Toni Michele Braxton (born October 7, 1967) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Known for her deep, husky contralto and emotionally direct performances, she became one of the defining voices of 1990s contemporary R&B. Her music combines traditional soul phrasing with adult contemporary polish, moving between intimate ballads, sensual midtempo songs, and polished pop-R&B production.
Braxton began performing professionally with her sisters in the late 1980s as part of the vocal group the Braxtons. Although the group did not achieve major commercial success, its recordings brought Braxton to the attention of producers Antonio "L.A." Reid, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, and Daryl Simmons. She first gained wider exposure through "The Boomerang" soundtrack song "Give U My Heart," a duet with Babyface released in 1992.
Signed to LaFace Records, Braxton launched her solo career with the album Toni Braxton in 1993. The record established her as a major R&B artist through songs such as "Another Sad Love Song," "Breathe Again," and "You Mean the World to Me." Its restrained arrangements and mature emotional tone distinguished her from many of the more overtly theatrical pop vocalists of the period. The album reached number one on the Billboard 200 and earned Braxton three Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.
Braxton reached an even larger audience with Secrets in 1996. The album included "You're Makin' Me High," her first Billboard Hot 100 number-one single, and "Un-Break My Heart," a dramatic ballad written by Diane Warren. The latter became Braxton's signature song and one of the era's most recognizable breakup records. Its music video reinforced her image as a sophisticated, emotionally wounded performer, using cinematic settings and a controlled visual style rather than elaborate choreography.
Her third album, The Heat (2000), showed a more assertive and rhythm-focused side of her work. Led by "He Wasn't Man Enough," the album confirmed that Braxton could remain commercially relevant while adapting to changing R&B production styles. Later releases, including the holiday album Snowflakes (2001), More Than a Woman (2002), Libra (2005), and Pulse (2010), appeared during periods marked by label changes, professional complications, and interruptions to her recording career.
In 2014, Braxton reunited with Babyface for Love, Marriage & Divorce, a duet album built around songs about the breakdown and aftermath of relationships. The project won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album and demonstrated the continuing strength of their musical partnership. Braxton returned to solo recording with Sex & Cigarettes in 2018, followed by Spell My Name in 2020. These albums retained her preference for polished production and emotionally candid songwriting while allowing her to take a more active role in the creative process.
Braxton has also worked extensively outside the recording studio. She appeared on Broadway as Belle in Beauty and the Beast, acted in television films, and competed on Dancing with the Stars. From 2011 to 2020, she was an executive producer and central figure on the reality series Braxton Family Values, which introduced her family dynamic to a broad television audience.
With seven Grammy Awards and a catalog centered on vocal control, romantic drama, and quiet intensity, Toni Braxton occupies a distinctive place in modern R&B. Her influence rests less on constant reinvention than on the durability of her vocal identity: low, smoky, elegant, and immediately recognizable.