Never Say Never: A Tribute to Brandy.

“I would like to get to know if I could be

The kind of girl that you could be down for

'Cause when I look at you I feel something tell me

That you're the kind of guy that I should make a move on” - Brandy (I Wanna Be Down).

Today is the birthday of R&B queen Brandy Norwood, better known as Brandy. I couldn’t let the day go by without showing some love to a true artist who has been one of my heroes of music my entire life.

Born in McComb, Mississippi and raised in Carson, California, Brandy Rayana Norwood was born a God given talent for singing. She grew up singing in church and she came from a family history of well known musicians. Brandy’s younger brother Ray-J would later grow up to be a singer and actor like his older sister and both Brandy and Ray-J are the first cousins of Hip Hop legend Snoop Dogg. Before her music career kicked off Brandy first got her foot in the door of the entertainment industry when she landed an acting gig on the TV sitcom Thea where she played the daughter of comedianne Thea Vidale.

While working on Thea Brandy’s music career was being developed in the background. At the age of just 14 years old Brandy started recording her self titled debut album, which would be finished and released by the time she was 15 in 1994. Brandy first kicked off the album with the single “I Wanna Be Down” and followed up with three more singles: “Baby”, “Best Friend”, and “Brokenhearted”.

Brandy was a hit selling over six million copies world wide making Brandy into one of the brightest young stars on the rise. Following her music debut Brandy landed her own young adult sitcom Moesha which would in time become one of the most watched shows on syndicated television in its time.

Thanks to the success of her music and Moesha, Brandy’s acting career was starting blossom. In 1997 she landed the starring role in landed starring roles Rodger’s and Hammerstein’s Cinderella alongside her idol Whitney Houston. In 1998 she landed a co-starring role in the slasher sequel I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, opposite Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddy Prinze Jr. and Mekhi Phifer and I’m 1999 she starred in the ABC television musical film Double Platinum alongside Diana Ross.

During the filming for Double Platinum Brandy released her Sophomore album Never Say Never, which became her most successful and acclaimed album to date thanks to songs like “The Boy Is Mine” featuring fellow R&B sensation Monica, “Angel In Disguise”, “Almost Doesn’t Count”, “Have You Ever” and “Happy”. The album was a super smash of a hit selling over 16 million copies worldwide.

Brandy closed out the 90’s as a superstar and opened up the new millennium as an icon. By the early 2000’s Moesha was still one of the biggest shows on television before it’s end in 2001. Brandy opened up the year 2002 with her third studio album Full Moon.

Thanks to the hit singles “What About Us?” and the timeless title track “Full Moon” Full Moon became Brandy’s third platinum hit album, further solidifying the greatness of her artistry.

Brandy has been one of my heroes of music my entire life and for that I have my older sister to thank because she made me a Brandy fan with how much she always loved and played Brandy’s music. The best way for me to describe Brandy is she is one half of my top two females of R&B, along with Aaliyah. Brandy’s music really captured all the good memories of my childhood, from hanging out with my friends and family and setting the tone for all the great times that I was going to have. Some of her songs that best describe this for me are “I Wanna Be Down”, “Best Friend”, “Sittin Up In My Room”, “Almost Doesn’t Count”, “Have You Ever”, “Happy” and “Full Moon”. Brandy’s music has also inspired me as a storytelling because of the tone she set in my life and because of that I am truly thankful that she was born on this day.

“I ain't even gonna front

I ain't even gonna lie

Since you walked up in the club

I've been giving you the eye

We can dance if you want

Get it crackin' if you like

Must be a full moon

Feel like one of those nights” - Brandy (Full Moon).

~~Dedicated to Brandy Norwood.