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.
Without You
Brandy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Boy can you slow down for a minute
Ho yeah
I just wanna talk to you baby baby
And let yo know what I'm thinking
Oh please
Boy I'm done with all the lying
Boy you know I was just fronting
Fronting oh, yeah
But somewhere along the line I lost my way
And I made you pay for the mistakes he made
And I'm sorry baby
'Cause it shouldn't that way
Ho oh boy
I really need you
(Yes I do)
I need you in my life
'Cause oh boy I'm nothing
Oh boy I'm nothing without you
(Without you)
Baby please
I gotta have you
(You)
Without you in my life
Cause oh boy I'm nothing
Oh boy I'm nothing without you oh oh
Yeah eh e yeah
Oh ooh ah boy
I never meant to put you down
Your so much better than that
(Yes you are)
Don't wanna be who I was before
I wanna give you so much more
But somewhere along the line I lost my way
And I made you pay for the mistakes he made
And I'm sorry baby
'Cause it shouldn't that way
Ho oh boy
I really need you
(Yes I do)
I need you in my life
Cause oh boy I'm nothing
Oh boy I'm nothing without you
(Without you)
Baby please
I gotta have you
(You)
Without you in my life
'Cause oh boy I'm nothing
Oh boy I'm nothing without you oh oh
Yeah eh e yeah
I'm laying it on the line
No more games no more fighting
It's not fair to take it out on you
Oh I'm done hanging my baggage over your head
Yeah so I'm a let you go
Ho oh boy
I really need you
(Yes I do)
I need you in my life
'Cause oh boy I'm nothing
Oh boy I'm nothing without you
(Without you)
Baby please
I gotta have you
(You)
Without you in my life
'Cause oh boy I'm nothing
Oh boy I'm nothing without you oh oh
The song "Without You" by Brandy is about a woman who realizes that she needs her partner in her life, and apologizes for mistreating him. She confesses that she was lying when she said that she didn't need him and that she lost her way along the line. She acknowledges that her partner is much better than what he was given credit for, and she wants to give him more. She decides to stop playing games and fighting and to stop taking her emotional baggage out on him. Ultimately, she pleads with her partner not to leave her because she realizes that without him, she is nothing.
The song captures the emotional depth and complexity of a relationship where one person has mistreated the other and recognizes the need to apologize and make amends. The lyrics highlight the importance of communication and honesty in a relationship and the realization that being vulnerable is necessary to build a long-lasting relationship.
Overall, "Without You" is a passionate and emotive song about recognizing the value of one's partner and the profound importance of love in shaping one's life.
Line by Line Meaning
Ho
Boy can you slow down for a minute
The singer wants the listener to slow down for a bit so they can have a conversation.
Oh please
Boy I'm done with all the lying
The singer is confessing to the listener that they have been lying and they want to end it.
Boy you know I was just fronting
Fronting oh, yeah
The singer admits that they were pretending and putting on a fake persona.
But somewhere along the line I lost my way
And I made you pay for the mistakes he made
And I'm sorry baby
'Cause it shouldn't that way
The artist recognizes that they made mistakes and unfairly blamed the listener for something they didn't do, and apologizes for it.
Ho oh boy
I really need you
(Yes I do)
I need you in my life
'Cause oh boy I'm nothing
Oh boy I'm nothing without you
(Without you)
Baby please
I gotta have you
(You)
Without you in my life
Cause oh boy I'm nothing
Oh boy I'm nothing without you oh oh
Yeah eh e yeah
The artist expresses their deep desire and need for the listener in their life, as they feel incomplete without them.
Oh ooh ah boy
I never meant to put you down
Your so much better than that
(Yes you are)
Don't wanna be who I was before
I wanna give you so much more
The singer acknowledges that they have put the listener down in the past, but they know that the listener deserves better and wants to change for the better to give the listener more.
I'm laying it on the line
No more games no more fighting
It's not fair to take it out on you
Oh I'm done hanging my baggage over your head
Yeah so I'm a let you go
The singer is being honest and upfront with the listener, saying they want to end the games and fights and stop putting their emotional baggage on the listener. They are also expressing the possibility of letting go of the listener if that's what's best for them.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: HARMONY SAMUELS, WRITERS UNKNOWN, Brandy Norwood, Eric A Bellinger, Harmony David Samuels, Courtney Harrell, Breyon Prescott
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@donaldconner8631
This song broadcasts Brandy's voice in such a simple way, but it's so phenomenal it's difficult to put in words.
@yahwehissalvation316
It's called using technique, she got it 🔥🔥
@Nattyg1212
This girl can really blow and it pissed me off that she's so underrated. Her runs are SICK!!!!!!!!!!
@nishajones9763
We know why its because of colorism smh
@shantelane2553
Brandy is absolutely not underrated and an artist of many first.
She's one of the best selling female artist of all time.
@rahetshah7756
@@shantelane2553 you're right we don't need the world to tell us, we already know !!
@francisjenkins1994
He songs are written to accommodate her runs it's crazy like they are part of the song
@chocdabar4204
Underrated by whom Brandy is a bonafide legend and icon she is very much celebrated ...
@daniellecoley88
Brandy has a voice that was cultured in a church in the deep south, one where when you hear it during praise and worship you cry uncontrollably without even trying. As another viewer mentioned, replace BOY with GOD and this is an all out Gospel song. Even the organ in the back of this track makes my heart feel heavy. And to watch her growth has been astounding. She is a true legend. Phenomenal.
@nieshasmith2916
Real talk!!