Toni Braxton is one of the more consistent R&B divas to remain visible in a fad-driven genre. Girl groups, boy groups, manufactured franchises — all have come and gone since the then-thick-hipped, short-cropped Braxton debuted on the scene in 1993 with the Babyface-produced smash singles "Give U My Heart" and "Love Shoulda Brought You Home" (both from the Boomerang movie soundtrack). She continued her ascent with Billboard-topping, platinum-selling albums (Toni Braxton, Secrets and The Heat), movie credits (Kingdom Come) and Broadway gigs (Beauty and the Beast). Married with children, fit to the bone and with a gold album (Libra) in tow, Toni B. comes to town with the rare gifts that evade so many in the music industry: relevance and longevity. —
