I feel like the reason I'm able to do this [becoming the first African American Cinderella on Broadway] is definitely because Brandy did it on TV".[242] Norwood's TV-showMoesha on UPN was also one of the longest-running Black sitcoms of all time.[243] On stage, Norwood made Broadway history along with co-star Lana Gordan by becoming the first black co-leads inChicago the Musical in 2017.[244]
Norwood has had many endorsements in her career. In 1999, she became a CoverGirl,[245] appearing in a number of commercials. She also represented the brands Candie's in 1998 and DKNY in the Spring of 2000.[246][247][248] In the late 1990s Norwood was represented by Wilhelmina Agency, one of the leading modeling agencies in the industry.[248] In 1999, Mattel released the Brandy Doll. The doll featured Norwood in a reddish orange blouse and orange long skirt. Next to this, the Holiday Brandy Doll was released in 2000 along with another "Brandy Doll". Millions of the dolls were sold and they were one of the biggest selling toys for Mattel.[249] In 2005, Brandy became the spokesperson for Ultima, a company for hair weaves and wigs. As of 2014, she no longer represents them.[250][251]
In 1996, Norwood, along with her brother Ray J, created the Norwood Kids Foundation. Its goal of is to "use performing arts as a catalyst to shape the youth of today into self-confident, disciplined, responsible, and caring individuals capable of making a positive impact in their communities."[252] In 1999, Brandy was the first international spokesman person for youth byUNICEF.[253] She is an avid supporter of theMake A Wish Foundation andRAINN.[254] In 2000, Brandy donated $100,000 to 2000 WATTS, an entertainment community center founded by singer and actorTyrese Gibson in the underprivileged community ofWatts, Los Angeles, California.[254] Brandy teamed up with shoe companySkechers' “Nothing Compares to Family” campaign in 2008.[255] In 2010, Norwood became involved with Get Schooled, a national non-profit mobile phone calls by celebrities to wake up students for school.[256][257] In 2014, Norwood teamed up with "text4baby", which spreads health and wellness to expecting moms via text message,[258] and became an honorary co-chairman of the 2014 Unstoppable Foundation.[259] In 2018, she also appeared in a PSA for theAmerican Heart Association and Hands-Only CPR with fellow Chicago the Musical cast members.[260]
Norwood attendedHollywood High School but studied with a private tutor beginning in tenth grade.[10] In 1996, she had a brief relationship with futureLos Angeles Lakers playerKobe Bryant, whom she accompanied to hisprom atLower Merion High School inArdmore,Pennsylvania.[261] She also datedBoyz II Men lead singerWanya Morris, whom she cited as her "first love".[262] Morris, who is over five years older, reportedly ended their relationship a month before her nineteenth birthday.[263] Also during their work on theNever Say Never album, she briefly dated rapperMase.[264]
During the production of her albumFull Moon in mid-2001, Norwood became romantically involved with producerRobert "Big Bert" Smith. The couple kept their relationship secret until February 2002, when Norwood announced that she was expecting her first child. However, a year after the birth of their daughter, Sy'rai Iman Smith, Norwood and Smith separated.[265] In 2004, Smith revealed that the pair had never been legally wed, but that they had pretended to marry to preserve Norwood's public image.[266] Norwood responded that she regarded her relationship with Smith as a "spiritual union and true commitment to each other,"[266] though she later confirmed Smith's statement and justified her actions with the pressure of having to be a role model.[267]
By the following year, Norwood had begun a relationship withNBA guardQuentin Richardson, who was then playing for theLos Angeles Clippers. The couple became engaged in July 2004, but Norwood ended their 14-month engagement in September 2005.[268] It was reported that Norwood had to get a tattoo of Richardson's face on her back transformed into a cat.[269] In 2010, she briefly dated rapperFlo Rida.[270] At the end of 2012, Norwood became engaged to music executive Ryan Press.[271] In April 2014, Norwood called off her engagement with Press following their breakup earlier that year.[272]
Following the release of her seventh studio albumB7, fans speculated on the meaning behind the album's closing track, "Bye BiPolar". While Norwood does not havebipolar disorder, according to notes that the singer wrote to accompany the album, "Bye BiPolar" is a metaphor for her love life and discussing the way that her mental health struggles have been exacerbated by toxic relationships.[273] Norwood told theNew York Post: "I have not been diagnosed as bipolar [...] but I've had moments where trauma has caused me to not be myself, and I felt at a point that I could've experienced moments of that."[274] In an interview withThe Grio, Norwood said, "I've dealt with depression in the most severe ... like severe depression. I've dealt with trauma. I've dealt withPTSD. I've gone through a lot and I had to overcome a lot, but I had to overcome everything that I've overcame by doing the work," turning to therapy, prayer, journaling and meditation.[275]
On December 30, 2006, while driving on the405 Freeway in Los Angeles,[276] Norwood struck a Toyota driven by 38-year-old Awatef Aboudihaj, who later died from her injuries at the L.A.Providence Holy Cross Medical Center.[276] Law enforcement officials later reported that Norwood was driving her car at 65 miles per hour (105 km/h) and did not notice that vehicles ahead of her had slowed considerably. Her vehicle then collided with the rear of Aboudihaj's, causing the Toyota to strike another vehicle before sliding sideways and impacting the center divider. As the Toyota came to a stop, it was hit by yet another vehicle.[277] However, a source in theCalifornia Highway Patrol later reported that Aboudihaj actually struck the car in front of her and then slammed on her brakes before Norwood made contact. The sudden stop caused Norwood to hit Aboudihaj's car.[278] As confirmed,toxicology reports showed that Aboudihaj had "slight traces" ofmarijuana in her system at the time of the crash.[279]
Norwood was not arrested.[276] Nevertheless, there have been multiple lawsuits filed against Norwood, all of which were ultimately settled out of court by her attorney Ed McPherson. Aboudihaj's parents filed a $50 millionwrongful death lawsuit against Norwood.[280] Initially set to go to trial in April 2009,[281] the lawsuit was eventually cancelled as Norwood had settled out of court with Aboudihaj's parents.[282] Aboudihaj's husband also filed a lawsuit against Norwood, suing her for an undisclosed amount of financial relief to cover medical and funeral expenses, as well as legal costs and other damages.[283] He rejected his part of a $1.2 million settlement offer in February 2009,[284] but did settle in November of that year.[285] The couple's two children received $300,000 each,[284] while two other drivers who were involved settled with Norwood for undisclosed amounts.[286][287] In May 2009, Norwood stated, "The whole experience did completely change my life, and I can say that I think I'm a better person from it. You know, I still don't understand all of it and why all of it happened, but I definitely have a heart, and my heart goes out to everyone involved. I pray about it every single day, and that's all I can really say on the subject."[288]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
Media from Commons
Quotations from Wikiquote
Data from Wikidata| Studio albums | |
|---|---|
| Compilation albums | |
| Concert tours | |
| Related topics |
|
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
