Toni Braxton Net Worth

What is Toni Braxton's net worth?

Toni Braxton is an American singer, songwriter, pianist, record producer, actress, television personality, and philanthropist who has a net worth of $8 million. Toni Braxton is one of the best-selling female R&B artists in history. To date has sold over 67 million records worldwide. If you were expecting Toni Braxton's net worth to be higher, as we explain in the next section below, over the years, she has experienced a handful of financial difficulties, including at least one bankruptcy filing.

Toni Braxton's journey to stardom began in the late 1980s when she and her sisters formed The Braxtons. In the early 1990s, she caught the attention of producers Antonio "L.A." Reid and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and soon signed with LaFace Records. Her self-titled debut album, released in 1993, was a massive success, propelled by hit singles like "Another Sad Love Song" and "Breathe Again." The album not only showcased Braxton's vocal prowess but also established her as a significant force in the music industry.

Over the years, Braxton continued to release critically and commercially successful albums, including "Secrets" (1996), which featured iconic tracks like "Un-Break My Heart" and "You're Makin' Me High." "Un-Break My Heart," in particular, became one of the best-selling singles of all time, cementing her status as a global superstar. Her ability to blend soulful R&B with mainstream pop allowed her to reach a broad audience.

Braxton's career, however, was not without challenges. She faced financial difficulties and health issues, including a public battle with lupus, which she has been open about, raising awareness for the disease. Despite these obstacles, she continued to create music, tour, and even expand her career into acting and reality television, appearing in shows like "Braxton Family Values" and "Dancing with the Stars." Throughout her career, Braxton has received numerous accolades, including multiple Grammy Awards, solidifying her legacy as one of the most powerful and enduring voices in music.

Toni Braxton Bankruptcy and Money Issues

Despite her incredible commercial success, Toni Braxton's career has been marked by a series of highly publicized financial setbacks. At the height of her fame in the late 1990s, she stunned fans by filing for bankruptcy in 1998, citing more than $5 million in debt. The move came despite her first two albums having sold over 20 million copies worldwide. Braxton later revealed that her original recording contract with LaFace and Arista Records paid her only pennies per album sold, and that she was also contractually obligated to repay tour and production expenses—leaving her with little actual profit despite multi-platinum sales.

After regaining her financial footing with the success of her 2000 album "The Heat," which sold more than two million copies and produced the hit "He Wasn't Man Enough," Braxton's fortunes once again declined a decade later. In October 2010, she filed for bankruptcy for a second time, this time listing as much as $50 million in debt against roughly $10 million in assets, giving her a net worth of negative $40 million. The financial troubles stemmed from a combination of health problems that forced her to cancel her Las Vegas residency, overspending, and a string of expensive contractual and legal disputes.

Court filings revealed a long list of creditors, including the IRS, AT&T, Tiffany & Co., Neiman Marcus, and multiple banks. At one point, she acknowledged spending roughly $2.5 million on clothing, makeup, and hair styling in under two years. In 2013, her financial woes deepened when she lost the rights to 27 of her most successful songs—including "You're Makin' Me High," "How Many Ways," and "Always"—as part of a bankruptcy settlement. The loss significantly reduced her ability to collect future royalties from her own catalog.

Despite these setbacks, Braxton has continued to rebuild her finances through live performances, international tours, and reality television. She remains a sought-after performer overseas, earning an estimated $750,000 to $1 million annually from concerts, television projects, and appearances. With much of her debt discharged by bankruptcy courts, Braxton has since taken greater control of her business affairs, emphasizing financial literacy and ownership in interviews as key lessons learned from her struggles.

"Un-Break My Heart" Royalties

Although "Un-Break My Heart" remains Toni Braxton's signature hit—and one of the most recognizable ballads of the 1990s—she earns limited royalties from it. The song was written by acclaimed songwriter Diane Warren, meaning the publishing and songwriting royalties go primarily to Warren and her associated entities. Braxton has described the song as both a career-defining moment and a reminder of how little artists often profit from their biggest hits under traditional recording contracts. Despite that, her unforgettable performance of "Un-Break My Heart" continues to anchor her legacy, keeping the song alive through streaming, film placements, and her live shows decades after its release.

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Early Life

Toni Michelle Braxton was raised in a deeply religious and musically gifted household in Severn, Maryland. Her father, Michael Braxton Sr., was a Methodist clergyman and power company employee, while her mother, Evelyn Braxton, was a former opera singer and cosmetologist who nurtured her children's love of music. Toni was the eldest of six siblings—one brother, Michael Jr., and four sisters, Traci, Towanda, Trina, and Tamar—all of whom would later pursue entertainment careers of their own.

The Braxton household revolved around church and music. Toni's first performances were in the choir at the family's local church, where her powerful voice stood out from a young age. Although her mother encouraged discipline and education first, she also recognized Toni's natural talent and supported her early ambitions.

Braxton initially planned to become a schoolteacher and enrolled at Bowie State University in Maryland to study education. However, fate intervened when songwriter and producer William Pettaway Jr. overheard her singing to herself while pumping gas. Impressed by her voice, he urged her to consider a professional singing career. That encounter changed the trajectory of her life, steering her away from the classroom and toward a path that would make her one of the defining R&B artists of her generation.

Early Career and The Braxtons

Toni Braxton's professional journey began in the late 1980s, when she and her sisters—Traci, Towanda, Trina, and Tamar—formed the R&B group The Braxtons. The group signed with Arista Records in 1989 and released the single "Good Life" in 1990. Although the song received modest airplay, it attracted the attention of producers Antonio "L.A." Reid and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds. The duo recognized Toni's star potential and invited her to record a demo for a song called "Love Shoulda Brought You Home," originally written for Anita Baker. When Baker declined, Toni's version was used on the soundtrack for the 1992 film "Boomerang," marking her solo breakthrough.

Breakthrough and Global Stardom

In 1993, Toni signed with LaFace Records and released her debut self-titled album "Toni Braxton." The record was a massive success, topping the Billboard 200 and earning her three Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist. The singles "Another Sad Love Song" and "Breathe Again" became radio staples, introducing audiences to her smoky contralto voice and emotive delivery.

Her second album, "Secrets," released in 1996, elevated her to global superstardom. Anchored by the chart-topping hits "You're Makin' Me High" and the timeless ballad "Un-Break My Heart," the album sold more than 15 million copies worldwide. "Un-Break My Heart" spent 11 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 and became one of the best-selling singles in history. By the late 1990s, Toni Braxton was one of the most recognizable and respected artists in R&B and pop music.

Continued Success and Industry Challenges

Following her early success, Braxton released her third album, "The Heat," in 2000, which included the hit singles "He Wasn't Man Enough" and "Just Be a Man About It." The album went double platinum and earned two Grammy nominations, reaffirming her staying power in a rapidly changing music industry.

Her subsequent albums—"More Than a Woman" (2002), "Libra" (2005), and "Pulse" (2010)—showcased her evolving sound, but were accompanied by challenges including health problems, label disputes, and declining record sales. Despite these setbacks, she continued to receive critical praise for her artistry and vocal control.

In 2014, Braxton reunited with longtime collaborator Babyface for the album "Love, Marriage & Divorce," which earned the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album in 2015. Her ninth studio album, "Sex & Cigarettes," followed in 2018 and included the single "Long As I Live," which was nominated for multiple Grammys and reaffirmed her status as an enduring R&B powerhouse.

Stage, Residency, and Television Work

In addition to her music career, Braxton achieved success in other entertainment fields. She made her Broadway debut in 1998, starring as Belle in Disney's "Beauty and the Beast," for which composer Alan Menken wrote a new song specifically for her titled "A Change in Me." Her performance was widely praised, and she remained with the production until 1999.

In 2006, she launched her Las Vegas residency, "Toni Braxton: Revealed," at the Flamingo Hotel. Performing six nights a week, the show was a box-office hit and ran until 2008, when she was forced to cancel performances due to health issues.

Braxton later transitioned into reality television, co-starring with her family on the long-running WE tv series "Braxton Family Values," which premiered in 2011. The show offered fans an inside look at her life as a mother, performer, and sister, further cementing her status as an influential figure in both music and pop culture.

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Personal Life

Toni Braxton met musician Keri Lewis when his group Mint Condition opened for her on tour. They married on April 21, 2001. That same year, she gave birth to their son, Denim Cole Braxton-Lewis. In 2002, she got pregnant with her second child and was confined to bed rest. Her second son, Diezel Ky Braxton-Lewis, was born in March 2003. Diezel is autistic, and Toni is involved with Autism Speaks as their International Spokesperson. Braxton and Lewis divorced in July 2013.

Braxton started dating rapper Birdman in May 2016. They announced their engagement in February 2018 with a reported $1 million engagement ring. In January 2019, the couple called off the engagement. However, in April 2019, both Braxton and Birdman confirmed that they were still together and, in fact, they eventually got married. Their marriage was not widely known until April 2025, when documents revealed they actually tied the knot on August 8, 2024. Unfortunately, the docs ALSO revealed that Toni filed to separate on August 10. Just TWO days later. Then she dismissed the divorce petition in January 2025

Health Issues

In late summer 2007, rumors started to circulate that Braxton had been diagnosed with breast cancer. She denied it at the time. In 2008, she had a benign lump removed from her breast. On April 8, 2008, Braxton was briefly hospitalized, and the remaining dates on her Flamingo Hotel Las Vegas residency were canceled. Later, while appearing on Season 7 of "Dancing with the Stars," she stated that she had been diagnosed with microvascular angina (small vessel disease).

On November 18, 2010, Braxton revealed to CBS News that she had been diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a potentially life-threatening autoimmune disease.

Real Estate

In 2014, Braxton paid $2.9 million for a 5,323-square-foot home in The Oaks neighborhood of Calabasas, California. Built in 2006, the four en-suite bedroom home was considered an "affordable" home for someone looking to move into this coveted neighborhood. She sold it in 2016 for $3.4 million.

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