I know alot of people favorite Toni Braxton album is Secrets. My favorite album will always be her debut album Toni Braxton. That whole album was a bop. I remember first seeing her perform she was the most beautiful woman ever especially with her short haircut.
@@CalvinMichaels You have to do Whitney Houston next. How do you go from 10M copies sold WW for 'My Love Is Your Love' Album to 2M copies sold WW for her 'Just Whitney' Album all the while she's on $100M recording contract.
You hit the nail on the head regarding Pop stealing R&B's swag, and why real R&B artists had a harder time sustaining. The reason why Jill Scott was able to have a sustainable career was because she had a label behind her who understood what her career trajectory could and would be and who her audience would be.
I respectfully disagree. Oprah gave Toni a hude platform to tell her story, but Toni didn't seem prepared for that interview. Toni didn't explain well how bad her record deal was. For example, when TLC exposed their bad record deal, Lis Left-eye Lopes laid it out perfectly so that everyone could easily understand how an artist can sell millions and be broke if they have a very bad record deal.
@@ChandlersReality however Toni could have been obligated to not speaking on that at that time....it was obvious since she finally spoke about it during VH1 documentary after she left Arista Records 🙂
"more than a woman" is such an underrated album. it was toni meets grown and sexy hip-hop. Her voice literally melts into the beat on songs like "Always" and "Tell me". "Tell me" is for the groooown folks, and "Always" is such a heart-felt '02 ballad. Love Toni 💓
Libra is CRIMINALLY underrated and it’s one of my favorite albums!! I was so happy when the album was available on digital downloads and streaming! I hope it’s rediscovered and give it the love it deserved!
I think we as Die hard toni stans should come together and make that Album chart once again and possibly make it go no.1 on r&b album charts or something idk😂❤ like how the barbz be doing
Less than 10 minutes into this video and I am completely BLOWN AWAY 😮🤯‼️ Everything about this is a published dissertation. From your expansive research, to your oral presentation, to your visual presentation and everything in between. You sir are a PROFESSOR EMERITUS in these TH-cam streets‼️ 📚🤓🔥🔥🔥
I adore this series so much! Toni is such a Legend! Libra has became one of my favorite Toni Braxton albums ever, I’m so glad Blackground released it! Toni is a Queen, she is so strong for overcoming all of those trails! I Love Toni Braxton Living Legend!
And with a health condition. She will always be an icon to me. Reality shows & all… there is always something so quietly iconic about her & to me she’ll never lose this status, no matter what she has to do for money.
I’m about to dig in at some point over the weekend because I just love hearing him go offf for hours on his chosen topic. I’m just astounded that he speaks so well without a script!
Toni Braxton is an underrated legend. She only released 2 albums in the 1990s and was still ranked in the top 10 of Billboard's most successful top 10 artists of the 90s decade. Toni Braxton was a global commercial success and rivaled Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Janet Jackson, Madonna, TLC, Boys to Men, Garth Brooks and Micheal Bolton to compete in that top 10 list. Remind you, the 90s was the most competitive decade in music history as albums and physical singles sold alot and we're harder to do. Plus other major Pop stars like Micheal Jackson, Spice Girls, Backstreet Boys, Brandy Norwood, Britney Spears, Shawnia Twain, Alanis Morestte, and many others had huge global succes and didn't even reach the top 10 😲😲😲😲😲😲. Secrets sold nearly 30 Million copies globally and is one of the biggest selling albums of all time and her debut album has sold nearly 20 Million Records globally Plus at one point, Unbreak my heart was the #1 most successful song in history on Billboard's 1958-1998 list. I think mainstream society forgets that Toni was that commerically huge because of her bankruptcy and because she was blacklisted from the music industry after exposing the music industry. Toni was at one point the highest paid female Pop star in 1997 and her 2nd album "Secrets" made her nearly $200 million dollars (nearly $400 million today = the same amount of money that Drake earned for his new recording contract 😲😲😲😲) and Toni didn't see a dime of that money because of her crappy contract with LaFace records. Additionally TLC had the same problem and we're the world's biggest selling female group in history at that time. Both acts were mistreated by LaFace. Once Toni returned in 2000 with this song and her 3rd album, her stardom was tarnished. She wasn't the same blockbuster success that she was in the 90s, plus the music industry experienced a shift in music where Pop legends like Toni, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston and Celine Dion no longer did ballads because the general public wanted more up tempo songs. Whitney Houston talked about this in an interview in 1999 before her concert in Boston for a MTV special. Because of her bankruptcy and blacklisting and lack of investment from her label, Toni is underrated and is sandwiched under the likes of a Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, Madonna and Celine Dion. Yes those five had longer success and longevity in the mainstream charts (at least 15 plus years) but Toni's mainstream success lasted for at least 4-5 years before her financial crisis. Nonetheless Toni is still a legend and im glad that people are appreciating her work and giving her flowers. Oh and "Find Me A Man" and "Never Just For A Ring" are my sssshhhhh
@@CalvinMichaels 😩😩😩😩 that's my jam. It's something about it that takes my ears on an adventure. It has a Disney Princess vibe to it. Babyface uses a a horn sounding melody to it. I can't describe it but it sounds like those electronic bells that be on a school intercom. I just love how he uses it in the song and how it never changes even when she sings the chorus at a lower note. Plus the orchestration and gospel sounding background vocals of R. Kelly and Chante Moore just does it. I also love how the song fades off. I heard Find me A Man was supposed to be a single and a commercial success, but they selved it. There's a bootleg music video on the internet that Toni did for it years ago.
@@CalvinMichaels oh and do you know whether or not Kandi Buruss was part of the Secrets album? When I listen to the album on TH-cam, Kandi is acknowledged as playing the Organ for the album. I'm not sure if that is a typo. Plus Robert K is given credit for the album. I know he produced or wrote I don't want to for Toni. Plus I'm surprised this album hasn't went Diamond in the U.S. yet. It sold 8 million alone in the U.S. in the 90s, so it definitely has sold 2 million since. I think record labels pay for an artist to get certifications from the RIAA, but Toni is no longer a major artist signed to a major label. This is seen with Beyonce and how her record sales haven't been updated. Last week the RIAA reported Beyonce has at least 107 million records that haven't been certified in the U.S. alone. Beyonce could easily be the biggest selling female artist or 2nd or 3rd selling female artist of all time if her uncertified records are certified. She already sold 120 Million. Add 107 million, and millions of other uncertified record sales around the world, Beyonce could easily surpass Madonna and Rihanna who have the top 2 spots as world's greatest selling female artists. The lack of record certification is seen in many Black artists. Dion Warwick even has this issue. Dionne Warwick was at one point the biggest selling female artist of all time and the world's first female Pop Star and The RIAA did not certify her records. The RIAA, Billboard and SoundScan have changed their rules for certified records so many times that it has negatively impacted so many Black artists and you still see it today with Beyonce, Nicki Minaj, especially Nicki Minaj with her radio sales being manipulated because she is blacklisted by the music industry
I grew up on Libra playing in my aunts car while I slept. She loved Please and played it sooooo often. I loved it too. When Libra got rereleased in 2021 it was so nostalgic for me and I remembered all these songs I heard while I was nodding off to sleep in the car late nights. Ito definitely one of my faves.
I love Toni Michelle Braxton she is just that girl! My daughter got me tickets 4yrs ago to see her with SWV at the Hardrock hotel her in Hollywood she was amazing. Thank you for this video
Just had to say I LOVE this series on your channel as well as the research you put into these! They're like Unsung/Behind The Music specials that have me excited whenever you upload them!
I have known for a long time that Clive Davis has single-handedly played a role in several artists having altered careers that could have been much bigger and profitable. Giving Toni advice to do that kind of tour with Kenny G, and even altering the potential success of Phyllis Hyman, Angela Bofill, Vesta Williams, and countless more fantastic singers, by buying smaller labels and tossing these artists aside, all to find someone like a Whitney Houston, and still continued to toss countless artists in the trash, instead of focusing on artist development, that was unique to each artists. Everyone couldn't be a Whitney, but he didn't see that.
It is my understanding that Clive is the one that said Anita couldn't sing and wouldn't sign her. She dodged a bullet with that one. Anita wound up being executive producer of her debut album with Elektra. That was unheard of back then.
@@queticulate3414 puffy should be added he shelved a lot of artists or signed them to bad deals that why these artists that need to go over the contract.
Yes Clive Davis pissed me off how he let great singers like Angela Bofill and Phyllis Hyman get lost in the shuffle. I don't recall Vesta having anything to do with Clive Davis. Vesta was on A&M Records and then recorded for smaller independent labels.
this docu on Toni from The Heat, More Than a Woman to Libra is so incredible!! Excellent work Calvin...omg now I gotta buy Libra bc shamefully during that era I didn't buy her album - I have every other album. I discovered her debut CD in 1993 at a tender pre tween 11yo. I had just got my first real boyfriend in JHS so I wld sing her songs How Many Ways in the bathroom mirror lol
I read her book 'Unbreak My Heart.' It was really good. The Heat, More Than A Woman and Libre were great albums. The latter 2 got lost in I guess that R&B transition to rap or pop 😖 She deserves her flowers!
Toni Shoulda released Me and My Boyfriend REGARDLESS!!! In regards to More Than A Woman Selfish and Always should have been singles and hit the freeway should have been an album treat only. "Do you remember" should have also been a single.
The next videos he should do: Mary J. Blige: No More Drama to Love & Life Fantasia: Free Yourself to Fantasia Monica: After The Storm to The Making Of Me Chris Brown: Exclusive to Graffiti Whitney Houston: My love is your love to Just Whitney Mariah Carey: The Emancipation of Mimi to E=mc2 Ciara: The Evolution to Fantasy Ride Michael Jackson: Future to Invincible
And Keyshia Cole: The Way it is to Calling all Hearts. I feel like all of her albums are very underrated but for some reason she doesn't have that recognition
The first time that i saw and heard Toni Braxton was when “Give You My Heart” came out, and i loved her right away. That was a special time for the first album. All of those hits. The bridge for “Love Shoulda Brought You Home” ALWAYS hits me deeply.
Thank you for continuing these album series. I really enjoy your content. Would you please do one with Christina Aguilera From the Back to Basics album to the Bionic album. She is always been marketed as a pop singer but her vocal influences are rooted in R&B soul
That would be a great idea, as a Christina fan I definitely saw her R&B and even blues influence. I know she was influenced by Etta James and I understand why she performed at her funeral.
Another well researched project! This can serve as a great intro to someone who may not have been a Toni Braxton fan. Libra was such a great album, and I’m glad it’s on streaming services now. Please is probably my favorite Toni Braxton song of all time
toni is my number one fav singer since i was in high school. I love talking about this type of things so thank you!! i wish i could talk to people like you who love these type of conversations!
The music industry isn’t very fair to FEMALE artists as they age. Alot of the time, the men do just fine. Also, this video was immaculate! Beautifully done!
Unpopular opinion, but Sex and Cigarettes is one of my top albums by Toni. You can tell she had more control over her last 2 albums and can really feel the emotions
I remember when Toni Braxton first came out I just thought she was everything!! One day I'm shopping in Target in St Paul Minnesota, I'm looking in the music section when this white lady comes over and I noticed that she had picked up Toni Braxton's cassette. I told her it was a really good CD and we briefly spoke about it. She asked her husband who was at a distance away with the baby if she could get this Toni Braxton cassette he said no, she replied it's only $7 again he said no he said it's not in the budget so she just kept looking it over and she put it back on the shelf well I whipped out $10 and I gave it to her and I said it's in my budget I said I'm buying this for you she was so elated. I was in the check out line when I heard this lady loudly saying there she is there she is!!! everybody's looking abt trying to figure out who this lady is talking abt, what's going on including myself when I see it's the white lady pointing a strong index finger at me and she's got the cassette and the $10 in her hand she said she gave me the $10 she gave it to me and I said yes I gave her the $10, it's in my budget needless to say he didn't say anything I guess he thought that she had hidden some money from him to buy it I don't know but it's a shame that she had to chase me down to prove that I had given her that $10 so I purchase Toni Braxton's first CD for that lady to this day I always say every woman should have Toni Braxton's first CD in her music collection.
I love when you go off and talk about other artists. It's all for a reason and it all ties into the message you're talking about. And I appreciate it. It kept me occupied all day during my 12 hour shift. Thanks Calvin
Libra deserves better, smh. This was like her best album. This was supposed to be her comeback. My favs from More Than a Woman: Hit The Freeway Me and My Boyfriend Favs from Libra: Please Take This Ring
Great video! Love how you gave deeper insight on how these music companies basically rob artists and get rich off of all their hard work. Toni Braxton has always been one of my favorite singers and "Spanish Guitar" (not the dance version) is my favorite song by her. It's so incredibly underrated.
This was excellent! I love these videos. You know your history and stuff. My fav tracks from More than a Woman are “a Better Man” “Rock Me, Roll Me”, and “Lies, Lies, Lies” For Libra it’s “Take this Ring” “Shadowless”, “Supposed to be” and “Trippin”
I'm so happy to see you did another riveting episode of this great series. Toni is one of my favorite vocalists, but her musical contributions have been undermined by the music industry so I'm glad that you did an episode on her. It's unfortunate that due to poor mismanagement of her career, she didn't reach the great heights that she should've been in the later part of her career. I look forward to more episodes in this series!
Great video and deep dive, shouts from SA 🇿🇦 More than a Woman, my favorite Toni album, is one of Toni’s best creative offerings right up their with her debut and Secrets. Very slept on. It’s her Full Moon. Not just sonically but also the personal and business events transpiring in the background were similar to Brandy’s. MTAW was experimental and progressive. Beautiful production, vocal arrangements, harmonies, melody’s and lyrics. She also had writing credits on majority of the songs and as a result was able to shine vocally. This is noted in how playful she was with her instrument. You can see how Tamar was influenced by MTAW and has a similar feel in her solo material. Toni was not here for it in that Wendy interview, she was like ‘you ain’t taking food out my baby mouth!’ 😂😂😂 Gotti was shady for that.
Calvin, when you said 'some random person in...'- I felt so seen! Lol. I was that random person in London who saw the Please video on TV back then. A lot of R&B projects that tanked in the US generally did quite well over here in the early 2000's. I don't think this project was one of them though. Great video as always :)
Your videos are EXCELLENT !!! So glad to discover you ! My fave track off more than a woman is definitely Selfish and rock me roll me and please off a libra !
I feel LA Reid was always out for Toni ever since she sued them. Babyface was more willing to hash things out since they had a brother/sister relationship, but I feel LA never let it go. He didn't do that much with The Heat and he put More Than a Woman in the dump. Same thing he did for Supernova.
Supernova was dope album! If only LA was not as*hole, Left Eye could have released her debut and maybe there would have been no beef between the girls in TLC 😔
Music head here, love when you do so these! You should do Ashanti next people forget how HUGE she was in the 2000’s she still holds the record for Fastest Selling Debut for a Female 505,000 copies first week. She released her first 3 albums back to back to back. She got overshadowed by Murder Inc being indicted but she still sold millions and prevailed. Great work man 🙌🏾🔥
I’ve always wondered why Toni has yet to have her second wind so to speak much like Mariah with The Emancipation and MJB with The Breakthrough. Those works re-positioned them. Toni has yet to have that moment. It’s sad.
I love this episodes you do just a great job realy interessting and educated. Can you do one with Kelly Rowland it woul be very interessting because you do such a great research and to analyse her career its interesting because her career is realy messy too
Lol I absolutely adore your commentary. I remember listening to Toni during family cook outs and block parties and loving her heavy voice and short hair. She has always been a favorite of mine. I love how you thoroughly explain Toni's career as it relates to her standing in the industry, her success among her peers and the genres that her music fell into. Your commentary is perfect for the culture, both current and throwback
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE continue with content like this. R&B is not dead and we need to continue to highlight the legends in the game. Very informative ❤🙏👍🙂
It's quite sad really. Most of the old school songs that I listen to I just kept remembering that a lot of them got a raw deal when it came to contracts. Most of them died penny less
She's literally the most underrated singer out with Deborah Cox right now. I totally agree that the 1st album is the best. Every song is vocally outstanding and she is showing out to where youre exhausted singing by the 5th song! LOL. So here are my favorite albums in order and my top 3 from each: 1. The Debut - Seven Whole Days, Candle Light, Love Shoulda Brought You Home 2. Secrets - In The Late of Night, Find Me A Man, How Could an Angel Break My Heart 3. Libra - Take This Ring, Sposed To Be, Suddenly (Bonus Track) 4. Pulse - Hands Tied, No Way, Hero 5. The Heat - He Wasn't Man Enough, Maybe, Speaking In Tongues 6. Love Marriage Divorce - I Wish, The D Word, Rollercoaster 7. Spell My Name - Dance, Fallin, Happy Without Me 8. Sex And Cigarettes - Long As I Live, Sorry, Deadwood
If I may say so I also think it would be great if you did some commentary on Ms. Jody Watley...another phenomenal living legend who like Toni does not get enough credit for all that she has and continues to give to the world of music.
I'm here listening to the Libra album and boy you have me dancing in my bed to "Take This Ring" at 3 in morning, lol. I love it and it's going on my play list. The cymbals in the song reminds me of "Freak em Dress" by B.
Never a big fan, but Oprah's "interview" with Toni Braxton was it for me. Despised her ever since. Also, so tired of everything assuming that everyone only has a 90 second attention span. This was wonderful.
I have been watching your commentary for a few years now, this is the first time I’ve commented. Fantastic research and presentation, love listening to you Calvin. Toni is a music icon. The Heat is my favourite album by Her. You have inspired me to explore her other albums.
I stayed up way too late watching this masterpiece. You are a wealth of musical knowledge! "Selfish" is also my favorite off the album. SO happy to hear someone give it's deserved kudos. (TONI please sing this song just once!!!) "Rock me, Roll me" and "Always" are also gems! Thank you for your incredible work :)
Bravo...... you're video essays are flawless..... the depth and breath .... just amazing !!!!! Yours is a musical history love journey ...... continue the great work !!!!!!
Thank you for taking us on this long journey between albums. I’ve always been a fan of both MTAW and Libra and wish they had gotten their just dues but ageism is a terrible thing that women in the music industry go through. I love Libra but also love a lot of the material from the EU edition like Suddenly as well as the b-side to Trippin, called Places. Happily Unhappy which you mentioned in the video finally saw a release on Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis’ album which came out last year. Toni is very underrated despite her huge success in the 90s. Always happy to see her get her flowers.
Freakin Excellent. She has been a part of me from childhood till now but I never knew about Libra! Imma listen 🎶 😌 Peace Brutha! Much respect for all his glorious work and love you put into all of this 🌻
"Take This Ring" from Libra is STILL on regular rotation here. I love that song so much. I wish Libra got more of a push! And "Let Me Show You the Way Out" is my favorite on More Than A Woman
I love this series, I completely agree with what you said about Trippin'. It should've been a hit like 'We Belong Together' & 'Be Without You'. Speaking of, I would love to see a comeback version of this series like MC's 'Charmbracelet' to 'TEOM', MJB's 'Love & Life' to 'The Breakthrough' or even CB's 'Graffiti' to 'FAME'.
Thank you for the time you invested in putting this together! I love how much research you do, not just for the information but for the visuals as well. I've been a Toni fan since I was a child and I still love her now.
I love when you do these. It is quite the journey through my childhood. I was a big fan of Libra.. "Take This Ring" was my ish... I always felt like that should have been the 1st single. Either way your long videos are perfectly fine. Continue to be dope sir!!!!
Sex & Cigarettes, The Heat, and Secrets are my fave albums from Miss Toni "Living Legend" Braxton. They did my gurl dirty, but I'm glad she's still making music and sharing her gorgeous voice with us.
Toni is everything! And Libra is literally one of my favorite albums! When it dropped as a kid I would always make my Aunt or Mom put it rotation. Somedays I cannot choose a favorite song because for me it’s no skips. My favs would have to be Take This Ring, Trippin,Sposed To Be, and Shadowless. Toni was really singing about all the emotions you feel when you’re with someone. As an adult now, this album is bible! Outside of this Toni has always been on my favs. In 2nd grade my teacher would have the debut in rotation while we did our work! I would say Toni is definitely one of those singers you study and the more I learn, the more she honestly becomes in my Top 3. I’ve always admired Toni’s vocals. My ears are always pleased. It’s like Toni one of them natural element vocalist! Chords blessed and giving you Air, Fire, Water, and Earth tones all in one! She also has this jazziness tone to her voice that I love! She literally can do it all! I also think Vegas should call her back! She can do it! At least a month! She was one of the first ones Vegas called along with Celine!
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I know alot of people favorite Toni Braxton album is Secrets.
My favorite album will always be her debut album Toni Braxton. That whole album was a bop. I remember first seeing her perform she was the most beautiful woman ever especially with her short haircut.
The Debut is my fave as well
@@CalvinMichaels facts. 💯❤️
@@CalvinMichaels You have to do Whitney Houston next. How do you go from 10M copies sold WW for 'My Love Is Your Love' Album to 2M copies sold WW for her 'Just Whitney' Album all the while she's on $100M recording contract.
Same! That’s my favorite
The debut was my favorite too
Seven whole days " ooh we "
and Just Be A Man About IT
are 2 of my favorite songs By Toni B. She is special even without a Recent Album.
You hit the nail on the head regarding Pop stealing R&B's swag, and why real R&B artists had a harder time sustaining. The reason why Jill Scott was able to have a sustainable career was because she had a label behind her who understood what her career trajectory could and would be and who her audience would be.
The misconception that Toni had a spending problem was Oprah's fault. She was so condescending and disrespectful to Toni in that interview they did.
Very demeaning demeanor towards Toni that was so uncalled for.
Right on I hate when people say that hello yes you can buy to 💁🏽
Jealous is the word you're looking for.
I respectfully disagree. Oprah gave Toni a hude platform to tell her story, but Toni didn't seem prepared for that interview. Toni didn't explain well how bad her record deal was. For example, when TLC exposed their bad record deal, Lis Left-eye Lopes laid it out perfectly so that everyone could easily understand how an artist can sell millions and be broke if they have a very bad record deal.
@@ChandlersReality however Toni could have been obligated to not speaking on that at that time....it was obvious since she finally spoke about it during VH1 documentary after she left Arista Records 🙂
"more than a woman" is such an underrated album. it was toni meets grown and sexy hip-hop. Her voice literally melts into the beat on songs like "Always" and "Tell me". "Tell me" is for the groooown folks, and "Always" is such a heart-felt '02 ballad. Love Toni 💓
C’mon “Always”!!!
"Selfish" is the jam too
@@CalvinMichaels you really have to listen to "Always " just so underated
Selfish is one of her best mid tempos and SO underrated
I love tell me it's a sexy song pretty naughty the Anita Baker sweet love sample 😍.
Libra is CRIMINALLY underrated and it’s one of my favorite albums!! I was so happy when the album was available on digital downloads and streaming! I hope it’s rediscovered and give it the love it deserved!
Her BEST Work ❤
I think we as Die hard toni stans should come together and make that Album chart once again and possibly make it go no.1 on r&b album charts or something idk😂❤ like how the barbz be doing
Less than 10 minutes into this video and I am completely BLOWN AWAY 😮🤯‼️ Everything about this is a published dissertation. From your expansive research, to your oral presentation, to your visual presentation and everything in between. You sir are a PROFESSOR EMERITUS in these TH-cam streets‼️ 📚🤓🔥🔥🔥
I adore this series so much! Toni is such a Legend! Libra has became one of my favorite Toni Braxton albums ever, I’m so glad Blackground released it! Toni is a Queen, she is so strong for overcoming all of those trails! I Love Toni Braxton Living Legend!
And with a health condition. She will always be an icon to me. Reality shows & all… there is always something so quietly iconic about her & to me she’ll never lose this status, no matter what she has to do for money.
"Take This Ring" with Rich Harrison signature gogo sound should have been lead single. That song is everything ❤️😔
You absolutely killed this episode. Kudos to all the hard work you put until this series. It doesn’t go unnoticed. Thank you!!
I’m about to dig in at some point over the weekend because I just love hearing him go offf for hours on his chosen topic. I’m just astounded that he speaks so well without a script!
Toni Braxton is an underrated legend. She only released 2 albums in the 1990s and was still ranked in the top 10 of Billboard's most successful top 10 artists of the 90s decade. Toni Braxton was a global commercial success and rivaled Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Janet Jackson, Madonna, TLC, Boys to Men, Garth Brooks and Micheal Bolton to compete in that top 10 list. Remind you, the 90s was the most competitive decade in music history as albums and physical singles sold alot and we're harder to do. Plus other major Pop stars like Micheal Jackson, Spice Girls, Backstreet Boys, Brandy Norwood, Britney Spears, Shawnia Twain, Alanis Morestte, and many others had huge global succes and didn't even reach the top 10 😲😲😲😲😲😲. Secrets sold nearly 30 Million copies globally and is one of the biggest selling albums of all time and her debut album has sold nearly 20 Million Records globally Plus at one point, Unbreak my heart was the #1 most successful song in history on Billboard's 1958-1998 list. I think mainstream society forgets that Toni was that commerically huge because of her bankruptcy and because she was blacklisted from the music industry after exposing the music industry. Toni was at one point the highest paid female Pop star in 1997 and her 2nd album "Secrets" made her nearly $200 million dollars (nearly $400 million today = the same amount of money that Drake earned for his new recording contract 😲😲😲😲) and Toni didn't see a dime of that money because of her crappy contract with LaFace records. Additionally TLC had the same problem and we're the world's biggest selling female group in history at that time. Both acts were mistreated by LaFace. Once Toni returned in 2000 with this song and her 3rd album, her stardom was tarnished. She wasn't the same blockbuster success that she was in the 90s, plus the music industry experienced a shift in music where Pop legends like Toni, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston and Celine Dion no longer did ballads because the general public wanted more up tempo songs. Whitney Houston talked about this in an interview in 1999 before her concert in Boston for a MTV special. Because of her bankruptcy and blacklisting and lack of investment from her label, Toni is underrated and is sandwiched under the likes of a Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, Madonna and Celine Dion. Yes those five had longer success and longevity in the mainstream charts (at least 15 plus years) but Toni's mainstream success lasted for at least 4-5 years before her financial crisis. Nonetheless Toni is still a legend and im glad that people are appreciating her work and giving her flowers. Oh and "Find Me A Man" and "Never Just For A Ring" are my sssshhhhh
She was SANGIN singing on “Find Me A Man”
@@CalvinMichaels 😩😩😩😩 that's my jam. It's something about it that takes my ears on an adventure. It has a Disney Princess vibe to it. Babyface uses a a horn sounding melody to it. I can't describe it but it sounds like those electronic bells that be on a school intercom. I just love how he uses it in the song and how it never changes even when she sings the chorus at a lower note. Plus the orchestration and gospel sounding background vocals of R. Kelly and Chante Moore just does it. I also love how the song fades off. I heard Find me A Man was supposed to be a single and a commercial success, but they selved it. There's a bootleg music video on the internet that Toni did for it years ago.
@@CalvinMichaels oh and do you know whether or not Kandi Buruss was part of the Secrets album? When I listen to the album on TH-cam, Kandi is acknowledged as playing the Organ for the album. I'm not sure if that is a typo. Plus Robert K is given credit for the album. I know he produced or wrote I don't want to for Toni. Plus I'm surprised this album hasn't went Diamond in the U.S. yet. It sold 8 million alone in the U.S. in the 90s, so it definitely has sold 2 million since. I think record labels pay for an artist to get certifications from the RIAA, but Toni is no longer a major artist signed to a major label. This is seen with Beyonce and how her record sales haven't been updated. Last week the RIAA reported Beyonce has at least 107 million records that haven't been certified in the U.S. alone. Beyonce could easily be the biggest selling female artist or 2nd or 3rd selling female artist of all time if her uncertified records are certified. She already sold 120 Million. Add 107 million, and millions of other uncertified record sales around the world, Beyonce could easily surpass Madonna and Rihanna who have the top 2 spots as world's greatest selling female artists. The lack of record certification is seen in many Black artists. Dion Warwick even has this issue. Dionne Warwick was at one point the biggest selling female artist of all time and the world's first female Pop Star and The RIAA did not certify her records. The RIAA, Billboard and SoundScan have changed their rules for certified records so many times that it has negatively impacted so many Black artists and you still see it today with Beyonce, Nicki Minaj, especially Nicki Minaj with her radio sales being manipulated because she is blacklisted by the music industry
Whoa...this is a history lesson. Some good nuggets in here 👍
I agree. Even into the 2000s she still had a big album with the heat.
More than a woman, libra, sex & cigarettes & spell my name are the most underappreciated r&b albums of our time
I grew up on Libra playing in my aunts car while I slept. She loved Please and played it sooooo often. I loved it too. When Libra got rereleased in 2021 it was so nostalgic for me and I remembered all these songs I heard while I was nodding off to sleep in the car late nights. Ito definitely one of my faves.
I love Toni Michelle Braxton she is just that girl! My daughter got me tickets 4yrs ago to see her with SWV at the Hardrock hotel her in Hollywood she was amazing. Thank you for this video
I still don’t understand why „Stupid“ on Libra was not even nominated for a Grammy as best R&B performance!
Toni‘s vocals on that track are unmatched!
Exactly 💯💯💯💯
Just had to say I LOVE this series on your channel as well as the research you put into these! They're like Unsung/Behind The Music specials that have me excited whenever you upload them!
I have known for a long time that Clive Davis has single-handedly played a role in several artists having altered careers that could have been much bigger and profitable. Giving Toni advice to do that kind of tour with Kenny G, and even altering the potential success of Phyllis Hyman, Angela Bofill, Vesta Williams, and countless more fantastic singers, by buying smaller labels and tossing these artists aside, all to find someone like a Whitney Houston, and still continued to toss countless artists in the trash, instead of focusing on artist development, that was unique to each artists. Everyone couldn't be a Whitney, but he didn't see that.
It is my understanding that Clive is the one that said Anita couldn't sing and wouldn't sign her. She dodged a bullet with that one. Anita wound up being executive producer of her debut album with Elektra. That was unheard of back then.
@@queticulate3414 that hankerson man was another who promoted his artists poorly some of the ways he did aaliyah was wrong.
@@queticulate3414 puffy should be added he shelved a lot of artists or signed them to bad deals that why these artists that need to go over the contract.
Yes Clive Davis pissed me off how he let great singers like Angela Bofill and Phyllis Hyman get lost in the shuffle.
I don't recall Vesta having anything to do with Clive Davis. Vesta was on A&M Records and then recorded for smaller independent labels.
@@queticulate3414 people often forget Anita's debut album was on Beverly Glen. Rapture was Anita's sophomore album.
this docu on Toni from The Heat, More Than a Woman to Libra is so incredible!! Excellent work Calvin...omg now I gotta buy Libra bc shamefully during that era I didn't buy her album - I have every other album.
I discovered her debut CD in 1993 at a tender pre tween 11yo. I had just got my first real boyfriend in JHS so I wld sing her songs How Many Ways in the bathroom mirror lol
I read her book 'Unbreak My Heart.' It was really good. The Heat, More Than A Woman and Libre were great albums. The latter 2 got lost in I guess that R&B transition to rap or pop 😖 She deserves her flowers!
I’m excited about this one. I love me some Toni “Living Legend” Braxton. 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽
Toni Shoulda released Me and My Boyfriend REGARDLESS!!! In regards to More Than A Woman Selfish and Always should have been singles and hit the freeway should have been an album treat only. "Do you remember" should have also been a single.
The next videos he should do:
Mary J. Blige: No More Drama to Love & Life
Fantasia: Free Yourself to Fantasia
Monica: After The Storm to The Making Of Me
Chris Brown: Exclusive to Graffiti
Whitney Houston: My love is your love to Just Whitney
Mariah Carey: The Emancipation of Mimi to E=mc2
Ciara: The Evolution to Fantasy Ride
Michael Jackson: Future to Invincible
i second all of them! They all kinda have that "what happened" transitions
I agree
I would also add Amerie. Even though she was not that big, her second album "Touch" was promising for her career and then she suddenly dissapeared 🙂
And Keyshia Cole: The Way it is to Calling all Hearts. I feel like all of her albums are very underrated but for some reason she doesn't have that recognition
@@i_c_e_555 there is one name - Beyoncé. Bey Hives ended her 😟
Michael came through with a full length feature film. I'm here for it! 😆
I have all of Tonis albums.. Love her first "Secret" and "The Heat" are my fave
The first time that i saw and heard Toni Braxton was when “Give You My Heart” came out, and i loved her right away. That was a special time for the first album. All of those hits.
The bridge for “Love Shoulda Brought You Home” ALWAYS hits me deeply.
i could watch ur vids all day, sooo informative and lengthy without being boring👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Thank you for continuing these album series. I really enjoy your content. Would you please do one with Christina Aguilera
From the Back to Basics album to the Bionic album. She is always been marketed as a pop singer but her vocal influences are rooted in R&B soul
That would be a great idea, as a Christina fan I definitely saw her R&B and even blues influence. I know she was influenced by Etta James and I understand why she performed at her funeral.
All of Toni’s Albums are Amazing ❤
Especially LIBRA , Grammy album if you ask me
I'm here for it. Music & History Lover!💯❤️
I loved “Please”. I was a freshman in college when that came out.
Toni’s tone is like butter!!!
Another well researched project! This can serve as a great intro to someone who may not have been a Toni Braxton fan. Libra was such a great album, and I’m glad it’s on streaming services now. Please is probably my favorite Toni Braxton song of all time
toni is my number one fav singer since i was in high school. I love talking about this type of things so thank you!! i wish i could talk to people like you who love these type of conversations!
The music industry isn’t very fair to FEMALE artists as they age. Alot of the time, the men do just fine. Also, this video was immaculate! Beautifully done!
Unpopular opinion, but Sex and Cigarettes is one of my top albums by Toni. You can tell she had more control over her last 2 albums and can really feel the emotions
I remember when Toni Braxton first came out I just thought she was everything!! One day I'm shopping in Target in St Paul Minnesota, I'm looking in the music section when this white lady comes over and I noticed that she had picked up Toni Braxton's cassette. I told her it was a really good CD and we briefly spoke about it. She asked her husband who was at a distance away with the baby if she could get this Toni Braxton cassette he said no, she replied it's only $7 again he said no he said it's not in the budget so she just kept looking it over and she put it back on the shelf well I whipped out $10 and I gave it to her and I said it's in my budget I said I'm buying this for you she was so elated. I was in the check out line when I heard this lady loudly saying there she is there she is!!! everybody's looking abt trying to figure out who this lady is talking abt, what's going on including myself when I see it's the white lady pointing a strong index finger at me and she's got the cassette and the $10 in her hand she said she gave me the $10 she gave it to me and I said yes I gave her the $10, it's in my budget needless to say he didn't say anything I guess he thought that she had hidden some money from him to buy it I don't know but it's a shame that she had to chase me down to prove that I had given her that $10 so I purchase Toni Braxton's first CD for that lady to this day I always say every woman should have Toni Braxton's first CD in her music collection.
I love when you go off and talk about other artists. It's all for a reason and it all ties into the message you're talking about. And I appreciate it. It kept me occupied all day during my 12 hour shift. Thanks Calvin
Libra deserves better, smh. This was like her best album. This was supposed to be her comeback.
My favs from More Than a Woman:
Hit The Freeway
Me and My Boyfriend
Favs from Libra:
Please
Take This Ring
Take this ring is still in rotation
It was a bad ass album for sure!!!
Fun Fact: “Sposed To Be” features Keri Hilson’s vocals all throughout the track and on background.
I love all three of those projects..Simply because its Toni..
Real Toni fans knew it existed
Great video! Love how you gave deeper insight on how these music companies basically rob artists and get rich off of all their hard work. Toni Braxton has always been one of my favorite singers and "Spanish Guitar" (not the dance version) is my favorite song by her. It's so incredibly underrated.
This is the BEST documentary I have ever seen on The Toni Braxton, Living Legend!!! Excellent 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Libra is easily no 3 in her album catalogue! Blackground definitely dropped the ball with regards to promoting that one!
Toni was sanging on that Libra tour. That gave me chills @ 1:59:28
She said y’all gone FEEL this song tonight!
Toni is the perfect example of read your contract & make sure you keep good company
fun fact "SPOSED TO BE" WAS 1ST SONG THAT LEAKED ONLINE AND WAS GOING TO BE SINGLE #1 AROUND THAT ERA... i remember it SO CLEAR! I LOVE THIS EPISODE!!
It finally dropped ♥️♥️♥️
This video wore me OUT 🥴🥴
@@CalvinMichaels I figured Ik a lot goes into doing these vids 💪🏾💯 thanks😊 cause I been going threw my subscriptions looking for ur latest vid 🤣🤣🤣
This was excellent! I love these videos. You know your history and stuff. My fav tracks from More than a Woman are “a Better Man” “Rock Me, Roll Me”, and “Lies, Lies, Lies” For Libra it’s “Take this Ring” “Shadowless”, “Supposed to be” and “Trippin”
Thank you
I'm so happy to see you did another riveting episode of this great series. Toni is one of my favorite vocalists, but her musical contributions have been undermined by the music industry so I'm glad that you did an episode on her. It's unfortunate that due to poor mismanagement of her career, she didn't reach the great heights that she should've been in the later part of her career. I look forward to more episodes in this series!
"Suddenly" from the European release of the Libra album is my fave. Your research and presentation is outstanding.
That “Please” music video off the Libra album was classic 🔥boss lady Toni. Excellent presentation, Bro. 🤙🏾
7 minutes in and I know this is a diamond documentary about the legend Toni Braxton 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Wow...so glad you did this. It was long overdue. I completely agree with you on everything said in this clip from beginning to end. Keep it coming!!!
Calvin you are brilliant
Great video and deep dive, shouts from SA 🇿🇦
More than a Woman, my favorite Toni album, is one of Toni’s best creative offerings right up their with her debut and Secrets. Very slept on. It’s her Full Moon. Not just sonically but also the personal and business events transpiring in the background were similar to Brandy’s.
MTAW was experimental and progressive. Beautiful production, vocal arrangements, harmonies, melody’s and lyrics. She also had writing credits on majority of the songs and as a result was able to shine vocally. This is noted in how playful she was with her instrument. You can see how Tamar was influenced by MTAW and has a similar feel in her solo material.
Toni was not here for it in that Wendy interview, she was like ‘you ain’t taking food out my baby mouth!’ 😂😂😂
Gotti was shady for that.
Calvin, when you said 'some random person in...'- I felt so seen! Lol. I was that random person in London who saw the Please video on TV back then. A lot of R&B projects that tanked in the US generally did quite well over here in the early 2000's. I don't think this project was one of them though. Great video as always :)
Wow, that's amazing
Your videos are EXCELLENT !!! So glad to discover you ! My fave track off more than a woman is definitely Selfish and rock me roll me and please off a libra !
Great job on covering the icon and beauty that is Toni. Well done Calvin! I thoroughly enjoyed this and learned so much.
I feel LA Reid was always out for Toni ever since she sued them. Babyface was more willing to hash things out since they had a brother/sister relationship, but I feel LA never let it go. He didn't do that much with The Heat and he put More Than a Woman in the dump. Same thing he did for Supernova.
& the album Toni and Face divorce love album is 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Supernova was dope album! If only LA was not as*hole, Left Eye could have released her debut and maybe there would have been no beef between the girls in TLC 😔
@@ayash7363 The beef between the girls in TLC moreso had to do Tboz/Chili wanting their cake and eating it too...Left Eye being the cake
Yes, I believe the same thing.
@@raineyj560 I agree I think she should have kept working with baby face when it came to the other albums
When are we getting another one of these, always interesting to learn about the entire start to finish of an era!
Music head here, love when you do so these! You should do Ashanti next people forget how HUGE she was in the 2000’s she still holds the record for Fastest Selling Debut for a Female 505,000 copies first week. She released her first 3 albums back to back to back. She got overshadowed by Murder Inc being indicted but she still sold millions and prevailed. Great work man 🙌🏾🔥
I’ve always wondered why Toni has yet to have her second wind so to speak much like Mariah with The Emancipation and MJB with The Breakthrough. Those works re-positioned them. Toni has yet to have that moment. It’s sad.
Spell my name should have been that comeback album. It's so great
Libra was supposed to be that for her but she got sick and had to file for bankruptcy.
I love this episodes you do just a great job realy interessting and educated. Can you do one with Kelly Rowland it woul be very interessting because you do such a great research and to analyse her career its interesting because her career is realy messy too
Lol
I absolutely adore your commentary.
I remember listening to Toni during family cook outs and block parties and loving her heavy voice and short hair. She has always been a favorite of mine.
I love how you thoroughly explain Toni's career as it relates to her standing in the industry, her success among her peers and the genres that her music fell into.
Your commentary is perfect for the culture, both current and throwback
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE continue with content like this. R&B is not dead and we need to continue to highlight the legends in the game. Very informative ❤🙏👍🙂
It's quite sad really. Most of the old school songs that I listen to I just kept remembering that a lot of them got a raw deal when it came to contracts. Most of them died penny less
Fantastic job on this video.
She's literally the most underrated singer out with Deborah Cox right now. I totally agree that the 1st album is the best. Every song is vocally outstanding and she is showing out to where youre exhausted singing by the 5th song! LOL. So here are my favorite albums in order and my top 3 from each:
1. The Debut - Seven Whole Days, Candle Light, Love Shoulda Brought You Home
2. Secrets - In The Late of Night, Find Me A Man, How Could an Angel Break My Heart
3. Libra - Take This Ring, Sposed To Be, Suddenly (Bonus Track)
4. Pulse - Hands Tied, No Way, Hero
5. The Heat - He Wasn't Man Enough, Maybe, Speaking In Tongues
6. Love Marriage Divorce - I Wish, The D Word, Rollercoaster
7. Spell My Name - Dance, Fallin, Happy Without Me
8. Sex And Cigarettes - Long As I Live, Sorry, Deadwood
Amazing synopsis. You reminded me why I stopped listening to the radio and watching award shows during the early 2000's
Pretty much!!!!
This was so educational. Thank you for the in-depth research.
I really appreciate this kind of videos-thank you
If I may say so I also think it would be great if you did some commentary on Ms. Jody Watley...another phenomenal living legend who like Toni does not get enough credit for all that she has and continues to give to the world of music.
I love the level of detail and history in your videos! Toni is my favorite singer, thanks for covering her!
This video is so well done!
I love the music history you give us. The trends, explanation with examples and how it impacts today. Love it
I appreciate your time and dedication. Thank you.
I'm here listening to the Libra album and boy you have me dancing in my bed to "Take This Ring" at 3 in morning, lol. I love it and it's going on my play list. The cymbals in the song reminds me of "Freak em Dress" by B.
Libra is my absolute FAVORITE Toni Braxton album
One of my other favorite female vocalist. Thanks Calvin!
I really enjoyed this episode of this series. Great job once again Calvin!
I had no business listening to Libra in the 4th grade 😂 I’m happy to see it get the recognition it deserved back then ❤️ another great video!
Never a big fan, but Oprah's "interview" with Toni Braxton was it for me. Despised her ever since. Also, so tired of everything assuming that everyone only has a 90 second attention span. This was wonderful.
Great editing and production, Calvin!
I LOVE the long videos. You have the opportunity to really deep dive.
This was great! Thank you for your work!
I have been watching your commentary for a few years now, this is the first time I’ve commented. Fantastic research and presentation, love listening to you Calvin. Toni is a music icon. The Heat is my favourite album by Her. You have inspired me to explore her other albums.
I went back and watch your others ones yesterday and you post this one today awesome please keep doing these I love them
I stayed up way too late watching this masterpiece. You are a wealth of musical knowledge! "Selfish" is also my favorite off the album. SO happy to hear someone give it's deserved kudos. (TONI please sing this song just once!!!) "Rock me, Roll me" and "Always" are also gems! Thank you for your incredible work :)
Bravo...... you're video essays are flawless..... the depth and breath .... just amazing !!!!! Yours is a musical history love journey ...... continue the great work !!!!!!
This video was everything!!!
Libra is my most played Toni album period. It’s a masterpiece every track! Blackground did her so dirty.
Thank you for taking us on this long journey between albums. I’ve always been a fan of both MTAW and Libra and wish they had gotten their just dues but ageism is a terrible thing that women in the music industry go through. I love Libra but also love a lot of the material from the EU edition like Suddenly as well as the b-side to Trippin, called Places. Happily Unhappy which you mentioned in the video finally saw a release on Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis’ album which came out last year. Toni is very underrated despite her huge success in the 90s. Always happy to see her get her flowers.
Freakin Excellent. She has been a part of me from childhood till now but I never knew about Libra! Imma listen 🎶 😌 Peace Brutha! Much respect for all his glorious work and love you put into all of this 🌻
"Take This Ring" from Libra is STILL on regular rotation here. I love that song so much. I wish Libra got more of a push! And "Let Me Show You the Way Out" is my favorite on More Than A Woman
I love this series, I completely agree with what you said about Trippin'. It should've been a hit like 'We Belong Together' & 'Be Without You'. Speaking of, I would love to see a comeback version of this series like MC's 'Charmbracelet' to 'TEOM', MJB's 'Love & Life' to 'The Breakthrough' or even CB's 'Graffiti' to 'FAME'.
You did such a great job on this.
FINALLY YESSS LETS GET INTO IT
Thank you for the time you invested in putting this together! I love how much research you do, not just for the information but for the visuals as well. I've been a Toni fan since I was a child and I still love her now.
I love when you do these. It is quite the journey through my childhood. I was a big fan of Libra.. "Take This Ring" was my ish... I always felt like that should have been the 1st single. Either way your long videos are perfectly fine. Continue to be dope sir!!!!
I love this series. The amount of information that you know is very impressive. I always learn so much from your music videos.
Sex & Cigarettes, The Heat, and Secrets are my fave albums from Miss Toni "Living Legend" Braxton. They did my gurl dirty, but I'm glad she's still making music and sharing her gorgeous voice with us.
Toni is everything! And Libra is literally one of my favorite albums! When it dropped as a kid I would always make my Aunt or Mom put it rotation. Somedays I cannot choose a favorite song because for me it’s no skips. My favs would have to be Take This Ring, Trippin,Sposed To Be, and Shadowless. Toni was really singing about all the emotions you feel when you’re with someone. As an adult now, this album is bible! Outside of this Toni has always been on my favs. In 2nd grade my teacher would have the debut in rotation while we did our work! I would say Toni is definitely one of those singers you study and the more I learn, the more she honestly becomes in my Top 3. I’ve always admired Toni’s vocals. My ears are always pleased. It’s like Toni one of them natural element vocalist! Chords blessed and giving you Air, Fire, Water, and Earth tones all in one! She also has this jazziness tone to her voice that I love! She literally can do it all! I also think Vegas should call her back! She can do it! At least a month! She was one of the first ones Vegas called along with Celine!