She has won 7 Grammy Awards. The RIAA named Braxton as one of the top selling R&B artists of all time.
She first burst onto the scene in 1992 on the Boomerang soundtrack, after Anita Baker turned down the opportunity. In 1993 Toni released her self-titled debut album, which stayed at the top of the charts for a year and was a critically acclaimed album.
Toni released her sophomore effort, Secrets in 1996 which also did very well on both R&B and Pop charts. From that album Toni got two #1 hits; "You're Making Me High "and "Unbreak My Heart", which spent 14 consecutive weeks at #1 on the Billboard top 100, and was a worldwide hit. After 5 Grammy awards and a little break, Toni Braxton came back strong with her 2000 album The Heat. Though not as successful as her first two albums, The Heat went on to sell 4 million copies and spawned the huge hits "He Wasn't Man Enough"and "Just Be A Man About It".
Toni has released two further albums, 2002's More Than a Woman and 2005's Libra. Toni's sixth studio album Pulse was released in May 2010 via Atlantic Records. The singles "Yesterday" and "Hands Tied" were the biggest hits. Subsequent singles to be released from "Pulse" include "Make My Heart" and "Woman."
In January 2011, the WE Television Network confirmed that it had signed Toni and the rest of the Braxton family for a reality series, Braxton Family Values, which will be marketed as one of the network's flagship shows. The series debuted April 12, 2011, and looks at the relationship between Toni, her mother, and her four sisters; Trina, Tamar, Traci and Towanda — all aspiring singers themselves — along with the interpersonal relationships of each family member. The show also looked at Braxton's heavily publicized separation from estranged husband, singer Keri Lewis. Toni parted ways with her long time manager Vincent Herbert (who was also the husband of sister Tamar Braxton at the time), and signed a new management deal with Los Angeles-based entertainment/production company 'The Collective'.
In 2014, Toni released a collaborative album with Babyface entitled Love, Marriage & Divorce; primarily inspired by their individual divorces (Toni with Keri, and Babyface with Tracey Edmonds). The album was supported by the singles "Hurt You", "Where Did We Go Wrong" and "Roller Coaster"; and won Best R&B Album in the 57th Annual Grammy Awards (2015).
Toni's long-awaited eighth album Sex & Cigarettes was released on Def Jam in March 2018, which was supported by the singles "Deadwood", "Long as I Live" and "FOH". The album also featured a sole guest appearance from singer Colbie Caillat, and was nominated for three Grammy Awards, including Best R&B Album in the 61st awards ceremony (2019).
Signing to Island Records in 2020, Toni released her ninth album Spell My Name in August 2020, featuring collaborations with H.E.R. & Missy Elliott. The album was released to positive reception, but was her lowest-charting album yet, peaking at #163 on the Billboard 200.
Love Affair
Toni Braxton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I think that I should let you know
I've got a boyfriend
And I would hate to do
Anything to hurt him
So my loyalty I'll show
Don't want to cheat on him
Never been the kind of girl
I don't want to lead you on
No I
Don't want a love affair
I ain't never been the kind to cheat
'Cause that ain't me
Don't want a love affair
See I ain't down with o.p.p.
No I
Don't want a love affair
It doesn't matter if we're being discreet
'Cause that's not me
Don't want to play around I ain't down with o.p.p.
Now you're startin' to
Look real good to me
But I think it's best you go
Before we go too far
Gotta try to resist temptation
That way nobody gets hurt
I got a boyfriend
Even if I was your girl
I still wouldn't give myself to another
Why can't you just understand
That's just the way I am
Don't want a love affair It doesn't matter if we're being discreet
'Cause that ain't me
Don't want a love affair
As long as my man's lovin' me
Don't want a love affair
It doesn't matter if we're being discreet
That's not me
Don't want to play around
I will never kiss and tell
Can't believe that you would say you still
Would have respect in the morning
When i just couldn't respect myself
In "Love Affair," Toni Braxton opens up to a potential love interest about her current situation. She informs him that she has a boyfriend, and clarifies that she would never cheat on him or engage in an affair. Toni emphasizes her loyalty to her boyfriend and her characteristically fair approach to relationships. She acknowledges the man's attractiveness and admits that it's tempting to act on her feelings, but ultimately concludes that she cannot put her current relationship or her values at risk. Toni affirms that her stance on infidelity is firm, and she has no interest in playing around or engaging in deceptive behavior. The song serves as an expression of the importance of commitment and faithfulness in a relationship and illustrates Toni's commitment to her values and her partner.
Line by Line Meaning
I feel before we go any further
I sense that to communicate effectively, we need to address something first
I think that I should let you know
I believe that the right thing to do is tell you something important
I've got a boyfriend
I am in a committed romantic relationship with someone else
And I would hate to do
I do not want to cause a negative effect on my current relationship
Anything to hurt him
I wish to avoid causing my boyfriend any emotional pain
So my loyalty I'll show
I will demonstrate my steadfast commitment and faithfulness to my boyfriend
Don't want to cheat on him
I am unwilling to engage in any behavior that would break the trust of my romantic partner
Never been the kind of girl
I have always conducted myself with honesty and integrity in my relationships
Who'd be unfair in relationships
I have never acted selfishly or dishonestly in a romantic partnership
I don't want to lead you on
I do not want to create false hope or expectations in our interaction
No I
Absolutely not
Don't want a love affair
I am not interested in pursuing a romantic or sexual relationship with someone outside of my current partnership
I ain't never been the kind to cheat
I have never been unfaithful to a romantic partner
'Cause that ain't me
Behaving unfaithfully would go against my personal values and beliefs
See I ain't down with o.p.p.
I am not interested in or willing to engage in extra-relationship sexual encounters
It doesn't matter if we're being discreet
Even if we keep our interaction secret, I am still not interested in cheating
'Cause that's not me
It goes against my personal beliefs and values
Don't want to play around I ain't down with o.p.p.
I am not interested in, nor willing to engage in, casual sexual relationships with others outside of my current partnership
Now you're startin' to
I am beginning to notice
Look real good to me
I am physically attracted to you
But I think it's best you go
However, it is in both our best interests for you to leave
Before we go too far
In order to avoid putting ourselves in a vulnerable position
Gotta try to resist temptation
We both need to exert self-control to avoid acting on our attraction
That way nobody gets hurt
By not acting on our attraction, we avoid causing pain and heartbreak to ourselves and others
Even if I was your girl
Even if I were single and available
I still wouldn't give myself to another
I would not engage in sexual activity outside of a committed relationship
Why can't you just understand
Could you please try to comprehend
That's just the way I am
This is simply who I am, and how I behave in relationships
As long as my man's lovin' me
As long as I am happy and fulfilled in my current relationship
I will never kiss and tell
I will keep the private details of my romantic life confidential
Can't believe that you would say you still
I am surprised that you would make such a statement
Would have respect in the morning
That you would respect me in the morning after cheating on my boyfriend with me
When i just couldn't respect myself
When I would feel ashamed and unable to look at myself in the mirror due to my infidelity
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: GEORGE BROWN, RONALD BELL, DENNIS THOMAS, EARL TOON, ROBERT MICKENS, CLAYDES SMITH, JAMES TAYLOR, ROBERT BELL, EUMIR DEODATO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind