Born in McComb, Mississippi, Norwood was raised in Carson, California, beginning her career as a backing vocalist for teen groups. After signing with Atlantic Records in 1993, she released her self-titled debut album, Brandy, the following year, which sold six million copies worldwide. Norwood ventured into acting with the UPN sitcom Moesha (1996–2001), which won her an NAACP Image Award, and resulted in numerous other roles, such as the titular character in the television film Cinderella (1997) and Karla Wilson in the slasher film I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998). Her musical breakthrough came with the wildly successful single "The Boy Is Mine" (1998), a duet with fellow R&B contemporary Monica, which went on to become one of the best selling female duets of all time. Her second album, Never Say Never, won Norwood her first Grammy Award. In 2002, Norwood starred in the reality series Brandy: Special Delivery, documenting the birth of her daughter. Her third and fourth albums, Full Moon (2002) and Afrodisiac (2004), were released to critical success.
Norwood served as a judge on the first season of America's Got Talent before being involved in a heavily publicized car accident in 2006. Norwood's fifth album, Human (2008), was released to positive reviews, although it was a commercial failure. In 2010, she returned to television as a contestant on the eleventh season of Dancing with the Stars and starred in the reality series Brandy & Ray J: A Family Business. She was a series regular in the BET series The Game (2012–2015) and released her sixth album Two Eleven (2012) thereafter, both earning her critical praise. In April 2015, Norwood made her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago. She starred in and executive produced a sitcom titled Zoe Ever After on BET which premiered in January 2016. In July 2020, Norwood released her seventh studio album, B7, also her first project as an independent artist, to critical acclaim. In 2021, Norwood starred alongside Naturi Naughton, Eve and Nadine Velazquez in American Broadcasting Company's music drama series Queens to critical acclaim.
In June 2022, Norwood announced her major label return after signing with Motown Records under which she is expected to preprare her eighth studio album.
Hardly Breathing
Brandy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I really wanna take you back
It's killing me watching you walk, away, yeah
But my head ain't okay with that
And lord knows how much I want you babe
It hurts me that you can't stay, ah
Not again, not again
It hurt so many times and I can't take it, not again
'Cause I'm hardly breathing
One more teary eye, or sleepless nights
Just might kill this heart of mine
Hardly breathing, hardly breathing
Begging won't do nothing
Forgave you many times along the way
Yeah, yeah, ah,
My mama said don't trust him
But deep inside my soul I found
A place and now I want you out baby
This old heart of mine won't let you break it
Not again, not again
It hurt so many times and I can't take it, not again
'Cause I'm hardly breathing
One more teary eye, or sleepless nights
Just might kill this heart of mine
Hardly breathing, hardly breathing
Feels like I'm on my last night, night
And I can't take a chance
Of not being able to breathe again
Another heart breaker might lie inside
So I learned from the last time
That loving you ain't worth losing my life
This old heart of mine won't let you break it
Not again, not again
It hurt so many times and I can't take it, not again
'Cause I'm hardly breathing
One more teary eye, or sleepless nights
Just might kill this heart of mine
Hardly breathing, hardly breathing
Just might kill this heart of mine.
The song "Hardly Breathing" by Brandy is a reflection on the pain and heartbreak the singer experiences as she contemplates taking back a partner who has hurt her repeatedly in the past. She is torn between the intense feelings of love she still has for her ex-lover and the fear of being hurt again if she lets him back in. The chorus of the song emphasizes her state of emotional agony and physical distress, as she is "hardly breathing" and fearing that one more broken heart might be too much for her to bear.
The verses explore her conflicted emotions and the inner turmoil she experiences as she tries to make a decision about her future with this person. She acknowledges that she has forgiven him many times in the past, but her heart can no longer handle the pain he has caused her. Despite her mother's warnings, she has found a place in her soul where she wants him back but is aware that it might be a mistake. The song ends on a note of self-preservation, as Brandy decides that loving him is not worth losing her life over.
Overall, "Hardly Breathing" is a powerful song that speaks to the universal experience of love and heartbreak. Brandy's emotionally charged vocals and the haunting melody make it an unforgettable track that resonates with audiences. The lyrics capture the struggle between head and heart when it comes to making tough decisions, highlighting the importance of listening to one's intuition and taking care of oneself.
Line by Line Meaning
Hardly breathing, hardly breathing
The pain caused by heartbreak is severe and has taken a physical toll on the singer.
I really wanna take you back
Despite the pain, the singer still desires to be with the person who has caused them heartbreak.
It's killing me watching you walk, away, yeah
Seeing the person walk away is an emotionally painful experience for the singer.
But my head ain't okay with that
Although some part of the singer wants the person back, their logical mind knows better and recognizes that it is not a healthy decision.
And lord knows how much I want you babe
The depth of the singer's want for the person is expressed in this line.
It hurts me that you can't stay, ah
The singer is hurt by the fact that the person cannot stay with them.
This old heart of mine won't let you break it
The singer's heart has been broken many times and will not allow the person to break it again.
Not again, not again
The singer is making a firm decision to not let themselves be hurt again.
One more teary eye, or sleepless nights
The singer has experienced many tears and sleepless nights due to heartbreak and cannot endure anymore.
Just might kill this heart of mine
The emotional pain could have fatal consequences for the singer.
Begging won't do nothing
The singer recognizes that begging the person to stay will not change the situation.
Forgave you many times along the way
The person who caused the heartbreak has been forgiven multiple times by the singer.
My mama said don't trust him
The singer's mother warned them about trusting the person who caused the heartbreak.
But deep inside my soul I found
Despite the warning, the singer has deep feelings for the person.
A place and now I want you out baby
The singer has found a place within themselves where they recognize that the person is not good for them and want them to leave.
Feels like I'm on my last night, night
The singer feels like they are running out of time and cannot endure any more heartbreak.
And I can't take a chance
The singer cannot risk another heartbreak because it could have fatal consequences.
Of not being able to breathe again
The emotional pain is so severe that it has caused the singer physical pain, difficulty breathing.
Another heart breaker might lie inside
The singer recognizes that there are more people who could cause them harm and break their heart.
So I learned from the last time
The singer has learned from previous heartbreaks and has decided to take measures to protect themselves.
That loving you ain't worth losing my life
The singer recognizes that their desire for the person is not worth risking their physical or emotional well-being or their life.
Just might kill this heart of mine.
The emotional pain of heartbreak could have fatal consequences for the singer.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: J. PIERRE MEDOR, RICHARD BUTLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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