By Rebecca Kasuba, Staff Writer

Each week of Black History Month, we open the 88.9 Vault of Soul with profiles of iconic pioneers of R&B and soul. This week, we’re taking you through the iconic life of R&B and acting legend Brandy. To learn more, check out the biography of the icon Brandy below. 

Biography 

Early Life

Brandy Rayana Norwood was born in McComb, Mississippi in 1979. She was raised in Carson, California with her family of virtuoso’s. Through their influence she had music introduced very young, becoming a staple in her life early on. More specifically, her father, Willie Norwood, taught her everything she knows about singing. Willie Norwood was a gospel singer and musical director at the church Brandy and her family went to. Through that she grew a passion for music and singing thanks to her dad’s direction. Brandy said this about her father, that “At first, [she] didn’t like [her] own voice, but he encouraged me to embrace the unique qualities of my voice.” Without her father’s support, it’s unlikely that Brandy would have been able to rise to the stardom she has today.

An R&B Icon

In the mid-1990s Brandy signed to Atlantic Records, securing her dream. Her debut album Brandy (1994) quickly rose on the US Billboard Hot 100 with singles like “I Wanna Be Down”, “Baby”, and “Brokenhearted”. Her next album Never Say Never (1998) continued her success train with iconic songs like “The Boy Is Mine” and “Have You Ever?”. Brandy’s third album Full Moon (2002) was a shift towards more pop-orientated songs but still with that classic R&B feel. The lead single “What About Us?” became a worldwide hit, becoming a Top 20 Hit in America and the UK. Afrodisiac (2004), Brandy’s fourth studio album, was generally her most critically acclaimed out of them all. Unfortunately, this one wasn’t unpopular but certainly wasn’t one of her most popular albums to date. At the end of 2004 Brandy requested a release from Atlantic Records. Was this music business over? Was it time to move on to bigger and better things?

Well, yes it was. But before we explore the vastness of the rest of Brandy’s career as a performer, I’d like to continue a spotlight on her decorated music career. So after removing herself from Atlantic Records and redefining herself as a star in other spaces, despite it all, we always see Brandy return to music. Human (2008) was Brandy’s reintroduction back into the music space with the Epic Records label. Unfortunately, the label dropped her shortly after, claiming the album did not produce the number they wanted. Fortunately, Brandy bounced right back! Two Eleven (2012) was a return to her true R&B sound, a moderate success reaching number 3 in the US Billboard 200 with RCA Records. After another long break from music, B7 (2020) her first project as an independent artist became Brandy’s seventh studio album. It featured a song called “Baby Mama” featuring Chance the Rapper, a true rising single in the wake of her hiatus. Lastly, we have her ever-so-charming Christmas album Christmas with Brandy (2023). Can we say for sure that this will be Brandy’s last album? No. But one way or another, her heart always seems to lead back to music. 

A Killer Cinderella Story 

So let’s resume after the Atlantic Records split. Brandy was sick of music and wanted to move onto bigger and better things, right? Well, let’s go back in time to before her debut album had even come out yet, Brandy was chosen to star in an ABC sitcom called Thea. Unfortunately, the show only ran for one season, and was cancelled. At that time, Brandy was happy about it because she wanted to sing, and lord knows she did just that. Still, this acting bug seemed to follow her throughout her career. Leading her to be in more roles. For example, Brandy was the lead role in Moesha, a critically acclaimed show at the time. So, naturally, after the Atlantic Records split she went deeper into her career as a performer. Everything from being on the first season of America’s Got Talent (as a judge) to being on Broadway with a production of Chicago. 

I could go on and on about her various achievements and creative endeavors. If you’re interested in seeing it all, I definitely recommend checking out her IMDB or Wikipedia page. But some I’d like to highlight, and have even impacted me personally, are the iconic television version of Cinderella by Disney. This was produced by Whitney Houston, who handpicked Brandy to be the lead. When it aired it had over 60 million viewers and Disney had their highest rating of the last 16 years. I can still recall watching this version as a little girl while I was at daycare and absolutely loving it. Another iconic example is the fact that Brandy is a part of the I Know What You Did Last Summer franchise. Her silver screen debut was in I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, a groundbreaking slasher film that still has a hold on pop culture today. 

Who influenced Brandy

• Whitney Houston
• Kim Burrell
• Enya
• Janet Jackson
• Mary J. Blige

Who was influenced by Brandy

• Rihanna
• Ariana Grande
• H.E.R.
• Kehlani

Brandy’s Awards and Honors

• Grammy Awards, “The Boy Is Mine”, Best R&B Performance by Duo or Group with Vocals, (1999)
• American Music Awards, Favorite Soul/R&B Artist, (1996)
• The Recording Academy Honors, Governors Award, (2000)
• The Recording Academy Honors, Black Music Icon Award, (2026)
• NAACP Image Award, Outstanding New Artist, (1996)
• NAACP Image Award, Moesha, Outstanding Youth Actor/Actress, (1997)
• NAACP Image Award, The Game, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, (2014)

Spotlight Tracks 

“The Boy Is Mine” (1998)

This iconic song brings two women together in a sultry duet about their wanting of the same man. Together we have the unforgettable vocals of Brandy and Monica coming to create something special. To this day, this song is a staple in the R&B genre, cementing its influence. For me, I like the iconic vocal deliveries of both women, more specifically, in the chorus. It feels so mystical with the layered voices, creating a soulful feel with an edge. There truly is just a feeling or aura that this song carries that no one can describe, you just have to listen.  

“I Wanna Be Down” (1994)

On Brandy’s debut album, we can see why this song helped place her on the map. It has the classic R&B sound with Brandy’s vocals adding a sensuality and strength. Its slow beat creeps into your hips and makes them move. I enjoy how Brandy’s songs, especially this one, explores that feeling of yearning. What can I say? I’m a sucker for a sexy song that shows how we all yearn for love. 

“Somebody’s Waiting” (2023)

This one is from Brandy’s Christmas album, which I didn’t think I was going to enjoy as much as I do. There’s more of a modern pop twist here with a deeper bass tone with synths in the back. Still, it sounds like Brandy with her iconic airy vocals that layer and blend together. I don’t normally like Christmas music too much but here, it feels different. If there weren’t blatant christmassy key words like: hot chocolate, santa, and, of course, christmas, I won’t have even noticed that these were a part of Christmas with Brandy. They honestly feel like amazing soft R&B slash pop songs with that classic sultry Brandy feel. Making me feel warm and cozy as I take the last remaining spite of Boston winter!