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.
Never Just for a Ring
Toni Braxton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tell me you don't love this girl
Damn it, boy
Why'd you go and ruin everything that I been livin' for?
Is this where I'm supposed to turn my back?
Cry a tear and walk away
Before I do, a word to you, you should know
Know you've make a big mistake
[Chorus]
Why? When? Where? How? Who?
What made you go off and do this crazy thing?
Thought I loved you good, loved you all I could
Never just for a ring
Why? When? Where? How? Who?
What made you go off and lose your mind this time?
Treated you so good, but you knew I would
Never just for a ring
Proud to say, everyday, that I stayed
Very much in love with you
Even though I'll never know what it's like
To hear you say the words "I do"
[Chorus]
So, no more holding hands
No kisses, and no wedding plans
Our love was just a lie
So now, I'll go and cry
Oh, why?
[Chorus]
In the lyrics of "Never Just for a Ring" by Toni Braxton, the singer is questioning her partner's motives for their relationship. She asks him who this other girl is, and if he truly loves her. Toni is upset that her partner has ruined everything she has been living for, and doesn't know whether she should turn her back and leave. She accuses her partner of making a big mistake by getting involved with another girl. The chorus of the song adds further questions to why, when, where, how, and who caused her partner to do such a crazy thing. She reminds herself and her partner that she loved him not just for a ring, and that she treated him well.
The lyrics present a series of unanswered questions and confusion that many can probably relate to when their relationship falls apart. Toni Braxton's vocal tone and the emotive qualities of the song make it a heart-wrenching ballad of love lost. The singer suspects that her partner has left her for someone else and wonders how someone could "lose their mind" like this. She questions whether all the things they shared together were just a lie and if he had any regard for how much he hurt her.
Line by Line Meaning
Explain to me, honestly, who is she?
Please tell me the truth about who she is.
Tell me you don't love this girl
Please tell me that you don't love this girl.
Damn it, boy
I am angry with you, boy.
Why'd you go and ruin everything that I been livin' for?
Why did you have to ruin everything that was important to me?
Is this where I'm supposed to turn my back?
Am I supposed to turn my back on you now?
Cry a tear and walk away
I will cry and then leave.
Before I do, a word to you, you should know
Before I leave, there is something you should know.
Know you've make a big mistake
You should know that you have made a big mistake.
Why? When? Where? How? Who?
Why did you do this? When did it happen? Where did it happen? How did it happen? Who did it involve?
What made you go off and do this crazy thing?
What made you do this insane thing?
Thought I loved you good, loved you all I could
I thought I had loved you well, as much as I could.
Never just for a ring
I didn't love you just for a ring.
Why? When? Where? How? Who?
Why did you do this? When did it happen? Where did it happen? How did it happen? Who did it involve?
What made you go off and lose your mind this time?
What caused you to go crazy this time?
Treated you so good, but you knew I would
I treated you so well, but you knew I would.
Never just for a ring
I didn't love you just for a ring.
Proud to say, everyday, that I stayed
I can proudly say that I stayed every day.
Very much in love with you
I was very much in love with you.
Even though I'll never know what it's like
Even though I will never experience what it's like.
To hear you say the words "I do"
To hear you say the words "I do" during a wedding ceremony.
So, no more holding hands
We will no longer hold hands.
No kisses, and no wedding plans
There will be no kisses and no more plans for our wedding.
Our love was just a lie
Our love was not real.
So now, I'll go and cry
So now I will go and cry.
Oh, why?
Oh, why did this have to happen?
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: TONI BRAXTON, ALEXANDER DORIAN DANIELS, WILLIAM EDWARDS, DARYL SIMMONS, NORMAN WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jeffry M
Explain to me, honestly, who is she?
Tell me you don't love this girl
Damn it, boy
Why'd you go and ruin everything that I been livin' for?
Is this where I'm supposed to turn my back?
Cry a tear and walk away
Before I do, a word to you, you should know
Know you've make a big mistake
Why? When? Where? How? Who?
What made you go off and do this crazy thing?
Thought I loved you good, loved you all I could
Never just for a ring
Why? When? Where? How? Who?
What made you go off and lose your mind this time?
Treated you so good, but you knew I would
Never just for a ring
Proud to say, everyday, that I stayed
Very much in love with you
Even though I'll never know what it's like
To hear you say the words "I do"
Why? When? Where? How? Who?
What made you go off and do this crazy thing?
Thought I loved you good, loved you all I could
Never just for a ring
Why? When? Where? How? Who?
What made you go off and lose your mind this time?
Treated you so good, but you knew I would
Never just for a ring
So, no more holding hands
No kisses, and no wedding plans
Our love was just a lie
So now, I'll go and cry
Oh, why?
Why? When? Where? How? Who?
What made you go off and do this crazy thing?
Thought I loved you good, loved you all I could
Never just for a ring
Why? When? Where? How? Who?
What made you go off and lose your mind this time?
Treated you so good, but you knew I would
Never just for a ring
Taste of Ashes
Underrated artist, underrated album. underrated song. I had a teacher who played it during science class. Thanks, Mr. Jackson!
Brenda Harris
💯💯
Izzybrown-49
I’m 31 this album was in repeat forever when I was 15. Still amazing all these years later, bring back songs like this 👌🏻
Hablando Con Gerson
Thank you Ms. Braxton for expressing what every single woman 👠 and sometimes every men also feels when betrayal happens in a romantic relationship.
mellraye finley
Her BEST ALBUM hands down!!!! ;)
paty paty
Amoooo muito, diva esse som chapaaa
Marc kobe
Best Album Hands down but also best produced R N B Album in the last 21 years, released in year 2000 Toni braxton poured her heart and soul into this album, she really gave everything on this album
Courtney
I had just went through my first heart break at 14 when this came out. I played this album on repeat.
Khosi Tshabalala
Can never get enough of this lady's music, perfect everytime
Crystal Burt
She killed this🔥🔥