Brandy Rayana Norwood (born February 11, 1979), also known as Brandy or Bran'Nu, is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born into a musical family in McComb, Mississippi raised in Carson, California, she enrolled in performing arts schools as a child and performed as a backing vocalist for teen groups. In 1993, Norwood appeared in a supporting role on the short-lived ABC sitcom Thea and signed with Atlantic Records.
BRANDY
Released in September 1994, the album peaked at number twenty on the U.S. Billboard 200. Critical reaction to Brandy was generally positive. Brandy went on to sell over six million copies worldwide, and produced three top ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including "I Wanna Be Down" and "Baby," both of which reached the top of the Hot R&B Singles chart and were certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America "Brokenhearted," a duet with Wanya Morris of Boyz II Men, became a number-two hit on the charts. The album earned Norwood two Grammy Award nominations for Best New Artist and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance the following year, and won her four Soul Train Music Awards, two Billboard Awards, and the New York Children's Choice Award.
NEVER SAY NEVER
Norwood's second album Never Say Never, which was released in June 1998. Norwood co-wrote and produced six songs on the album which yielded her first number-one song on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, "The Boy Is Mine," a duet with singer Monica that has become the most successful song by a female duo in music history. Exploiting the media's presumption of a rivalry between the two young singers, the song was one of the most successful records in United States of all time, spending a record-breaking thirteen weeks atop the Billboard charts, and eventually garnering the pair a Grammy Award for "Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal." The album's success was equally widespread, and after extensive radio play of the single overseas, the label released it globally during the summer. Never Say Never eventually became Norwood’s biggest-selling album, selling over sixteen million copies worldwide. Critics rated the album highly, "Altogether, the album spawned seven singles, including Norwood's second number-one song, the Diane Warren-penned "Have You Ever?"
FULL MOON
Full Moon is the third studio album by American singer Brandy. First released by Atlantic Records on February 25, 2002, it was recorded during fall 2000 to October 2001 at several recording studios, amid a three-year musical hiatus following the release of her highly successful previous studio album Never Say Never (1998) and her nervous breakdown in November 1999. Following a mixed response from critics at the time of its release, Full Moon has since earned retrospective recognition from musicians, singers, and producers within the contemporary R&B and gospel genres. Her first album in four years, Full Moon debuted on top of the U.S. Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and at number 2 on the Billboard 200, selling approximately 156,000 copies in its first week of release. It eventually received a platinum certification by the RIAA for more than one million copies shipped to stores. While the album entered the top twenty on the majority of the charts it appeared on outside the United States, it also reached the top ten in Canada, Germany, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom
AFRODISIAC
Afrodisiac is the fourth studio album by American recording artist Brandy, released by Atlantic Records on June 28, 2004. Recorded after a short-living hiatus during when the singer gave birth to her daughter Sy'rai and also ended her relationship with the album's initial producer Robert "Big Bert" Smith, it marked a departure from her previous work with Rodney Jerkins and his Darkchild camp, who gained no credit on the record due to a disagreement on Norwood's decision to work with Timbaland and his protégé, Walter Millsap III, on the majority of the production of the album.
The album debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200 but had a short run on the charts, resulting into mediocre domestic sales of 416,000 copies and a gold certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).Outside the States, Afrodisiac scored minor success, missing the top thirty on the majority of the charts it appeared on. The critical response to Afrodisiac was generally positive, garnering Norwood her strongest reception yet
HUMAN
Human is the fifth studio album by American recording artist Brandy Norwood, first released in France in December 2008 and by March 2009 in most international music markets. Generally well received by critics, Human debuted at number fifteen on the US Billboard 200 with opening week sales of 73,000 copies, becoming the singer's lowest-charting debut since her first album fourteen years prior. With a domestic sales total of 214,000 copies, it widely failed to revive the success of its predecessors. While leading single "Right Here (Departed)" scored Norwood her biggest chart success since 2002's "Full Moon," the album failed to impact elsewhere, resulting into lackluster sales in general and the release of just one other single, "Long Distance."
TWO ELEVEN
Two Eleven is the sixth studio album by American recording artist Brandy Norwood. Released on October 12, 2012, Two Eleven serves as the singer's debut release with Chameleon Entertainment and RCA Records after departing from Epic Records soon after releasing her previous album Human (2008). The album's title is taken from Norwood's birthday; it is also the day on which her idol and friend, entertainer Whitney Houston died. Upon its release, the album received generally favorable reviews amongst critics with many complimenting Norwood's vocals, the albums production and the overall direction of the album. Two Eleven debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200 with first week sales of 65,000 copies, becoming Norwood's fourth top ten and her first in eight years. It also debuted on top of on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, her second album to do so.
CHARTS AND CERTIFICATIONS:
BRANDY:
WORLDWIDE SALES: 6 million
source, September 2010
DOMESTIC SALES: 2.2 million
source, May 2011
Certifications:
USA [RIAA]: 4x Platinum (4,000,000)
Canada [CRIA]: Gold (50,000)
Soundscan USA:
2,120,000
source, May 2002
2,184,960
source, May 2011
Charts:
USA: #20
Germany: #86
Canada: #20
Australia: #26
NEVER SAY NEVER:
WORLDWIDE SALES: 16 million
source, September 2010
DOMESTIC SALES: 5.7 million
source, July 2011
Certifications:
Australia: Platinum (70,000)
Belgium: Platinum (20,000)
Canada: 4x Platinum (320,000)
Denmark: Gold (10,000)
France: Gold (50,000)
Germany: Gold (100,000)
Indonesia: Gold (35,000)
Ireland: Gold (7,500)
Japan: 2x Platinum (500,000)
Malaysia: Gold (7,500)
Netherlands: Gold (25,000)
New Zealand: Platinum (15,000)
South Africa: Platinum (40,000)
Sweden: Gold (20,000)
United Kingdom: Gold (100,000)
USA: 5x Platinum (5,000,000)
Soundscan USA:
4,400,000
source, March 2002
4,584,742
source, May 2011
Charts:
Australia #13
Austria #17
Belgium #21
Canada #3
Denmark #10
Netherlands #5
France #12
Germany #10
Ireland #15
Japan #14
New Zealand #16
Norway #25
Sweden #15
Switzerland#11
United Kingdom #19
United States #2
__________________________________________________ __
ALBUMS
total album sales: 25 million+
BRANDY (1994)
WORLDWIDE SALES: 6 million
source, September 2010
DOMESTIC SALES: 2.2 million
source, May 2011
Certifications:
USA [RIAA]: 4x Platinum (4,000,000)
Canada [CRIA]: Gold (50,000)
Soundscan USA:
2,120,000
source, May 2002
2,184,960
source, May 2011
Charts:
USA: #20
Germany: #86
Canada: #20
Australia: #26
----------
NEVER SAY NEVER (1998)
WORLDWIDE SALES: 16 million
source, September 2010
DOMESTIC SALES: 5.7 million
source, July 2011
Certifications:
Australia: Platinum (70,000)
Belgium: Platinum (20,000)
Canada: 4x Platinum (320,000)
Denmark: Gold (10,000)
France: Gold (50,000)
Germany: Gold (100,000)
Indonesia: Gold (35,000)
Ireland: Gold (7,500)
Japan: 2x Platinum (500,000)
Malaysia: Gold (7,500)
Netherlands: Gold (25,000)
New Zealand: Platinum (15,000)
South Africa: Platinum (40,000)
Sweden: Gold (20,000)
United Kingdom: Gold (100,000)
USA: 5x Platinum (5,000,000)
Soundscan USA:
4,400,000
source, March 2002
4,584,742
source, May 2011
Charts:
Australia #13
Austria #17
Belgium #21
Canada #3
Denmark #10
Netherlands #5
France #12
Germany #10
Ireland #15
Japan #14
New Zealand #16
Norway #25
Sweden #15
Switzerland#11
United Kingdom #19
United States #2
---------------
FULL MOON (2002)
WORLDWIDE SALES: 2.5 million (estimation)
DOMESTIC SALES: 1.1 million source, June 2004
Certifications:
Canada: Gold (40,000)
Japan: Gold (100,000)
United Kingdom: Gold (100,000)
USA: Platinum (1,000,000)
Soundscan USA:
1,100,000
source, June 2004
Charts:
Australia #13
Austria #54
Belgium #26
Canada #8
Netherlands #23
France #12
Germany #8
New Zealand #14
Norway #24
Sweden #20
Switzerland#7
United Kingdomn #9
United States #2
------------
HUMAN:
Released in France in December 2008 and by March 2009 in most international music markets
Worldwide Sales: 300K ( approximately )
Certifications:
U.S.A: Silver ( 250K )
Austria: 2X Platinum ( 30K )
Soundscan USA:
250 000
Source, July 2012
Charts:
French Album Charts: #129
US Billboard 200: #15
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums: #5
Austrian Album Charts: #1 ( 3 weeks )
-------------------------
TWO ELEVEN: ( 2012 )
Worldwide Sales: 210K
Certifications:
U.S.A: Bronze (180K)
Soundscan USA:
180 000
Source, February 2013
Charts:
France (SNEP) #173
Japan (Oricon Chart) #103
South Korea (Gaon Album Chart) #13
UK Albums (Official Charts Company) #87
UK R&B Albums (Official Charts Company) #4
US Billboard 200 #3
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) #1
Queen of RnB