Brandy Talks Comeback After 8-Year Hiatus & Being Called The ‘Vocal Bible’: I Accept It Graciously

Brandy On Comeback After 8-Year Hiatus: I Wanted To Be Honest & Authentic + Talks Being Called The ‘Vocal Bible’: I Accept It Graciously

The wait is almost over for Brandy’s return! During an interview, she detailed the driving forces behind creating her upcoming album B7, set to be available on July 31. The studio album will be the first for the 41-year-old singer since the release of her 2012 record Two Eleven. She explains,

“I went into this album thinking, ‘If this were my last project, if this were the last time I would ever sing…what would I do? I used that [thought process] as a way to give my all. You can hear my entire heart on this. It took a while because I didn’t want to rush.” 

She added:

 “I wanted it to be honest and authentic.”

Brandy became a household name after her 1994 “eponymous debut”, at just 15-years-old. Years later, the R&B star released her second album Never Say Never, which featured her first #1 hit, The Boy Is Mine” with Monica. The chart-topping duet is rumored to have been inspired by the alleged beef between the two singers. Since then, the multi-platinum-selling artist has sold over 40 million records and appeared in dozens of movies and TV shows.

For this new album, Brandy says that she was thrilled by the chance to take full ownership of her craft and career.

“I was inspired by the opportunity to have control over my music and be the ultimate decision maker of my career.”

She added,

“I felt it was important for me to tell my own stories about my experiences with love and the different challenges I’ve faced. I have so much to give, I have so much to share. My voice is still here, my energy is still creative.”

With such a talented voice comes extreme pressure. The talented singer has been dubbed the “vocal bible” by her fans. Although she was reluctant at first to take on such an honor, mother-of-one has learned to embrace it,

“I was a little bit taken aback. It came with a huge amount of pressure and expectation to be 100%. I got nervous because you just want to find yourself in your creativity and not care so much about being perfect all the time. But I’ve dealt with all that and let it fester. Now I accept it graciously.”

The album includes several features from artists such as Brandy’s daughter Sy’rai and Chance The Rapper. The rapper teamed up with Brandy to create her recently released (May 4) single, “Baby Mama”.

As R&B continues to make its comeback in the music industry, Brandy reflects on how far she has come since rising to fame 26 years ago.

She says:

“To look back now, there are so many things I’m proud of. I’m grateful and truly blown away. I was so caught up in my own dream that I didn’t really know the kind of impact I was having on so many lives, especially the lives of Black women and Black girls.” 

Are you excited for Brandy’s new album? Leave your thoughts with us in the comments.