The Return of Brandy

Brandy is back!!! As someone who has been a fan of the legendary songstress since the start of her career, I have been waiting to say those words for far too long now! Brandy has been a presence in my life since I was four years old. I can vividly remember the day I first heard “I Wanna be Down” on the radio as I was sitting on the back seat of my mom’s car. Even at four years old I knew I was in love with her voice. Brandy was my first musical memory and I have never been let down by anything she has done.

Over the last few years fans have been waiting for the new music to come and each time it seemed to be almost here, it just wasn’t. It’s been seven years since her last album so I really had no idea what to expect when we finally got a taste of something new. Well on Friday we finally got that taste in the form of a duet with R&B super producer and singer, Daniel Ceasar. I became a fan of Daniel through his work with H.E.R, but I was less excited about the collaboration due to his recent comments about race in America.

Despite the slightly controversial collaborator, I was excited to listen to “Love Again” for the first time, which is on his new album but will also be on Brandy’s forthcoming project. Upon the first listen I had that feeling you have when you hear a song that truly stands out. I knew that I would listen to this song in five years and that it would give me memories of that moment.

“Love Again” is an instant classic! It fits perfectly into what R&B music is today while also having a certain edge that makes it stand out like nothing else on the radio. I have played it over and over since Friday and it sounds just as fresh as it did when I first listened to it. Brandy’s voice is sublime on this song- distinct, lush, and oh so airy, everything we have come to love from her singing. Daniel is great on the song and it would be incomplete without him, but this is Brandy’s show. She makes the song and if this is any indication of what her album will be like, the world is in for quite a shock.

In some ways R&B has experienced a bit of resurgence, there are new artists like Ceasar, H.E.R, and SZA who have found success, but for the most part the genre is ignored. Part of the issue is the way record labels treat R&B acts; instead of getting the promotion and marketing needed to have the potential to reach a large audience, they are stifled and put into boxes that are undervalued in the industry. This happens far too often- there are so many amazing singers who don’t get their just due and it’s incredibly unfortunate.

The answer that some have come up with is to go independent. Many of my favorite singers have done this- Fantasia is releasing her new album as an independent artist, so is Monica, and now Brandy is also an independent artist. This is perfect because these ladies no longer have to worry about the record label red tape. The challenge is still trying to reach the masses in an industry that devalues the genre, but at least the very system that is supposed to support you isn’t holding you back.

I think beginning this new era of her career with this duet before we get an official first single from her album is perfect! The buzz that it’s creating is great because after all it has been seven years since Brandy has released an album, having a hit like this welcomes her back and helps remind the public that she is one of the best R&B singers of all time. This is the colliding of two different music generations and it’s beautiful.

As a fan of Brandy and R&B in general, I am happy about the future. From the snippets Brandy has shared on her social media, Love Again, isn’t even one of the more exciting tracks! Stream Love Again by Daniel Caesar and Brandy on all major platforms and be sure to look out for more announcements from Brandy in the near future.