*Toni Braxton Biography*

The suit was settled with Braxton returning a $375,000 advance to Hankerson—who would also receive a percentage of the sales of her next album—and Hankerson releasing Braxton from her contract with him. The settlement also limits the companies in which Braxton can sign with.[34][35]
In early August, various internet websites including TMZ.com and In Touch Weekly magazine began announcing that Braxton would be appearing on the seventh season of Dancing with the Stars. The full cast of the next season of the show was confirmed on August 25, 2008 on Good Morning America, which confirmed Braxton as a contestant in the season with her partner being Alec Mazo.[36]

Braxton, Lance Bass, Maurice Greene and Marlee Matlin headlined Dancing with the Stars winter tour starting in December 2008 and finishing in February 2009.[citation needed]

Week # Dance/Song Judges' score Result
Inaba Goodman Tonioli
1A Cha-Cha-Cha/ "Smooth" 7 7 8 Safe
1B Quickstep/ "Blue Skies" 8 7 8 Last to Be Called Safe
2 Rumba/ "I Can't Make You Love Me" 7 8 8 Safe
3 Viennese Waltz/ "Für Elise" 8 7 7 Safe
4 Samba/ "De Donde Soy" 7 7 8 Safe
5 West Coast Swing/ "The Way You Make Me Feel" 7 7 8 Eliminated

2009–10: Pulse
In October 2008, it was announced that Braxton signed to Atlantic Records. In the November 2008 issue of Jet, Braxton discussed her time spent on Dancing with the Stars as well as dealing with her son's autism. Braxton also talked about being signed to Atlantic Records and the debut of her upcoming single. She added that the complete CD is scheduled to come out in some time in 2009. She also hinted at a cooking show with fellow Dancing with the Stars competitor, Rocco DiSpirito.[citation needed]

The DJ Frank E produced song "Yesterday" premiered on September 11, 2009 and features Trey Songz.[37] It was released as the lead single from her sixth studio album Pulse.[38] "Yesterday" peaked at #12 on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart making it her highest chart performance since her 2000's single "Just Be a Man About It", which peaked at #6. The single has been released worldwide on May 3, 2010.[39] In the UK, "Yesterday" became Braxton's first hit single since the release of "Hit the Freeway", peaking at #50 on the UK Singles Chart and at #17 on the UK R&B Singles Chart. The song also became a moderate hit in Europe, peaking at #20 on the German Singles Chart, at #17 on the Swiss Singles Chart and charting at #50 on the European Hot 100.

On January 29, Braxton's official website posted two new songs from the upcoming album, "Hands Tied" and "Make My Heart". The former peaked at #29 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, the latter was sent to dance/club radio.[40] She performed Make My Heart on The Wendy Williams Show. Videos for both songs "Make My Heart" and "Hands Tied" have been shot.

Braxton released her sixth studio album Pulse on May 4, 2010 in the US [41] and on May 10, 2010 in the UK.[2]

The album debuted at #9 on the US Billboard 200 chart and hit #1 on Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, becoming Braxton's fifth US top-ten album. It also achieved moderate chart success around the world. In Canada it debuted at #72 on the Top 100 Albums chart and in the United Kingdom it debuted at #28 on the Top 40 Albums and at #7 on the R&B Albums chart. It entered at #18 on the German Album Chart. In Switzerland, the album hit #9. Pulse became Toni's first album to chart inside the European Top 100 Albums since her 2000 album The Heat.

On June 28, Braxton posted a video for Woman.[42]

Toni Braxton was included as part of the "We Are the World 25 for Haiti" remake of the 1985 hit "We Are the World" to help benefit the people of Haiti following the January 12, 2010 magnitude 7.0 MW earthquake in Haiti. The new version of the song was recorded on February 1, 2010. Music legends Quincy Jones and Lionel Richie act as Executive Producers as well as Wyclef Jean. Artists involved included Celine Dion, Barbra Streisand, Janet Jackson, Tony Bennett, Wyclef Jean, Josh Groban, Pink, Usher, Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Hudson, Adam Levine, Justin Bieber, LL Cool J, among others.

Personal life

Braxton met musician Keri Lewis when his group, Mint Condition, opened for her on tour.[43] On April 21, 2001, they were married.[43] On December 2, 2001, she gave birth to their first child,[44] a son named Denham Cole Braxton-Lewis. The couple's second son, Diesel Ky Braxton-Lewis, was born on March 31, 2003.[44]

In an October 2006 concert at the Flamingo in Las Vegas, it was reported that Braxton broke down in tears discussing her son, Diesel, who had recently been diagnosed with autism.[45] Braxton has been outspoken regarding her doctor's failure to diagnose Diesel's condition earlier, contending that if he had been diagnosed earlier, he could have been helped.[46]

As well as becoming a spokeswoman for Autism Speaks,[47] she is also a spokeswoman for the American Heart Association.
In November 2009, Braxton announced that she and Lewis had separated.[48]

Health problems

As of August 2007, rumors surfaced that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Toni stated to Access Hollywood that the breast cancer rumors were false and that her health is in great condition. However, in 2008, she had a benign lump removed from her breast.[49]

On April 8, 2008, near the end of her two-year run at the Flamingo Hotel, Braxton was briefly hospitalized and the remaining dates on the show, which was scheduled to end on August 23, 2008, were canceled. Later, while appearing on Season 7 of Dancing with the Stars, she stated that she has been diagnosed with microvascular angina (small vessel disease).[50]

Acting career

Braxton has appeared on two Disney Broadway shows: She made her Broadway debut as Belle in "Beauty and the Beast" beginning September 9, 1998 where she replaced Kim Huber.[51] During her run in the show Alan Menken wrote a new song for the musical called "A Change in Me," which was especially written for Braxton and was used in the musical ever since.[52] She left the production on February 28, 1999 and was succeeded by Andrea McArdle.[53] Her role in "Beauty and the Beast" marked the first (and only) time a black woman commanded the leading role of Belle on Broadway. (In the UK, Michelle Gayle played the role in the West End.) It also marked the first time a black woman would star in a Disney musical on Broadway.[54] She then starred in "Aida" as Aida beginning June 30, 2003 where she replaced Simone[55] and left the cast on November 16, 2003 where she was replaced by Michelle Williams.[56] In 2001, she made her acting debut in the feature film Kingdom Come.[57] In 2004, Braxton appeared as herself, voicing a singing character named Toni, in a special episode and DVD release [58] of the children's television show Blue's Clues.[59] In August 2005, Braxton announced that she would be shooting a sitcom pilot for The WB's fall 2006 line-up, though plans to put the show into full-production fell through when The WB announced it would cease to exist in fall 2006 (as part of a merger with UPN to form The CW), She has also starred in the TV sitcom, Kevin Hill.[60] Braxton has recently completed filming of "The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure" alongside Jaime Pressly and Cloris Leachman due to be released 2010. Her character - Rosalie Rosebud - is a singer, whose over-the-top personality was apparently inspired by Mariah Carey.[61]

Discography

Main article: Toni Braxton discography
1993: Toni Braxton
1996: Secrets
2000: The Heat
2002: More Than a Woman
2005: Libra
2010: Pulse

Filmography

2001: Kingdom Come - Juanita Slocumb
2002: Play'd: A Hip Hop Story (TV) - Shonda
2005: Kevin Hill (3 Episodes, TV Series) - Terry Knox
2010: The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure - Rosalie Rosebud