Global InformationBrandy Norwood information
Brandy | |
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 Norwood in 2019 | |
| Born | Brandy Rayana Norwood February 11, 1979 McComb, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Other names |
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| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1993–present |
| Works |
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| Children | 1 |
| Parents |
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| Relatives | Ray J (brother) |
| Awards | Full list |
| Musical career | |
| Origin | Carson, California, U.S. |
| Genres |
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| Instrument(s) | Vocals |
| Labels |
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| Website | Official website  |
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Brandy Rayana Norwood (born February 11, 1979),[1] better known mononymously as Brandy, is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Her sound is characterized by heavy voice-layering and riffs.[2] As of 2024, she has sold over 40 million records worldwide, with approximately 8.62 million albums sold in the United States.[3][4] Her work has earned her numerous awards and accolades, including a Grammy Award and an American Music Award.
Born in McComb, Mississippi and raised in Carson, California, Norwood beginning her career as a backing vocalist for various teen pop groups. After signing with Atlantic Records in 1994, she released her self-titled debut album the following year at the age of fifteen—which included her debut hit single "I Wanna Be Down"—selling six million copies worldwide. Norwood ventured into acting with the UPN sitcom Moesha (1996–2001), which won her an NAACP Image Award, followed by 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 her 1998 single "The Boy Is Mine" (with Monica), which became one of the best selling female duets of all time and won her the Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. The song preceded Norwood's second studio album, Never Say Never (1998), which saw further acclaim and peaked at number two on the Billboard 200. It has sold over 16 million copies worldwide, making it Norwood's best selling album to date. Her third and fourth albums, Full Moon (2002) and Afrodisiac (2004), were released to continued success and positive reception, while her fifth album, Human (2008) saw a commercial decline. Her sixth album, Two Eleven (2012) saw an improvement before she independently released her seventh album, B7 (2020).[5] In 2022, Norwood signed with Motown[6] to release her eighth studio album, Christmas with Brandy in November of the following year.[7]
In 2002, Norwood starred in the reality series Brandy: Special Delivery, documenting the birth of her daughter. 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. 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 starred in the series The Game (2012–2015) for BET, and subsequently executive produced and starred in the short-lived sitcom Zoe Ever After also for the company. In April 2015, Norwood made her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago.[8][9][10] In 2021, Norwood starred alongside Naturi Naughton, Eve and Nadine Velazquez in the musical drama series Queens for ABC, which saw critical acclaim.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
billalbumswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Hampp, Andrew (October 16, 2012). "Brandy Two Eleven Review". Billboard. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
- ^ "BET Experience "2018 BET Her Awards" host Brandy Norwood noted selling 40 million records worldwide and over 11 million albums in the US". BET.com. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
- ^ Trust, Gary (October 2, 2009). "Ask Billboard: How Popular Is Country Music?". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on February 12, 2022. Retrieved July 20, 2012.
- ^ Lavin, Will (August 3, 2020). "Brandy – 'B7' review: illustrious R&B star shares hard-won truths on forthright comeback record". NME. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ Mamo, Heran (June 26, 2022). "Brandy Partners With Motown Records Ahead of Eighth Album". Billboard.com. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
- ^ Aniftos, Rania (October 20, 2023). "Brandy Gets Festive for Upcoming Christmas Album, Featuring a Collab With Her Daughter". Billboard. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
- ^ Brissett, Danielle (July 31, 2020). "Brandy Is Her Most Authentic Self on 'B7': Album Review". RatedRnB. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
- ^ Spanos, Brittany (July 31, 2020). "With Her First Album in 8 Years, Brandy Finally Feels Free". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
- ^ Weiss, Mike (July 31, 2020). "Brandy Drops 'B7', Rolls Out "Borderline" Video". Idolator. Retrieved August 1, 2020.