Toni Braxton and Babyface - Love, Marriage & Divorce

They’re both soul-pop legends: Braxton’s won six Grammys; Babyface’s won 10 and has over 26 number one r&b hits to his name as a singer and producer. There’s history between them: he produced her self-titled debut, earning the singer her first Grammy as Best New Artist in 1994. They’ve also both been through divorce, something that Braxton and Babyface decided to explore on their new duet album. As the album title suggests, the songs chart the full arc of romance, from the giddiness of new love on the opening “Roller Coaster” to the sadness over a relationship’s end on “The D Word,” which rounds out the 11 tracks. In between, there are confessions about cheating (the heartbreaking “Where Did We Go Wrong”), revenge (the barbed “I Wish”) and what Braxton candidly calls “I-hate-you sex” (the groove-alicious “Sweat”). “It’s a different kind of album,” admits Braxton, “because you’re exposing yourself but using it as a healing tool.” By getting bravely personal, the pair has crafted a potent comeback.