A pop cultural force since the mid-’90s, Brandy Norwood is a true double threat. As one of the most famous Black singers of the last few decades, Norwood has had two No.1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including the iconic ballad “Have You Ever?” She’s also known for appearing in TV shows such as “Moesha,” which ran for six seasons on UPN.

Learn more about Brandy’s successful career, including her greatest songs and albums and her contributions to TV and film.

Brandy Norwood’s impact on R&B music

Brandy Rayana Norwood, known as Brandy, was born on Feb. 11, 1979, in McComb, Mississippi. Her younger brother is the singer, actor and producer Ray J.

How Brandy’s early hits shaped the R&B landscape

After singing in her family’s church choir, Brandy’s parents recognized her musical talent and relocated to Los Angeles to start her career. She landed a record contract with Atlantic Records when she was still in the 9th grade of high school. The 11-year-old singer was on the cusp of stardom.

Brandy released her self-titled debut album in 1994, which featured a blend of R&B and pop that helped to establish her as a chart force. The first single from the album, “I Wanna Be Down,” hit No.6 on the Billboard Hot 100. It saw even bigger success on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay Chart, reaching the No.1 position and staying there for five weeks. Other singles from the album include “Baby” and “Best Friend.”

In a retrospective review, Billboard said the singles on Brandy’s debut “now sound like capsules of that hip-hop pop-soul era,” and her “low, flexible tone revealed its gospel roots and helped strengthen the weaker content.”

Brandy soon became one of the biggest R&B stars of her generation, with the single “Baby” nominated for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the 38th Grammy Awards in 1996. She was also one of the first teenage R&B singers to crossover into the mainstream, with 101.5 The Vibe saying:

“Brandy is among the few artists, contemporary R&B or otherwise, to achieve mainstream success as a teenager and make smooth artistic transitions across a multi-decade career.”

The evolution of Brandy’s sound and style over the years

Brandy’s second release, “Never Say Never” in 1998, features a more adult contemporary sound than her debut. The single “Have You Ever?” is a soaring ballad written by Dianne Warren, which Stereogum describes as a “perfectly serviceable piece of pop craftsmanship.” It became the first of Brandy’s two No.1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed at the top of the chart for two weeks.

In 2002, Brandy released the album “Full Moon,” which showcases a more experimental R&B sound, evident in the Rodney Jenkins-produced debut single “What About Us?” In a retrospective review, Crack Magazine says:

“Brandy’s voice sounded rich, stronger, newly husky as though she’d been up scream-singing in a club the night before.” 

Brandy continued to switch up her sound and style with later album releases. “Afrodisiac,” which came out in 2004, contains electronic hip-hop breakbeats and samples indie rock, with PopMatters calling it “the crown jewel in Brandy’s discography.”

She has also flirted with more traditional genres in her career. For example, she teamed up with her gospel singer father Willie Norwood on “A Loved Shared.”

Brandy Norwood’s greatest songs and albums

During her career, Brandy has released eight studio albums and 44 singles. “Full Moon” remains her most acclaimed work, with a Metascore of 60 based on 10 critic reviews.

Exploring Brandy’s most iconic tracks and their cultural significance

Perhaps Brandy’s most iconic single and music video is “The Boy Is Mine,” a duet with Monica. Released in 1998, the single picked up three nominations at the 41st Grammy Awards in 1999 and stayed at No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for a massive 13 weeks, making it one of the longest-running chart-toppers in history. 

Writing for Vice, Britt Julious says about the track:

“I didn’t realize how important they were to pop culture as a young girl or comprehend the rare and monumental accomplishment of two teenage Black girls dominating radio, television and singles charts. But I did feel something special in Brandy and Monica’s ubiquitousness: They were so obviously ours and so obviously loved.”

Brandy’s albums have also had cultural significance and acclaim, with “Never Say Never” nominated for Best R&B Album at the 41st Grammy Awards.

Albumism says:

“‘Never Say Never’ is representative of an overall watershed moment for Brandy’s legacy in that the album trademarked her exuberant but mature aestheticism and transformed it into a source of inspiration for much of the modern R&B that came in its wake.”

Brandy Norwood’s contributions to television and film

Like other Black singers who debuted as actors, Brandy has arguably had as many fans for her TV and movie work as for her musical career. Her first on-screen appearance was in the ABC comedy series “Thea” in 1993, a performance that garnered acclaim. However, she is most famous for her roles in Disney’s “Cinderella” and UPN’s “Moesha.”

Brandy’s groundbreaking role in Disney’s ‘Cinderella’

Three years after releasing her first album, Brandy made her film debut in “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella,” also known as “Cinderella,” a TV movie produced by Disney. She plays the title role, with Whitney Houston as the Fairy Godmother and Whoopi Goldberg as Queen Constantina. The production is noted for having an all-Black cast, making it a groundbreaking piece of television at the time.

“Cinderella” debuted on ABC in November 1997, with the network estimating an audience of more than 60 million people tuned in. Several critics praised Brandy’s performance, with Caryn James from The New York Times saying:

“As Cinderella, the surprisingly self-assured Brandy is an island of subtlety in a sea of broad. A magical sort of charisma enfolds her, and her voice is more than up to the task.”

Following her famous role in “Cinderella,” Brandy appeared in several other movies, including “I Still Know What You Did Last Summer,” “Double Platinum” and “Osmosis Jones.”

The impact of Brandy’s character in the TV show ‘Moesha’

Debuting on UPN in January 1996, “Moesha” remains Brandy’s most notable TV role. In the sitcom, she stars as Moesha Denise Mitchell, a teenager who lives with her middle-class family in Los Angeles.

After the pilot aired, one reviewer said about Brandy:

“She’s a likable kid, and her supporting cast of girlfriends — especially Countess Vaughn as the boy-crazy Kim — are sassy and full of street talk and slang; the cast’s chemistry manages to transcend the rather stale storyline.”

“Moesha” was a huge success for UPN, running for six seasons. Brandy won the award for Outstanding Youth Actor/Actress for her role at the 1997 NAACP Image Awards.

Since “Moesha,” Brandy has appeared in several other scripted TV shows, including “90210,” “Drop Dead Diva” and “The Game.” She has also been the subject of various reality documentary series, including “Brandy & Ray J: Family Business” and “Brandy: Special Delivery.”

Brandy’s recent television and movie projects

Brandy returning to Cinderella attracted much buzz online. In 2024, she reprised her role from the 1997 movie in the Disney Channel musical fantasy “Descendants: The Rise of Red.” Brandy also starred in the 2023 Christmas romcom “Best. Christmas. Ever!” on Netflix.

Other recent Brandy Norwood movies and TV shows include the ABC music drama series “Queens” (2021). Brandy starred in “Front Room,” a psychological horror movie, in 2024.

Brandy Norwood’s legacy and influence on today’s artists

With a music career spanning more than 30 years, Brandy has inspired younger artists in various genres, including R&B.

How Brandy paved the way for future R&B stars

Many critics see Brandy’s influence in the work of today’s R&B stars. For example, in a review of Normani’s “Dopamine” album, Slant describes the singer’s vocals on the track “Insomnia” as “Brandy-esque.”

Some contemporary R&B artists who cite the chart-topping singer as an influence include:

• “[Brandy is] the top influence to all R&B female artists.” — Jazmine Sullivan
• “She has the perfect voice.” — Jhené Aiko
• “Brandy’s first album was one of my inspirations when writing ‘Baduizm.’ I love that album. Songs I liked were ‘I Wanna Be Down’ and ‘Always on My Mind.’ Nice.” — Erykah Badu

In 2025, British artists AJ Tracey and Jorja Smith released the single “Crush,” which samples Brandy’s 2002 track “Love Wouldn’t Count Me Out” from the “Full Moon” album.

Brandy Norwood’s upcoming projects and what’s next for her

There are a couple of projects for fans to look forward to, including a memoir and a Brandy Norwood new movie.

Brandy’s new movie and television projects on the horizon

Brandy will reprise her role as “Cinderella” for the third time in “Descendants: Wicked Wonderland,” which is due for release in 2026. The latest movie in the franchise will also star Rita Ora and Kylie Cantrall.

Outside of TV and movies, Brandy continues to shape the entertainment industry in various ways. She plans to release an autobiography in the fall of 2025, which she says is a “reflection of resilience, hope and rediscovering myself.”

She added in an Instagram post:

“From singing in church as a little girl in McComb, Mississippi, touring across the world, starring as Moesha and becoming the first Black Cinderella — I’ve experienced unforgettable highs. But what you didn’t see were the struggles behind the scenes, the trials that tested my spirit and shaped the woman I am today.”

What fans can expect from Brandy’s future music releases

There’s no official word about when Brandy will release a new single or album. In 2023, she said she would “love to start working on” music again and that “it’s in the plan.” Brandy’s most recent album is 2020’s B7, which hit No.3 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

Brandy Norwood’s lasting impact on pop culture

It’s hard to sum up Brandy’s impact on pop culture in a few paragraphs. However, this Mississippi-born and California-raised singer and actor has had a significant influence on the TV and music industry through her genre-defying records and beloved roles as “Cinderella” and “Moesha.” According to Warner Music Japan, she has sold more than 15 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling R&B artists of all time.

When Brandy broke out on the music scene, she captured attention with her “rich tone” and “impeccable” vocal control, according to Yahoo! Entertainment.

The publication says:

“Her warm, husky vocals, effortless harmonies and youthful charm made her a role model for a generation of young Black girls, proving that teenage girls could dominate the R&B landscape.”

Brandy’s cultural relevance remains strong, and she will continue to use her creative voice to inspire others. She frequently appears on the covers of magazines and has more than 6 million followers on Instagram. New fans have discovered Brandy Norwood songs on Spotify and other streaming platforms.