Toni Braxton sits in her home, a picture of effortless elegance in a black turtleneck and sunglasses. She exudes a calm yet reserved energy as she takes a brief break from her sophomore Las Vegas residency, in which she’s sharing the stage with comedian Cedric the Entertainer. While many artists find their sanctuary in the recording studio, for Braxton, a seven-time Grammy winner, there’s nothing quite like the thrill of singing live. While her residency is not a new chapter, the audience evolution she has seen since her Vegas debut in 2006 brings a refreshing dynamism. “My fans are loyal, and I know my fans—but the younger generation, they’re just a little different, and I love them,” the 57-year-old star muses. “They keep you on your toes. They keep you young and fresh. I love that, because I’m an old b*tch! I’ve been doing this since 1993.”

“My fans are loyal, and I know my fans—but the younger generation, they’re just a little different. They keep you on your toes. They keep you young and fresh. I love that.”

—toni braxton

Braxton is undeniably one of the most influential voices in music, having established a benchmark for vocal ability and storytelling. Her distinctive sound—a potent, heartfelt vocal delivery with sophisticated arrangements—has not only defined her career but has influenced countless artists across genres: Think Kelly Rowland’s memorable impersonation on The Jennifer Hudson Show and Beyoncé’s homage in her 2018 Halloween costume. Braxton is one of one. 

As the leading voice of the Braxton family, Toni has always been a trailblazer, setting the stage for her sisters with her signature contralto and daring sense of style. From her early days topping the charts in the ’90s, with hits such as “Love Shoulda Brought You Home,” “I Love Me Some Him” and the unforgettable “Un-Break My Heart,” she became the quintessential R&B diva; but it was her fearless fashion choices that cemented her status as a style icon. From her red-carpet moments to her infamous pixie cut, Braxton’s showstopping panache has always been as memorable as her voice. Her iconic look has been widely emulated and celebrated—my own pixie cut was inspired by the legendary songstress. 

While musical styles may have evolved since the soulful R&B sounds of the ’90s, Braxton remains as impactful as ever. Her music's elegance and depth resonate with the same intensity, making her work feel as fresh today as it did when she first landed on the charts. Indeed, the emotional ballads she created with her unmistakable lower-register pipes have taken on a whole new meaning, with her music becoming a mirror that reflects the singer’s personal life. 

As the eldest Braxton sibling, Toni has always carried the mantle of leadership and emotional responsibility. Often viewed as a guiding force and a source of strength, she saw her older-sister role become even more demanding after the devastating loss of Traci Braxton, who passed away from esophageal cancer in 2022. Traci’s death was a deep blow; it heightened Toni’s sense of duty to uphold the family’s legacy and to be a pillar of support for her remaining siblings. 

“Being the oldest, you have to play tough even when you’re scared,” she reflects now. “So playing tough for me is what is indigenous. I was born to that. And I found that even while doing [the TV reality series] Braxton Family Values, we went to private grief management and grief therapy. It was helpful, but I wasn’t ready to talk about it. I wasn’t ready to divulge that vulnerability yet."  

“As the oldest, I’ve learned to hide my feelings and be strong for everyone,” she continues. “But sometimes I don’t know what the hell I’m doing, what I’m feeling. I just pretend that I do—and that’s the best that I can give myself at the time.”

The family’s grief was later laid bare on camera with their return to television, in the revamped reality series The Braxtons. Toni shares that the family’s decision to participate in the show was driven by Traci’s wishes. Although they felt they had made their mark with their previous series, Traci had encouraged them to revisit the show, hoping it would help the family reconnect during a difficult time. Braxton notes that losing a loved one can either bring people closer or drive them apart—and in their case, it created some strain. “I think Traci thought that doing the show together would pull us back together,” she says. “Maybe she saw something that we didn’t see.” 

Braxton recognizes that what was meant to bring them closer also highlighted their struggles. Navigating loss in the public eye hasn’t been easy, especially with scrutiny and judgment amplified by social media. “When you talk about grief, it’s those moments that are gut-wrenching, and you’re in the corner and you’re curled up and you can’t move your body,” she says. “It’s just so heavy for you. You want to be honest and vulnerable, but you just can’t do it. You don’t want the world to see that side of you. Even as an entertainer, you don’t want people to see that.”

For Braxton, the loss was especially profound—and compounded by her own health battles, including her ongoing fight with lupus and the recent placement of a stent in her heart to prevent a potentially fatal heart attack. Braxton revealed that she’d always believed she would be the one to pass first, due to her health issues—making Traci’s death even more difficult to fathom. She struggled with feelings of anger and confusion; Traci’s illness caught the family off guard, despite their awareness of her condition. “I thought, me, with my lupus and my heart issues—I just thought that since I’m the oldest, it would have been me,” Braxton says. “So it was hard for me. It was difficult to understand. I was angry at everything, and it’s still really hard for me to talk about it.”

Braxton pauses briefly, gathering her thoughts as she reflects on her own mortality. Grappling with her own close calls has only deepened her empathy for what Traci must have endured. “It’s difficult, because I want to be honest about it,” she says, “but I think of the moment where the doctors say, ‘You’re very lucky to be alive, Toni.’  I could’ve had a massive heart attack—something called ‘the widow-maker’—and they caught it in the nick of time. I would have passed and had no warning with that. And then I think about my sister Traci, how scared she must have been.

“And even when I think of my health issues,” she adds contemplatively, “I’m like, God spared me. And then sometimes I go, But why me?” Despite her own narrow escape, the heartache of losing Traci lingers, a constant reminder of life’s unpredictability and the bond they shared. Behind the public facade Braxton maintains, the heartache she feels is palpable. As she sings in one of her own Billboard No. 1 hits, “Don’t leave me in all this pain.” “This is the first for us,” Braxton explains. “We’re just trying to navigate our way through it and in it. But learning to live with a broken heart is challenging. I’ve heard people say it gets better. I don’t know if it gets better. I just think you learn how to live with the pain.”

Amid this journey, Braxton has managed to find both peace and purpose—whether she's performing onstage, spending quality time with her family or enjoying moments with her “sweetheart,”whom she chooses not to name but who brings light into her life. As she continues to seek balance and solace every day, she notes, having love in her life has made this difficult time feel a little less hard. 

In these quiet reflections, Braxton remains deeply connected to Traci. Little things often stir memories of her—like hummingbirds, Traci’s favorite symbol of hope. “Her thing was hummingbirds. She had five hummingbirds on her back, and we were all a hummingbird,” Braxton recalls with a soft smile. “And since her departure, all I see are hummingbirds—and I feel like that’s her way of talking to us. I know I like to feel that there’s life after life. I think life is everlasting. It never ends. But I just miss her, every day.” 

As Braxton continues to embrace her personal and professional challenges with grace, she still believes that this chapter of her life is the best one yet. Toni Braxton not only honors her past but forges a path of hope and renewal for the future. In her music and her life, she carries forward the legacy of love and remembrance. She turns each day into a celebration of both the joy and the memory of those who have shaped her.

As for her family, the Braxtons will continue navigating their journey with the authenticity that has resonated with audiences for years, bringing their relatable struggles and triumphs into our living rooms. The Braxtons’ journey is far from over, and their story promises to inspire and uplift—as the family keeps the spirit of loved ones alive in every step they take. 

CREDITS
Photographed by Deon Hinton 
Styled by Ron Hartleben 
Hair: Dhairius Thomas using Cécred and MyParfait Wig at Factory Downtown 
Makeup: Mila Thomas using Danessa Myricks Beauty at Basic White Shirt Ltd.  
Nails: Sreynin Peng using Dior Vernis 
Set Design: Priscilla Lee 
Tailor: Shirlee Izdakovich 
Photography Assistants: Evadne Gonzalez & Alex Kennedy 
Fashion Assistant: Britton Litow 
Set Design Assistant: Steph Mcdonald 
Production: The Morrison Group 
Production Manager: Georgia Ford 
Production Assistants: Jay Dadwal & Aaliyah Henderson 
Special Thanks: The Biltmore Los Angeles 

Talent: @tonibraxton 
Writer: @shelbylnstewart
Photographer: @okdeon 
Stylist: @ronnie_hart 
Hair: @dhairiusnyc 
Makeup: @makeupbymila 
Nails: @sreyninpeng 
Set Design: @prsxlla 
Tailor: @costumer.shirlee 
Location: @thebiltmorela 
Production: @themorrisongroup 
ESSENCE, VP, Content: @itsnandibby 
ESSENCE, Visual Director: @_mq______ 
ESSENCE, Design Director: @anthonybones_