Brandy Norwood

Brandy Norwood: biography

Brandy Norwood is a famous American singer-songwriter, performing with R&B style. Besides, she is an actress and record producer.

Let’s know how she contributed to the world of show-business!

Childhood and youth

Brandy Rayana Norwood’s birthday is February 11, 1979. She was born to the Christian family of Willie Norwood and Sonja Bates in McComb, Mississippi. Norwood’s dad was a famous gospel singer while her mother, Sonja, served as a former district manager for ‘H&R Block.’

Brandy has a younger brother William Ray Norwood Jr., who later became known as ‘Ray J’ (he is a husband of Princess Pilipina Love). As children, they both became interested in music. At an early age, Brandy started performing along with her father in the church choir.

In 1983, her family moved to Los Angeles, California – where the girl entered Hollywood High Performing Arts Center.

Her talents were noted by Teaspoon Productions. As a result, she performed in a back vocal for Chris Stokes and Earl Harris’ boy band Immature. Later Norwood succeeded to sign a contract with Atlantic Recording Corporation. Her mother eventually became her manager. Norwood herself stopped attending school, got an education at home.

That time she was invited to play a secondary role in the ABC TV show Thea. Although the show had obvious success initially, it was canceled later.

Career

1994 was marked by Norwood’s debut album entitled ‘Brandy.’ The collection was recorded with the help of Keith Crouch and the R&B Group ‘Something for the People’. The project happened to be a great success. It got to the 20th place on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. Brandy sold 6 million copies. Its top songs ‘Baby’ and ‘I Wanna Be Down’ reached the top 10 of Billboard Hot 100.

The next year, Brandy Norwood performed at the Boyz II Men’s national tour. Besides, the musician sang for the Hollywood movies Batman Forever and Waiting to Exhale.

Fans could listen to Norwood’s second album ‘Never Say Never’ in 1998. Its track ‘The Boy Is Mine’ got to the first place of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. That year Norwood embarked on a tour as a support of her album.

In 2002 the musician published new album ‘Full Moon.’ The collection didn’t manage to reach great success. Its most popular track are ‘When You Touch Me’ and ‘What About Us?’.

The following album ‘Afrodisiac’ brought her enormous fame. It included one of the best Norwood’s songs ‘Talk About Our Love.’

Due to Norwood’s rising popularity, she was elected as a judge of the talent hunt show America’s Got Talent alongside David Hasselhoff and Piers Morgan in its first season.

Nevertheless, working there, the celebrity didn’t neglect her own career – she continued working on her fifth album ‘Human’ under the label Epic Records. The album’s top hit ‘Right Here (Departed)’ got to the top of the Hot Dance Club Play music chart.

In October 2012, Norwood added her last album titled ‘Two Eleven’ to the list of her projects. The collection finished 3rd on U.S. Billboard 200. Fans especially like its songs ‘Put It Down’ and ‘Come A Little Closer’.

2014 was also successful for her as she recorded a cover of Coldplay’s ‘Magic’ which topped the Billboard Trending 140 Chart.

Artistry

In 1996, Brandy appeared as a protagonist in the sitcom Moesha. Her colleagues there were Sheryl Lee Ralph and William Allen Young.

In 2011, Brandy Norwood got the role of Chardonnay in the comedy series The Game. Initially, she appeared in a few episodes. Later she became a regular character on the show.

Two years later, fans could see Norwood on screen acting in the movie Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor.

Broadway

In 2015 Brandy Norwood tried out playing in a Broadway musical – she appeared in musical Chicago. There she had the main role - Roxie Hart.

The next year, the celebrity got the leading role in the TV series Zoe Ever After, which she co-produced.

In 2017, she took part in the cooking show My Kitchen Rules where she competed with her younger sibling, Ray J.

Brandy Norwood’s net worth is evaluated at $60 million.

Personal life

At the beginning of Norwood’s career, she had a relationship with Kobe Bryant, a Los Angeles Lakers player and a close friend of Snoop Dogg. However, the two eventually parted ways. The sportsman was later in love with Kim Kardashian.

Also, Brandy had an on-screen matchup with deceased Lamont Bentley.

During the production of her album ‘Full Moon’ in mid-2001, Norwood became romantically involved with producer Robert ‘Big Bert’ Smith. The couple kept their relationship secret until February 2002, when Norwood announced that she was expecting her first child – a daughter. There were rumors Smith was Norwood’s husband. However, they later revealed they had never been officially married.

Later she got acquainted with Wanya Morris – they dated for several months. Norwood’s next partner was the American rapper Mase. In 2010, Norwood was romantically linked with the rapper Flo Rida.

Brandy Norwood and her brother founded the ‘Norwood kids Foundation’ aimed to encourage the use of Performing Arts to shape the youth to be more self-confident, responsible, and caring individuals.

In her career, Norwood has been involved in a scandal with Monica Brown. The online feud reportedly started when Monica's fans criticized Brandy for her seemingly ‘self-centered’ birthday greetings to Whitney Houston.

Discography

• Brandy (1994);
• Never Say Never (1998);
• Full Moon (2002);
• Afrodisiac (2004);
• Human (2008);
• Two Eleven (2012).

Filmography

• Arachnophobia (1990);
• Cinderella (1997);
• I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998);
• Double Platinum (1999);
• Osmosis Jones (2001);
• Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor (2013);
• The Perfect Match (2016).