Who is Toni Braxton, the singer who went from being a millionaire to being bankrupt due to debt?
Toni Braxton, the singer who rose to fame with her hit song Un-Break My Heart, is bankrupt. The 90s pop star went from international fame to a $50 million debt that ended up leading her to ruin.
Who is Toni Braxton?
Toni Michelle Braxton is an American singer, writer, pianist, actress and philanthropist, born in Severn, Maryland on October 7, 1967.
Toni began performing with her sisters in a musical group known as The Braxtons , which was signed to Arista Records. She launched her solo career in 1993, releasing her self-titled album which reached number one on the Billboard 200 chart.
Braxton has received numerous entertainment awards, including seven American Music Awards, five Billboard Music Awards and seven Grammy Awards. She has sold more than 70 million records worldwide and is one of the best-selling female artists in history.
In 2011, Braxton was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame and in 2017 she received the Legend Award at the Soul Train Music Awards, becoming the first woman to receive the award.
What song made Toni Braxton famous?
The song Un-Break My Heart , included in her second album Secrets, became a worldwide hit and managed to position Toni Braxton as an international star. In total, it is estimated that the album Secrets reached twenty million copies sold worldwide.
Why did Toni Braxton file for bankruptcy?
Despite selling 15 million copies of her album Secrets, Braxton filed for bankruptcy in 1998, owing $50 million. Her mistake was a contract with Arista/LaFace, which stipulated that she would receive only 33 cents for each album sold.
Unwittingly, she lived a millionaire’s life imagining she would make millions from her records, but when she received her check it was only $1,972.
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Although Toni tried to take legal action against her production company to terminate her contract and sign with another company or at least renegotiate the terms, she could not afford the expenses. She spoke about this situation on Oprah’s show, but Oprah did not help her either and even questioned her about her lifestyle.
What happened to Toni Braxton?
The singer had a new rise after 2000, but in 2007 she collapsed on stage and was diagnosed with Lupus. She had to be hospitalized and cancel shows she had already planned, which prevented her from continuing to pay off her debts. In 2010 she declared bankruptcy again.
But in 2012, another artistic environment gave her a chance: reality TV. Together with her sisters, they made Braxton Family Values, which was a success and turned her into a reality star.
