Toni Braxton, born in 1968 in Severn, Maryland, is an esteemed R&B vocalist who emerged as one of the genre's most successful artists in the 1990s. Growing up in a strict apostolic household as the daughter of a minister, Braxton and her sisters were encouraged by their mother to hone their vocal talents through church choirs. Initially aspiring to become a music teacher, Braxton's life took an unexpected turn when a chance encounter at a gas station led to songwriter Bill Pettaway discovering her remarkable singing voice.

Her music career took off with the release of her self-titled debut album in 1993, which became a massive hit, reaching number one on both the R&B and pop charts. This landmark album featured memorable Top Ten singles such as "You Mean the World to Me," "Breathe Again," and "Another Sad Love Song," ultimately selling over eight million copies and cementing her status in the music industry. By 1995, Braxton had won prestigious Grammy Awards for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best New Artist, quickly establishing herself as a force in the R&B landscape.

Braxton achieved even greater success with her second album, Secrets, released in 1996, which included the chart-topping singles "You're Makin' Me High" and the iconic "Un-Break My Heart." The latter song made history by spending eleven weeks at the top of the charts and earned Braxton additional Grammy Awards. Her contributions to the Waiting to Exhale soundtrack further spotlighted her talent, particularly with the collaboration "Let It Flow" alongside Whitney Houston.

In the 2000s, Braxton continued to release successful albums, including The Heat (2000), which debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, and featured the hit "He Wasn’t Man Enough." Despite facing contractual disputes and health issues related to her battle with lupus, she produced several albums, including Snowflakes (2001), Pulse (2010), and the Grammy-winning Love, Marriage & Divorce (2014), a collaboration with Babyface that garnered critical acclaim.

In addition to her musical endeavors, Braxton has established herself as a television personality and executive producer. She competed on the seventh season of Dancing with the Stars and starred in the reality series Braxton Family Values, which aired from 2011 to 2020. Braxton also produced a spinoff series featuring her sister Tamar, titled Tamar & Vince.

Continuing her musical journey, Braxton announced plans for her next studio album, tentatively titled Sex & Cigarettes, which was expected to be released in early 2018. Her commitment to her craft and resilience in the face of personal and professional challenges have solidified her legacy as an influential and tenured artist in contemporary R&B music.